New York — For Boy Scouts of America – it was recently renamed Explore America The past 12 years have been arduous. She opened her programs for gay, and later sparked panic in some circles. that it 2020 Banking Declaration It led to long quarrels for compensation for thousands of men who claim to be sexual abuse as a scout.
However, it appears that the 115-year-old organization-although it serves much fewer Slight In membership last year. The main factor is Permanent loyalty to major religious sects That still looks at the Scouting task as being uniquely harmonious with them.
“I told the parents that this is the best time to participate in exploration of America, and the best time to participate through a Catholic unit,” said Bill Julilmi, who heads the National Scout Catholic Committee. “There is now hunger to find an organization based on values.”
Gulielmi and others who participate in the exploration based on believing in the way in which the scouting programs that have time-such as camping and missions are mixed with new activities such as jumping with internal umbrellas and artificial merit. But above all, they appreciate the organization’s constant commitment to collective prayer.
“Worship is a big deal here,” said Bill McAelster, who has served more than 40 years as Scoutmaster of TOROP 285 in San Antonio under the auspices of Methodist Church.
“Every camp, we have an official worship service. Sometimes we serve the company,” he said. “Many scouts come to me and say,” Mr. Mac, this is my church. “
According to the latest Scouting America data, belief -based organizations represent 42 % of about 40,000 units run by existing organizations. The Catholic Church and its subsidiaries are No. 1 – Supervising 3,514 units that serve more than 87100 out of nearly one million boy and girls who are now active in scout.
Among the other main sponsors are the United Method, the Episcopal Church, and many Lutheran and aging sects. Nearly 250 units, serve more than 6,500 scouts, sponsored by Muslim, Jewish and Buddhist organizations.
Roger Crohn, President and CEO of America, held this position in 2023 as the organization appeared in bankruptcy procedures. It appreciates the religious diversity of scouts.
“He really talks about aligning the mission, vision and values ​​that our organization possesses and what are those organizations,” he told Associated Press. “It is the development of personality, it is a spiritual growth, it is a community service.”
The boy’s scouts lifted a ban on the public Gay youth members in 2013 And began Girls accept 2018 – The steps that were photographed Krone as a welcome message in any family who thinks about the scouts.
Crohn said that one of the steps that the organization will not take is to abandon the religious faith at the heart of its mission. The famous scout section begins, “on my balcony, I will do my best to perform my duty towards God,” while the message of the final scout law is: “Be the reverence towards God. Be loyal to your religious duties. I respect the faith of others.”
“There are some places today, where you are not encouraged to talk about spiritual growth and what may happen outside your small bubble,” Crohn said. “In our organization, it was essential to our principles for years and years and will remain essential.”
Crohn admits that some non -religious families, despite their admiration for the scout aspects, may be uncomfortable with the “duty of God”. It encourages them to try to scout though.
He said, “You are all welcome to our organization.” “But I want people to know when it comes to the scouts, there is a concept of reverence and spiritual growth and they say prayers and thinking.”
“The father can come and be a volunteer and fight two meetings and two camps and watch what we do, and know what is the way we deal with the duty with God and reverence for the youth of your child’s era, then make a decision.” “Do not refuse to control.”
This welcoming approach is practiced entirely by the 228 forces, rented by the Church of St. Kateri Tikakukoya Catholic in the Los Angeles suburb of Santa Claretta, according to an adult leaders, Christine Tazay.
It is estimated that less than half of the scouts exceeding 40 years of Catholic forces, however, are all involved in events that carry a subject at times, including an annual mass of religious prizes.
“It doesn’t matter if you are Catholic,” said Tezai. “Scouts are esteemed – it doesn’t matter how you are. You don’t have to say prayers … You know what we do by showing kindness and useful.”
Her 17 -year -old son, Mykhail Tezai, entered the scouting cub in the first row. Now, as a senior high school, he is on the right path to become the scout.
He said that many of his fellow scouts do not sympathize with a certain faith, but they feel comfortable in the forces of the Church.
He said: “They are very curious about my religion and a Catholic.” “They want to know how it works.”
After the 2013 decision to acknowledge young gay, some of the indispensable conservatives formed a new group, Try Live, USAWhich created its ranks, badges and uniforms. It now claims that 65,000 youth members, and participate in units run by the Church in line with “biblical principles”.
The largest blow came at the beginning of 2020, when the Church of Jesus Christ for my last days-then the largest religious partner in the scout- Withdrawal of more than 400,000 scouts For its own new programs.
Krona said that many families of the saints in recent days are still fond of programming the boys scouts and now put their children in units not caused by their church.
“We would like to have more youth in our program,” Crohn said. “They can have their own program … but also they may adopt the scout of America more than the past two years to gain the benefits of the program we have developed.”
As for Trail Life, Crohn has acknowledged that her conservative Christian view has a strong appeal to some families.
“But our program will prepare you better for life,” he said. “Once you get out of high school … you need to learn to deal with others in the world as it is today, outside the environment in which you grew up.”
The loss of many units belonging to the saints on the last day and conservative Christian churches was part of a wider contraction by the scouts, which served more than 4 million boys in the 1970s. The Covid-19 and the bankruptcy process was major factors as the membership diminished.
In all, more than 82,000 people claimed claims that they were exposed to sexual abuse as a scout. The pioneering sponsors of the faith units, including Catholic dioceses and the Methodic churches, contributed to $ 2.4 billion. Reorganization plan This entered into force in 2023, which allowed the boy’s scouts to continue working while compensating the survivors of abuse.
Reverend Mark Car, a Jesus priest who works as a national apparatus for the Catholic Scout, said that concerns about responsibility and insurance were major factors in bending some of the dioceses of continuing with the scout.
Stephen Chid, director of the United Methodisi Center for Scout Ministries, sees some scout aspects after his previous difficulties. He referred to the strict children’s protection policies that are seen as effective in reducing sexual assault.
He said: “The lessons that we can gain from the mistakes of the past can make a better, stronger and safer society.”
In 2013, Mothesists United formed approximately 350,000 young members of the boy’s scouts. The number now is 52600.
But he built, the scout assistant, the forces that were founded in 1916 in Springfield, Tennessee, saying that adults are still loyal to the scout “are deeply committed … they see this as an invitation.”
While Christian churches represent the vast majority of faith -based units in America, there are more than 3,500 scouts in Muslim units and about 1560 units belonging to Jews.
“Muslims in America are searching for their identity, and there is nothing more American than the scouts,” said Rashid Abdullah, Executive Director of the National Association of Muslim Americans. “It is completely compatible with the values ​​of our faith.”
Abdullah is also a major organizer of scout units rented to the Islamic Center in North Virginia Trust and a father of three children – like himself – made the scouting eagle.
Long Stadd’s last scout is Ricky Mason, the bankruptcy lawyer who helped negotiate the reorganization plan and which will become next year the second Jewish president of the National Scout Executive Committee. His mother, Mason, told him frankly when he was 7 years old that he would become an eagle scout through their church forces in Richmond, Virginia.
Amid fears that anti -Semitism is increasing, Mason depicts the scouting as a means of American Jewish society to stay in contact with American society.
“In addition to the fun part, the scouts revolve around the development of personality and leadership,” said Masson. “This organization is now more necessary than ever.”
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AP Krysta Fauera journalist in Los Angeles contributed.
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The Associated Press’s religion coverage is supported by AP’s support cooperation With our conversation, with funding from Lilly Endment Inc. , The AP is only responsible for this content.