This article was originally published in “The Boy Scout” by Mat Greenfield. Below is an excerpt.
I’ve been fairly heavily involved in LDS Scouting for about fifteen years now. I’ve served at the unit, district, council, and national level. I’ve worked alongside parents, merit badge counselors, BSA employees, camp staff, senior council and national volunteers, and of course, youth. At this point, I’m ready to make a full declaration of what is wrong with Scouting in the LDS Church.
Many prophets have testified to Scouting’s efficacy, including most recently President Gordon B. Hinckley and Thomas S. Monson. In 1996, President Hinckley stated:
- The LDS Church’s involvement in Scouting is not accidental. In fact, the opposite it true. The LDS Church supports Scouting as a result of revelation. President Benson clearly stated in 1978 that Scouting is an inspired program for our time. (Scouting and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint, Appendix A)
- The Scout program works. Many prophets have testified to Scouting’s efficacy, including most recently President Gordon B. Hinckley and Thomas S. Monson. In 1996, President Hinckley stated:
“I love the Scouting movement. The promise of the Scout Oath and the 12 points of the Scout Law direct young men along the path of being prepared for the 21st century. They provide a solid and powerful magnetic force toward development of a well-rounded and noteworthy character that counts. If every boy in America knew and observed the Scout Oath, we would do away with most of the jails and prisons in this country.”
President Benson passionately stated that Scouting was “not on trial” affirming that it “builds men of character and spirituality and trains them for citizen and leadership responsibility. Scouting teaches a boy to take care of himself and stand on his own two feet.” (Scouting and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saint, Appendix A)
Then What’s the Problem?
So, if Scouting is an inspired program that works, what does my ‘full declaration’ of what is wrong with Scouting consist of? One simple truth – we don’t implement the full program.
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