Boy Scouts and Atheists

In response to “Churchgoers Don’t Have a Monopoly on Morality,” Platform, Commentary, Dec. 5:

The article turned out to be Renee Kogel’s idea of a reasonable excuse for taking Boy Scouts away from the believers in God, who founded the organization and run it. She apparently believes that if churchgoers don’t have a monopoly on morality, then atheists should get to decide how to run the Boy Scouts. The question is not whether atheists are better people than theists, as Kogel argued, but whether it is right for atheists to take away a theist organization just because it would appeal to atheists as long as the theists run it the way the atheists tell them to run it.

Advancement in Scouting requires a pledge of dedication and loyalty to God and country. That is how Scouting chooses to build its men. If Kogel thinks she has a better way, let her go for it. However, this is a free country. Let those in the Boy Scouts be free to continue in their own way. Scouting has worked only too well.

Now, if it is decided that the Randalls should have their way, then I want membership in our local country club, and at the original, nominal price. And I want my son to get to play varsity without all that required practice. How dare they set up criteria that I can’t or don’t want to meet?

CATHY TEAGUE

San Juan Capistrano