Is scouting slowly dying? - cougarguard.com — unofficial BYU Cougars / LDS sports, football, basketball forum and message board

Sleeping in EQ · 10-26-2006, 12:43 AM

Sometimes I think it is. None of the boys in my ward seem to really like it, although they'll go along with it for something to do or because their parents are anal about it. They'll put nominal effort into merit badges and rank advancement. Scouting doesn't seem to occupy the place in the culture that it did a few decades ago. I'm not the biggest proponent of scouting but there were some positives I took from my experiences as a scout:

comraderie
learning about nature, wildlife etc.
developing a tolerance for bad food
not burning down trail signs
turning my pants into a flotation device
swearing in the woods with adults
learning not to screw with bees

Actually, I really got into backpacking from scouting and that lead to my reading up on people like John Muir and Thoreau.

Surfah · 10-26-2006, 01:08 AM

I think it is slowly dying. My scout experiences were memorable but not great. By the time I was in 8th grade scouts was something I went to if it didn't interfere with sports practices. I think I gained more from playing team sports than I ever did from scouts. I advanced as far as Star. And it's been amazing that I haven't been turned down or overlooked for positions I have applied for because I wasn't an Eagle like my scoutmaster once said.

It will be interesting to see what the Church does if this trend continues. Personally I think the Church should implement it's own Young Men's program like the Young Women do. I think it's headed that way with the Duty to God or whatever award it is. But I think that would be something more beneficial than scouting, and it could help focus the energy of YM Presidencies and Scoutmasters who are having to do both right now.

il Padrino Ute · 10-26-2006, 01:30 AM

I'm afraid so.

A scout is:

Trustworty
Loyal
Helpful
Friendly
Courteous
Kind
Obedient
Cheerful
Thrifty
Brave
Clean
Reverent

Most of the values here are almost non-existent or mocked in today's "me-first" society.

Jeff Lebowski · 10-26-2006, 01:53 AM

Most definitely.

jay santos · 10-26-2006, 02:48 AM

I pray that it is.

creekster · 10-26-2006, 03:04 AM

Yup. My oldest son just got his eagle. I am not sure I really care if my youngest does or not (although his mother probably will; she is the high achiever in the family).

SteelBlue · 10-26-2006, 03:07 AM

No question about it. I think scouting has a lot of positives. I think most of them could be achieved without being under the scouting umbrella.

MikeWaters · 10-26-2006, 03:59 AM

The more appropriate question is whether LDS scouting is dying?

All I know is that non-LDS troops seem to be run 1000% better. And almost all the voluntary organizational leadership is non-Mormon.

They have this funny system where the leaders are people who actually feel invested in scouting and choose to do it.

il Padrino Ute · 10-26-2006, 04:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

The more appropriate question is whether LDS scouting is dying?

All I know is that non-LDS troops seem to be run 1000% better. And almost all the voluntary organizational leadership is non-Mormon.

They have this funny system where the leaders are people who actually feel invested in scouting and choose to do it.

That's a good point. Scouting in the LDS arena is not what it was in my day as a scout.

Archaea · 10-26-2006, 04:55 AM

Ours is excellent and much better than the nonLDS troops, so maybe it's just you.

View Poll Results: Is scouting dying?
Yes	17	85.00%
No	3	15.00%
Voters: 20. You may not vote on this poll

10-26-2006, 12:43 AM	#1
Sleeping in EQ Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: The People's Republic of Monsanto Posts: 3,085	Is scouting slowly dying? Sometimes I think it is. None of the boys in my ward seem to really like it, although they'll go along with it for something to do or because their parents are anal about it. They'll put nominal effort into merit badges and rank advancement. Scouting doesn't seem to occupy the place in the culture that it did a few decades ago. I'm not the biggest proponent of scouting but there were some positives I took from my experiences as a scout: comraderie learning about nature, wildlife etc. developing a tolerance for bad food not burning down trail signs turning my pants into a flotation device swearing in the woods with adults learning not to screw with bees Actually, I really got into backpacking from scouting and that lead to my reading up on people like John Muir and Thoreau. __________________ "Do not despise the words of prophets, but test everything; hold fast to what is good; " 1 Thess. 5:21 (NRSV) We all trust our own unorthodoxies.

10-26-2006, 01:08 AM	#2
Surfah Master Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: F'burg, VA Posts: 3,211	I think it is slowly dying. My scout experiences were memorable but not great. By the time I was in 8th grade scouts was something I went to if it didn't interfere with sports practices. I think I gained more from playing team sports than I ever did from scouts. I advanced as far as Star. And it's been amazing that I haven't been turned down or overlooked for positions I have applied for because I wasn't an Eagle like my scoutmaster once said. It will be interesting to see what the Church does if this trend continues. Personally I think the Church should implement it's own Young Men's program like the Young Women do. I think it's headed that way with the Duty to God or whatever award it is. But I think that would be something more beneficial than scouting, and it could help focus the energy of YM Presidencies and Scoutmasters who are having to do both right now. __________________ Ernie Johnson: "Auburn is a pretty good school. To graduate from there I suppose you really need to work hard and put forth maximum effort." Charles Barkley: "20 pts and 10 rebounds will get you through also!"

10-26-2006, 01:30 AM	#3
il Padrino Ute Board Pinhead Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: In the basement of my house, Murray, Utah. Posts: 15,941	I'm afraid so. A scout is: Trustworty Loyal Helpful Friendly Courteous Kind Obedient Cheerful Thrifty Brave Clean Reverent Most of the values here are almost non-existent or mocked in today's "me-first" society. __________________ "The beauty of baseball is not having to explain it." - Chuck Shriver "This is now the joke that stupid people laugh at." - Christopher Hitchens on IQ jokes about GWB.

10-26-2006, 01:53 AM	#4
Jeff Lebowski Charon Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: In the heart of darkness (Provo) Posts: 9,564	Most definitely. __________________ "... the arc of the universe is long but it bends toward justice." Martin Luther King, Jr.

10-26-2006, 02:48 AM	#5
jay santos Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 6,177	I pray that it is.

10-26-2006, 03:04 AM	#6
creekster Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: the far corner of my mind Posts: 8,711	Yup. My oldest son just got his eagle. I am not sure I really care if my youngest does or not (although his mother probably will; she is the high achiever in the family). __________________ Sorry for th e tpyos.

10-26-2006, 03:07 AM	#7
SteelBlue Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Norcal Posts: 5,821	No question about it. I think scouting has a lot of positives. I think most of them could be achieved without being under the scouting umbrella.

10-26-2006, 03:59 AM	#8
MikeWaters Demiurge Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 36,365	The more appropriate question is whether LDS scouting is dying? All I know is that non-LDS troops seem to be run 1000% better. And almost all the voluntary organizational leadership is non-Mormon. They have this funny system where the leaders are people who actually feel invested in scouting and choose to do it.

10-26-2006, 04:55 AM	#10
Archaea Assistant to the Regional Manager Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: The Orgasmatron Posts: 24,338	Ours is excellent and much better than the nonLDS troops, so maybe it's just you. __________________ Ἓν οἶδα ὅτι οὐδὲν οἶδα