but got to the highest level of the Order of the Arrow and, despite those being very fulfilling and educational days for me, these images now chill me to the bone and I'm angry for the betrayal that brought that about.
You see, I couldn't give me boys the same experience my father gave to me by involving himself and me in Scouting because atheists are not allowed. It was that exclusionary act in recent years (I don't think anyone cared when I was young or I simply didn't know any atheists) that made me take a second look at some of the warped viewpoints we were given in that very militaristic organization.
Overall though the experience was positive. The messages were of community service, preparedness, survival skills, education, sportsmanship, and honor. I cannot fault the Scouts for any of those influences. Part of the good guy I see in the mirror these days can be credited to my Scout days.
I can however bring them to task for those very subtle things that have crept in during their history. The organization promotes sameness - uniforms, marching in step, scout camps with rigid rules for order in barracks and tents, and martial exercises such as guns and bows and arrows pushed towards eager youngsters.
Since I was a Christian then I didn't notice the lack of tolerance toward other beliefs but the look back now greatly illuminates that point. Troops were generally all hosted by churches and took part in the rituals of those organizations.
Required merit badges were mostly for procedural things - first aid, archery, nature studies. Almost never did you see scouts pushed towards the more creative endeavors - music, art, literature.
I think what gets me the most about my experience though is that it gave me this cowboys and Indians viewpoint about structures like the military. I was hopelessly naive about the world when I entered the Navy and scouting is much to blame for that. Hanging out with the guys camping, shooting, marching, wrestling, being judged in inspections and competitions for cool ribbons to hang on your patrol flag are all things that are mesmerizing to young boys and it's a natural extension to believe that the Army or Marine Corps would be just grown up scouting. Needless to say there's quite a world of difference.
Art
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I was not only a Boy Scout
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