Religious Tolerance

Lately, my hometown newspaper has been running a series of front-page stories about the Boy Scouts of America in recognition of their ongoing jamboree event at Fort A.P. Hill. Much of the coverage has focused on dispelling the notion that the group remains a homogenous group of American traditionalists, and today's installment challenged that characterization by attempting to highlight the Boy Scouts' religious diversity. The story leads off with an account of the benign curiosity that many scouts have displayed upon encountering a large inflatable mosque that has been set up at the campsite for the group's Muslim members. From there, we discover that the Boy Scouts love to learn about one another's religious beliefs:

"There are two big things at jamboree," Naqvi said. "The first is trading patches. The second is asking about religion. And then, then they like the activities."

Down the road from the mosque, more than 30 faith groups manned exhibit booths, but Scouts weren't lining up for those exhibits the way they waited for rappelling, snorkeling or archery.

Still, they were asking questions. It may help that one of the scouting awards requires the boys to learn about religion. Many said they are genuinely interested in finding out more....

While Scouts visited worship sites and booths set up by various religions--Quaker, Jewish, Buddhist, Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Baptist and more--they were often learning for the first time what their tentmates believe.

This sounds really encouraging, especially given the recent spasms of bigotry directed toward the Muslims in New York City who wish to build a mosque and cultural center a few blocks from the site of Ground Zero (not to mention the Muslims in Temecula, California who wish to build one there as well). Yet it also begs the question: How far are the Boy Scouts willing to go in their religious tolerance? Will there, perhaps, be a Zoroastrian Temple at the next Jamboree? What about a Wiccan exhibit? And how accepting are the Boy Scouts of atheists who don't share any of these beliefs?

Well, it turns out that buried at the very end of the article is the answer to these questions:

"If we, as Scouts, don't show what is possible, no one else is going to do it," Hyman said. "What I like most about the Boy Scouts is, from the Boy Scouts' position, they don't care what you believe: Jewish, Christian, Muslim."

"As long as you believe in the God," Naqvi added.

"They say the best way to raise a child is in faith; what that faith is, is up to you," Hyman finished.

So after all that, the Boy Scouts turn out to be just another group that totally misunderstands what religious tolerance really means. It's not simply about respecting those faiths which share a lineage with your own. It's about recognizing and appreciating the right of every individual to hold supernatural beliefs that may be completely at odds with your own. Moreover, it's about understanding that adherence to any faith is a deeply personal decision to which some people never come. If the Boy Scouts truly value religion then they should focus on constructive engagement with those whose perspectives are most removed from their own in order to broaden and strengthen their own beliefs.