"the woodcraft folk", heard of them?

[dp0001]

Woodcraft, Scouts, it seems to be an either or conversation. For myself, I went to a Catholic school and Cub Scouts with one set of beliefs, Woodcraft Folk with another and Air Training Corps with another still. As well as learning valuable lessons from all three I got to see differing philosophies from which I had to make my own mind up. And that's a good approximation of the real world.

I don't agree with sending your children or yourself only to groups that completely share your religion/philosophy/world view as it leads to narrow-mindedness. Every organisation is going to have ideas and people you agree with and don't agree with and to cut yourself off from them over the things you disagree with is a great shame. these organisations are not Young Communists and Hitler Youth in disguise.

To use a non-vegetarian saying, when faced with a chicken you eat the meat, spit out the bones.

 

[treadlightly]

Note that I am a scout leader....


In general I agree with a lot of what the woodcraft folk stand for. In theory at least....

But my actual experience when meeting them has been less than present.

They have been extremely militant atheists who seem to belive that everyone who believes in a god of whatever form is mentally deluded and needs to be cured by any means necessary. They also seem to believe that being English is something that we should be ashamed of rather than proud. (anyone who is proud to be English must be a white supremacist colonial bigot who thinks that anyone else needs to be kept in their place,) they also see that scouts as somthing akin to the hitlerjugend

Now I'm fully prepared to admit that this was just one group that I've had contact with and was in all likelihood one bad apple among many. But it didn't give a good impression..

By the way im hardly religious myself and active in lobbying to allow atheists to be scout leaders
But I dislike militant atheists just as much as I dislike the guy outside the shops telling me through a megaphone that I'm going to burn in hell unless I believe in his narrow minded dogma

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I didn't know atheists were not allowed to be scout leaders. Does that mean you have to be Christian to be a leader?

 

[John Fenna]

I didn't know atheists were not allowed to be scout leaders. Does that mean you have to be Christian to be a leader?

Nope - just to have a belief in "God" however you understand the concept of "god".
I am not aligned to any dogma system/religion but as I understand that there is a higher form than mere humans then all was fine - I was a warrented Scout Leader for 15 years.

 

[william#]

Nope - just to have a belief in "God" however you understand the concept of "god".
I am not aligned to any dogma system/religion but as I understand that there is a higher form than mere humans then all was fine - I was a warrented Scout Leader for 15 years.

"Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?"
— Epicurus

just saying

 

[Tony]

Heck, i've only just had a look at this thread and a questions about the woodfolk has posts like that? Seems seriously off topic to me and it's got onto religion and disputing God, time to start telling people off?

 

[Toddy]

We've been trying to keep it middle of the road and amiable.

It's unfortunate in that it's the kind of topic that brings up strongly divided opinions.

We've had both sides of the story now, so it could probably be closed down with no further discussion.

cheers,
M

 

[Graham_S]

Religion, like politics, is one of the things that we don't discuss on BCUK.
It's in the rules everyone agreed to when they joined.
Any more comments on either will cause action to be taken.
Thank you for your co-operation.