Dear the 'Diversity' Team

It's taken me a while to reply; I wanted to phrase this one well. It's just been sent off, and they are generally pretty good at getting back to people, so I'll update when they respond.

Hello,

Firstly I'd like to applaud the statement recently posted to the Scout website about inclusion of gays in British scouting; it was a brave and progressive statement to make, and goes a long way to putting pressure on the BSA to sort themselves out. That post made me infinitely proud to be in Scouting, so thankyou. 

I am currently in the process of becoming an Assistant Leader in my Scout troop, after having been a Junior Leader in the Explorers. I have been in the Worldwide Brotherhood (or is it 'Family' now?) of Scouting since age 6.

It has recently been stated in various news sources (reliable, I would hope) that the Scouts consider faith to be an essential part of leadership, and as such that anyone wanting to obtain a warrant must, during interview, declare belief in something before progressing to the next stages.

I, like 56% of 18-24 year olds (source: YouGov survey for BHA, March 2011) have no belief in religion. There is a wealth of evidence that each generation is becoming steadily more disillusioned with faith, and the Humanist and atheist movements are starting to become the mainstream. This is why I feel that the Scout Association's policy towards atheists is outdated, a barrier to inclusion, and most of all immoral. It is tangential to my experience of Scouting, and has the capacity to be a rare black mark on its history.

This isn't to say that religion should be banned from Scouting; I strongly advocate people having a choice in their own beliefs. But it is for this same reason that the Scouts' policy; belief in a 'higher power' being a requirement for membership, for whatever altruistic reason (I don't believe that the Scouts have any other reason), is wrong.

I realise that the upper echelons of Scouting have decided that a 'spiritual education' is essential to allow children to be 'fully alive'. I take this to mean that I, as a dedicated Scout and aspirational leader, must be at least partially dead. I know many, many people who have no belief in a higher power, and I resent the idea that you consider them to be, effectively, zombies. Spiritual development is not a part of our education system, it's not a part of our legislature, so I see no reason why the Scouts should consider it so important.

Awareness is a different thing. A Scout should respect others and their ability to have beliefs (though I personally feel that mandatory respect of others' beliefs is tantamount to prosecution of thought crime), and it is this respect that will allow a Scout to grow. It is this that should be taught, not faith.

Here is the crux of my argument though; the policy is one of belief enforcement veiled in a shroud of altruism. It should not be for the Scout Association to decide whether or not a child believes in a higher being, that decision rests only with the child. They should be allowed to make their own convictions based on what they feel is right. 

I can see your argument coming: how will they know what is right? Evidence, logic and reason. If a Scout decides that their faith is important, that they can see a god in the design of the world or that prayer is a channel to a higher being, then they should be allowed to do so, and encouraged. But if they decide that the explanation of the world is a rational one and that no god is necessary, then they should bloody well be allowed to do that too.

Your main objection to my being an atheist leader is that I wouldn't be able to help a Scout fulfil their promise. But what about those who do not believe? You have betrayed them. Your stance is that faith is necessary, but many millions of people in this country do not agree. The fact that the Scouts claim to be inclusive while maintaining that a large section of society is wrong, and banning those who do not believe from the Associaton, is laughable.

The policy is outdated, and does not reflect the religious make up of the UK. I have always said the promise including God because the promise means nothing in reality; to a kid Scouting is about mucking around with your mates and doing things that are new and exciting, and that you wouldn't be able to do anywhere else.

It shouldn't be about forcing a set of beliefs on a young child.

I assume you have a stock response for messages such as this; I think that as a long time member of the Scouts I deserve better. I'm open to any arguments you have to support the policy. Please feel free to forward this message on to anyone who you think may be in the best position to answer.

Hopefully I got my message across, let's see what they say.