Boy Scout in and around Sterling/Potomac Falls area (activity, atheist)

[NOVAHomes]

Please share your recommendation for any non-religious based boy scout organization in and around Sterling (20165) area. Thank You!!

[Carlingtonian]

The Boy Scouts of America is a specific organization. Not overtly religious, but the kids are required to profess a belief in a supreme being. There's probably a troop down that way if you google around.

If your family is not Christian or Jewish, I would suggest they may not be for you. (It used to be a mainstream organization--I was a member myself--but as society has changed, the BSA didn't. So now they seem to have become a haven for conservatives' children. E.g., a soldier can be openly atheist or gay, but a Boy Scout cannot.) It's too bad, because they do some really cool things. I enjoyed Boy Scouts a lot.

[ghett61]

Originally Posted by Carlingtonian

The Boy Scouts of America is a specific organization. Not overtly religious, but the kids are required to profess a belief in a supreme being. There's probably a troop down that way if you google around.

If your family is not Christian or Jewish, I would suggest they may not be for you. (It used to be a mainstream organization--I was a member myself--but as society has changed, the BSA didn't. So now they seem to have become a haven for conservatives' children. E.g., a soldier can be openly atheist or gay, but a Boy Scout cannot.) It's too bad, because they do some really cool things. I enjoyed Boy Scouts a lot.

That really just depends on the troop leaders more than anything. My troop had some Buddhist and agnostics. But my troop leader was not overly religious.

[Carlingtonian]

Originally Posted by ghett61

That really just depends on the troop leaders more than anything. My troop had some Buddhist and agnostics. But my troop leader was not overly religious.

Wow! Good to know. It never came up when I was a kid, but then, everyone was assumed to be Christian, except for the one Jewish kid.

[JCVA]

Here in Sterling, there is a actually a Boy Scout Troop based in ADAMS (All Dulles Area Muslim Society). I would agree with the previous poster that it is very much troop leader-dependent.

[spencgr]

Originally Posted by JCVA

Here in Sterling, there is a actually a Boy Scout Troop based in ADAMS (All Dulles Area Muslim Society). I would agree with the previous poster that it is very much troop leader-dependent.

Well, having a Muslim-based troop isn't contradictory to the BSA beliefs. Muslims are monotheistic. And, for that matter, so are Jews. Both would meet the requirements of the society. Believing in a "Supreme Power" doesn't necessarily mean a Christian God.

[NOVAHomes]

Thanks All, We have no issue where they meet or do have some activity that do fall under any religion. I will contact the troop leaders and find out the details.

[Carlingtonian]

Originally Posted by spencgr

Well, having a Muslim-based troop isn't contradictory to the BSA beliefs. Muslims are monotheistic. And, for that matter, so are Jews. Both would meet the requirements of the society. Believing in a "Supreme Power" doesn't necessarily mean a Christian God.

That's all true, but for the record, they all worship the same God, just under different names. (I prefer to call him Uncle Ted.)