President of UUA "Disappointed" in Boy Scouts' Response
Letter from John A. Buehrens, President, Unitarian Universalist Association
to Lawrence Ray Smith, Ph.D, Chair, Religious Relationship Committee, Boy Scouts
of America
In response to Letter from the BSA to the UUA,
May 7, 1998.
June 11, 1998
Lawrence Ray Smith, Ph.D. Chair,
Religious Relationship Committee
Boy Scouts of America
522 East Lane
Kerrville, TX 78028
Dear Dr. Smith:
Our Youth Office received your letter of May 7 stating that Scouting
youth may no longer be awarded the Unitarian Universalist Religion in Life
award for Boy Scouts nor the Love and Help award for Cub Scouts. You do
this because our manual for the Religion and Life award includes statements
designed to help Unitarian Universalist youth deal with the tension that
they may feel between Unitarian Universalist religious principles and certain
aspects of BSA current policy, particularly with regard to discrimination
against gay Scouts and leaders and with regard to those whose conscientious
ethical and spiritual principles may not include a belief in God.
Surely the Religious Relationships Committee of the Boy Scouts of America
cannot intend to tell a religious group what we may teach with regard to
our own religious principles. We teach our youth, as a matter of religious
principle, that discrimination against people simply by virtue of their
belonging to a particular category of human being is wrong. We cannot be
expected to ignore the question of discrimination against gay scouts and
leaders in our guidance to boys studying our religious principles and history.
Unitarian Universalism also has a special openness, ministry and mission
to those who may have trouble with traditional ideas about God. This too
is a matter of religious principle with us. We know that we are not alone
in regarding doubt, as well as piety, as a part of faith. Moreover, if
a good Buddhist Boy Scout said, “No, I do not believe in a God,” would
you exclude that child for following the teachings of his own faith?
You attempt to define the Boy Scouts of America as an ‘ecumenical’ organization,
and object to our reference to it as ‘secular.’ I believe that you misunderstand
both words. ‘Ecumenical’ is a distinctively Christian term properly used
only with regard to inter-Christian cooperation. It is not appropriate
to an organization that aspires to inter-faith relationships. Rabbis and
imams would not find it appropriate at all. Moreover, because the BSA is
grounded in moral and civic values, but not in a particular religion per
se, the term ‘secular’ is quite appropriate. Many BSA leaders, including
members of the National Council, would repudiate the implication of your
statement that the BSA is an entirely Christian organization. Or do you
really wish to exclude Jews, Muslims, Hindus, and members of other minority
faith communities?
Your committee is charged with a great responsibility: to help the BSA
relate to the increasing religious pluralism of American society. Judging
by your letter, you are in danger of failing in that task. You risk exposing
the BSA to charges of discrimination -- not only against a sexual minority,
but against entire religious groups, starting with Unitarian Universalism,
a movement which has deep spiritual roots in America’s commitment to religious
freedom, to democratic values, and to minority rights.
Some of our congregations date back to the time of the Pilgrims; others
are associated with the American Revolution, the abolitionist movement,
the struggle for women’s rights, for civil rights, etc. Our members have
long cooperated with the BSA. Our churches sponsor troops, our members
serve as adult leaders (some on the National Council), and our youth regularly
win awards. Hundreds have received the Religion in Life award in recent
years. I myself became a Life Scout, and attended a World Jamboree. As
a pastor in New York City in 1990, I helped to organize a troop for boys
then living in the city’s welfare hotels. Because of our long-standing
concern for religious pluralism, we could be helpful to your committee.
It saddens me when I see mistakes like your letter that threaten to deny
Scouting and support of Scouting to boys who could benefit from it.
I have consulted Tom Deimler, the staff member of the BSA who works
with your committee, and have agreed with him to take part in a meeting
about all these issues in September or October. In the meantime, I must
tell you that I believe that your letter has put your committee and the
BSA in an untenable and nearly ridiculous position. We will not acquiesce
in such discrimination. We will not stop distributing a Religion and Life
manual that reflects our religious principles. We will not stop providing
Religion and Life awards and Love and Help emblems to Scouts and Scout
leaders. If you and the BSA honestly believe that it will promote or defend
Scouting to refuse our awards or to have Scout officials tear them off
the uniforms of boys, I think that you are sadly mistaken. Most Americans
will see such actions for what they are: blatant discrimination against
children on the basis of their religion.
Yours regretfully,
John A. Buehrens
President
cc. Tom Deimler
Howard Guthman
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