What are the alternatives to Boy Scouts

With the Boy Scouts dumping their traditional values, concerned parents are looking for alternatives to the new Boy Scouts gay agenda.

Trail Life USA

Trail Life USA was started by a group that was trying to get the Boy Scouts of America to keep their policy which excluded homosexuals. After the BSA changed their policy, the group started Trail Life USA. Trail Life USA is explicitly Christian and upholds traditional marriage.

Royal Rangers

Royal Rangers is a worldwide ministry of the Assemblies of God and is designed to provide youth with challenging activities while providing them with Christian instruction. Royal Rangers International is open to participation of both boys and girls, while the US only allows boy participation in chartered outposts. A camping theme has traditionally been at the heart of most activities, although other non-camping activities are included as well. The new areas of focus are: outdoors, drama/arts, technology, sports, trades, or ministry. An outpost or boy may choose any of the six foci or combination thereof as his primary skill focus. The new philosophy of Royal Rangers includes flexibility in regards to skill focus, uniforms, etc. is dubbed, "Royal Rangers 2.0" at LEAD conference 2012 to indicate a clear distinction between the previous outdoors-focused version and the new version that includes many areas of focus. The program includes a merit award system whereby Royal Rangers must demonstrate specific knowledge and abilities. This ministry was developed by North Texas Youth Director Rev. John Henry "Johnnie" Barnes in 1962, and since then it has spread from the Assemblies of God to many other denominations (notably the International Pentecostal Holiness Church and Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee)) and from the United States to over 86 countries. The stated purpose of Royal Rangers USA is to "Evangelize, Equip, and Empower the next generation of Christlike men and lifelong servant leaders." The main mission of the Royal Rangers is to "Reach, Teach, and Keep" boys for Jesus Christ.

Royal Ranger Pledge - With God’s help, I will do my best to serve God, my church, and my fellowman; to live by the Ranger Code; to make the Golden Rule my daily rule.

Christian Service Brigade

Stockade (ages 8–11) is a program organized along the lines of the Cub Scouts. A Stockade is headed by an adult volunteer, the Chief Ranger, who is assisted by other adult volunteers, Rangers, who supervise sub-units called posts. Boys are typically assigned to posts according to their age. All Stockaders wear light blue uniforms that sport patches marking the accomplishment of various achievements. Builders (8 and 9 year-olds) earn patches called Blockhouses (of which there are eight), while Sentinels (10 and 11 year-olds) earn patches called Stations (of which there are also eight). The dark green uniforms worn by Rangers and Chief Rangers are similar to those worn by Brigadiers (members of Battalion). Battalion

Battalion (ages 12–18) is a program organized along the lines of the Boy Scouts of America. Each Battalion is headed by a Captain, an adult volunteer, who is assisted by other adult volunteers, called Lieutenants. At the Battalion level, considerable leadership responsibility devolves to the Brigadiers themselves. The student leader of the Battalion is the Sergeant (typically a high-school senior), who is assisted by Corporals and Lance Corporals, student leaders in charge of sub-units called squads. Brigadiers wear dark green uniforms that sport Activity Patches marking the accomplishment of various achievements. By earning Activity Patches and fulfilling other requirements, Brigadiers move up through the ranks of Explorer, Trailblazer, Guide, One Star, Two Star, and Three Star.

CSB Ministries - Growing Godly Leaders There is no greater call a man can answer than to be the tool that God uses to unlock a young man's potential. To that end, CSB Ministries provides weekly programs that enable men to mentor and disciple groups of boys through adventure-packed, action-filled experiences that grow young men closer to God...and equip them to be our leaders of tomorrow.

AWANA

Royal Ambassadors

Girls in Action Girls in Action® (GA®) is a missions discipleship organization for girls. Every girl in grades 1–6 can be a part of GA! Through GA, girls learn about, pray for, give to, and do missions work. They also make new friends and have lots of fun! http://www.wmu.com/index.php?q=children/ga/welcome-girls-action

What is all the fuss about the Boy Scouts? Should not gays be given equal treatment and equal rights? Why did our forefathers in the previous generation have barriers and discriminated against the gay community? General George Washington, was one of the first in American history to ban gays. He gave direct orders to expel a gay soldier from the Continental Army.

1. Same Sex Marriage - Bible Prohibition Liberal churches have ignored the Bible, and thus a major change in attitudes from the last generation. So what does the Bible say about gay behavior, and how the Kings of Israel suppress gay activity? American Law has followed the Biblical prohibition, and suppressed gay behavior.

2. The Exodus from Boy Scouts. We owe it to the children to steer them away from evil. If enough Boy Scout Troops leave, maybe they will reverse the course of action.

3. Liberal Churches - The Core Problem What happened to the Biblical values of the Latter Day Saints (Mormans), Catholics, and United Methodist Church? The new policy was implemented due to the liberalism in above churches, which were the top 3 religious sponsors of the Boy Scouts. Therefore come out from among them, and be you separate, says the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 2 Corinthians 6:17

4. Alternatives to Boy Scouts. Who are the Royal Rangers, Royal Ambassadors, CSB and other groups?

5. What you can do? * Encourage others to withdraw. * Do not buy any more Boy Scout popcorn. * Encourage your local Southern Baptist minister to vote at the national SBC Convention, for resolution condemning the new gay values of the Boy Scouts. * Withdraw from churches that have drifted away from Biblical values.

Gay Same Sex Marriage - Bible Prohibition Verses from the Bible strongly indicate that the gay same sex gay life style should be suppressed. Thus the foundation of our American law comes from the Bible.

Leviticus 20:13 If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them. Leviticus 18:22, 24 Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind, it is abomination. Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things Deuteronomy 23:17-18 There shall be no whore of the daughters of Israel, nor a sodomite of the sons of Israel. - - Read more Bible verses and application of them at: http://nosamesexmarriage.com/marriage/bible_verses.php

2. The Exodus from Boy Scouts. We owe it to the children to steer them away from evil. If enough Boy Scout Troops leave, maybe they will reverse the course of action.

3. Liberal Churches - The Core Problem What happened to the Biblical values of the Latter Day Saints (Mormans), Catholics, and United Methodist Church? The new policy was implemented due to the liberalism in above churches, which were the top 3 religious sponsors of the Boy Scouts. * Therefore come out from among them, and be you separate, says the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 2 Corinthians 6:17

Some larger sponsors have either endorsed the proposal, or - in the case of the United Methodist Church and Catholic Church - declined to specify position. The National Catholic Committee on Scouting issued a statement describing the membership debate as "difficult and sensitive" but stopping short of any explicit recommendation for how Catholic delegates to the BSA meeting should vote.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced in April that it supports the new proposal, saying the BSA made a good-faith effort to address a complex issue. The Mormons sponsor more Scout units than any other organization, serving about 430,000 of the 2.6 million youth in Scouting. United Methodist Church decline to take a position, but is aggressive on other social issues like the promotion of allowing illegal immigration, and took the liberal position by actively opposed the Alabama law on restricting illegal immigration. The United Methodists are the second-largest sponsor, serving about 363,000 youth members; the Catholic Church is No. 3, with a youth membership of about 273,000.

Baptist Press reported that the Roswell Street Baptist Church in Marietta, Ga., was considering ending a nearly 75-year sponsorship of a Boy Scout troop if the policy change prevails. The church's senior pastor, Ernest Easley, echoed warnings from other Southern Baptist leaders that any BSA accommodation of gays might prompt defections and trigger an expansion of the SBC's own youth group for boys, the Royal Ambassadors. According to BSA figures, Baptist churches sponsor Scout units with about 108,000 youth members. Leaders of some smaller conservative denominations - including the Assemblies of God and the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod - have signed a statement opposing the proposal to accept gay youth. The pastors of First Baptist Church of Pelham, and First Baptist Church of Helena said that their churches will no longer host Boy Scout troops in response to a decision by the national Boy Scouts of America to officially welcome openly gay scouts. The Rev. Mike Shaw, pastor of First Baptist Church of Pelham, Alabama and former president of the state's largest denomination, the Alabama Baptist Convention, that the church will no longer be able to sponsor Troop 404 as of Jan. 1 when the new policy takes effect. "We don't hate anybody," Shaw said. "We're not doing it out of hatred. The teachings of the scripture are very clear on this. We're doing it because it violates the clear teaching of scripture." Several regional Scout councils already have declared their position on the membership proposal. In Tennessee, the Nashville-based Middle Tennessee Council and Jackson-based West Tennessee Area Council said they oppose the proposed change and support the current broad ban on gay youth and adults. "We are continuing to uphold the standards, beliefs and traditions Scouting has held for over 100 years," said Lee Beaman, board president of the Middle Tennessee Council, which says it serves 35,000 youth and adults.

Therefore come out from among them, and be you separate, says the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, 2 Corinthians 6:17

The BSA once again reaffirmed its position in a press release on June 7, 2012 stating:

The BSA policy is: “While the BSA does not proactively inquire about the sexual orientation of employees, volunteers, or members, we do not grant membership to individuals who are open or avowed homosexuals or who engage in behavior that would become a distraction to the mission of the BSA. Scouting believes same-sex attraction should be introduced and discussed outside of its program with parents, caregivers, or spiritual advisers, at the appropriate time and in the right setting. The vast majority of parents we serve value this right and do not sign their children up for Scouting for it to introduce or discuss, in any way, these topics. The BSA is a voluntary, private organization that sets policies that are best for the organization. The BSA welcomes all who share its beliefs but does not criticize or condemn those who wish to follow a different path."

On July 17, 2012, at the conclusion of a two-year review, an 11 person committee convened by the BSA reached a "unanimous consensus" recommending retaining the current policy.But within the BSA National Executive Board, members James Turley, CEO of Ernst & Young, and Randall Stephenson, CEO of AT&T and who is "on track to become president of the Scout’s national board in 2014", have publicly opposed the policy and stated their intention "to work from within the BSA Board to actively encourage dialogue and sustainable progress" in changing the policy.

On January 28, 2013, the BSA said it is considering whether to remove its ban on gay leaders and members. "The policy change under discussion would allow the religious, civic, or educational organizations that oversee and deliver Scouting to determine how to address this issue," Deron Smith, public relations director, said in the statement. USA Today reported the policy change could be adopted at the next National Executive Board meeting, scheduled for February 4–6, 2013. On February 6, the 70 member executive Board announced that it needed "more time for a deliberate review" of its policy banning gays and have delayed a final decision until the much larger National Annual Meeting in May 2013 which will have voting representatives from all of the local councils.

On April 19, 2013, the Boy Scouts of America announced a proposal to no longer deny
membership to youth on the basis of sexual orientation, but maintain its ban on openly
gay adult leaders.

The LDS church released a statement in support of the proposal.

On May 23, 2013, the Boy Scouts of America voted to lift the ban of letting openly-gay individuals into the scouts by 61% to 38%. Openly gay boys will be allowed to become scouts from January 2014 but openly gay adults will still be forbidden to be leaders.

Position on gender

The Boy Scouts of America's official position is that girls cannot participate in its Cub Scouting or Boy Scouting programs. "The Cub Scout and Boy Scout programs were designed to meet the emotional, psychological, physical, and other needs of boys between the ages of 8 and 14. Boys in this age range seek out and enjoy group activities with other boys." However, the Venturing and Learning for Life programs are open to young men and women ages 14 through 21.