Priesthood Commeneration Campout

[kathysmike]

I recieved an e-mail from my ex-wife about the Priesthood Commeneration Campout, in my sons stake, asking if I could take him, this was fine.
What I found disturbing was the fact she included this statement: "This is Cole's first Scouting Campout and he is really looking forward to it."

As a young man I attended many of these campouts with my own Father, never once did they term it a "scouting event". To me this lessens the whole concept of celebrating the restoration of the Aaronic Priesthood.

Do not get me wrong I think the Scouting program does alot of good, but the the name of the organization is the Boy Scouts of America, not the Boy Scouts of the LDS Church.
The scouts is a very effictive tool in furthering the purposes of the Aaronic Priesthood, it should be utilized when it can, but they are two seperate organizations.

In the ward I was in there was no Scout Troop, I am a returned missionary, active in the church, the princepals of the priesthood can by taught without the scouting program.

I do support my son in his scouting I just belive that the Priesthood should not be overly intertwined with the BSA.

Any thoughts ?

[utcowboy]

I agree with you and my son agrees with you as he enjoys scouting but does not like church at this time in his life.
They should be kept separate. I know my stake also entertwined the Aaronic Priesthood celebration and a scouting weekend last week.

[MarginOfError]

The Scouting program is the activity arm of the Aaronic Priesthood program. They are so intertwined that it is difficult to determine where one stops and one starts. When opportunity allows for these programs to be run as the Church intends, they mesh together very well.

There are many advantages to this combination, such as the infrastructure of the BSA providing camps, reservations, and multitudes of other organized activities to ease the burden on the Young Men's leaders. I wouldn't get too caught up in the differences...however, if your son doesn't like Church, but does like scouts, I would take advantage of the different names so that he doesn't apply the negativity to scouts as well.

[KosherXMorg]

It sounds like you are straining at a gnat, perhaps because it is your ex-wife who used the phrase.

[kathysmike]

Definetly not strainig at gnats !!!! I have always felt the BSA is a Great program... However commeration of the restoration of the priesthood should have been the focus of this campout, mixing the 2 programs for this event, takes away from the stated purpose of the camp out.

[MarginOfError]

I'm afraid I still have to disagree with you. In an ideally functioning unit, Scouting and the Aaronic Priesthood are supposed to be inseparable. There is no more loss of focus in the Boy Scouts having a campout to celebrate the restoration of the Priesthood than there is in the Priests' Quorum having a cookout to celebrate the Fourth of July.

[Islander]

Originally Posted by kathysmike

Definetly not strainig at gnats !!!! I have always felt the BSA is a Great program... However commeration of the restoration of the priesthood should have been the focus of this campout, mixing the 2 programs for this event, takes away from the stated purpose of the camp out.

It is interesting. In our Stake we call it "Fathers and Sons Priesthood Commemoration Campout" and that is how the announcement goes out every year. In my previous Stake we have a night walk along the Mormon Battalion Trail in the Southern California desert. I can't recall the specific name of the event (it's been about 7 years) but there was no reference to scouts, that I do remember.

[Flyonthewall]

My stake also called it a Father's and Son's campout. We had one of the General YM presidency come out and speak to us.

[tntraveler]

Yup, father and son campout here too

[kathysmike]

That has been my point all along it should be a father son campout. There are plenty of other oppurtunities for scout activities and campouts.

KATHYSMIKE