Comments on: The Boy Scout / Freemason Connection http://www.timboucher.com/journal/2006/03/21/the-boy-scout-freemason-connection/ public domain playground. friendly entities welcome. Sun, 22 Nov 2009 07:26:07 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: Jay Young http://www.timboucher.com/journal/2006/03/21/the-boy-scout-freemason-connection/comment-page-1/#comment-11779 Jay Young Fri, 24 Mar 2006 06:36:33 +0000 http://www.timboucher.com/journal/2006/03/21/the-boy-scout-freemason-connection/#comment-11779 Read <em>Triumph of the Moon</em> by Hutton if you haven't. Most of these boy-scoutish type movements came at least partly out of Romantic Paganism, which was accruing a lot of Masonic influence by that time. The BSA were also heavily influenced by earlier movements inspired by guys like Ernest Thompson Seton, who wrote <em>Two Little Savages</em> which is a really great book. Read Triumph of the Moon by Hutton if you haven’t. Most of these boy-scoutish type movements came at least partly out of Romantic Paganism, which was accruing a lot of Masonic influence by that time. The BSA were also heavily influenced by earlier movements inspired by guys like Ernest Thompson Seton, who wrote Two Little Savages which is a really great book.

]]> By: Anthony Philippos http://www.timboucher.com/journal/2006/03/21/the-boy-scout-freemason-connection/comment-page-1/#comment-11721 Anthony Philippos Wed, 22 Mar 2006 05:43:14 +0000 http://www.timboucher.com/journal/2006/03/21/the-boy-scout-freemason-connection/#comment-11721 I'd say it's pretty accurate. Tha founder of the Scouts in England, Lord Baden-Powell, was a British military hero, and the original Scouting program came about by mistake. He saw that boys in England were becoming increasingly sedentary so he wrote a book to share some of his activities as a military scout with the boys so they would get out and do something. The first Boy Scout troops had nothing to do with old B-P. B-P was very patriotic, very Christian, and very community oriented. However the Scouting program he eventually designed was very non-denominational, allowing all to worship God however they say fit, as long as they believe in something. The rank advancement and awards-based system has been with Scouting since the begining, as a way to give positive reinforcement to kids and build their confidence. As an Eagle Scout I'm sure it was good for me as a kid, but that's not to say something else wouldn't have done that. Anything else? I’d say it’s pretty accurate. Tha founder of the Scouts in England, Lord Baden-Powell, was a British military hero, and the original Scouting program came about by mistake. He saw that boys in England were becoming increasingly sedentary so he wrote a book to share some of his activities as a military scout with the boys so they would get out and do something. The first Boy Scout troops had nothing to do with old B-P.
B-P was very patriotic, very Christian, and very community oriented. However the Scouting program he eventually designed was very non-denominational, allowing all to worship God however they say fit, as long as they believe in something.
The rank advancement and awards-based system has been with Scouting since the begining, as a way to give positive reinforcement to kids and build their confidence. As an Eagle Scout I’m sure it was good for me as a kid, but that’s not to say something else wouldn’t have done that.
Anything else?

]]> By: Tim Boucher http://www.timboucher.com/journal/2006/03/21/the-boy-scout-freemason-connection/comment-page-1/#comment-11708 Tim Boucher Tue, 21 Mar 2006 20:48:58 +0000 http://www.timboucher.com/journal/2006/03/21/the-boy-scout-freemason-connection/#comment-11708 Thanks for the offer Anthony! I'm not really sure what questions to ask in this regard. Does the information I quoted above sound accurate to you in terms of the history of the Scouts? I'm not really too interested in a lot of the conspiracy anti-Masonic stuff - I'm more just interested in looking at how these organizations work, how they promote cultural values, and how they incentivize behavior in members. Thanks for the offer Anthony! I’m not really sure what questions to ask in this regard. Does the information I quoted above sound accurate to you in terms of the history of the Scouts? I’m not really too interested in a lot of the conspiracy anti-Masonic stuff - I’m more just interested in looking at how these organizations work, how they promote cultural values, and how they incentivize behavior in members.

]]> By: Anthony Philippos http://www.timboucher.com/journal/2006/03/21/the-boy-scout-freemason-connection/comment-page-1/#comment-11707 Anthony Philippos Tue, 21 Mar 2006 20:35:07 +0000 http://www.timboucher.com/journal/2006/03/21/the-boy-scout-freemason-connection/#comment-11707 I work full time for the Boy Scout, I would be happy to shed any light on that part of it for you, but I've never been a Mason, so I don't know if I could be of much help. Just putting it out there I work full time for the Boy Scout, I would be happy to shed any light on that part of it for you, but I’ve never been a Mason, so I don’t know if I could be of much help. Just putting it out there

]]> By: Tim Boucher http://www.timboucher.com/journal/2006/03/21/the-boy-scout-freemason-connection/comment-page-1/#comment-11704 Tim Boucher Tue, 21 Mar 2006 19:03:57 +0000 http://www.timboucher.com/journal/2006/03/21/the-boy-scout-freemason-connection/#comment-11704 Well, lodges and fraternal men's organizations such as the Masons typically grew out of military units throughout history, so I don't really see that as missing the point. Another line of inquiry we could take is to examine the military from the perspective of a fraternal men's organization, rather than vice versa. Well, lodges and fraternal men’s organizations such as the Masons typically grew out of military units throughout history, so I don’t really see that as missing the point. Another line of inquiry we could take is to examine the military from the perspective of a fraternal men’s organization, rather than vice versa.

]]> By: Thomas Conlon http://www.timboucher.com/journal/2006/03/21/the-boy-scout-freemason-connection/comment-page-1/#comment-11703 Thomas Conlon Tue, 21 Mar 2006 18:59:15 +0000 http://www.timboucher.com/journal/2006/03/21/the-boy-scout-freemason-connection/#comment-11703 Uh I think you are missing the point that Boy Scouts was definitely "ROTC lite" or Little League for the Armed Forces. Since the whole gay scout masters thing and the ACLU getting involved there has definitely been a sea change so to speak. The ribbons and sashes and patches for jamborees or other camping functions in my mind emulate "campaign" patches in a military vein and other regalia is distinctly derivative of military rank etc. I learned how to be a crack shot with a .22LR as well, damn I loved that shit. With regards to the Masons, don't forget that as a Master Mason one is regarded as equal and at the highest level of attainment in a 'brotherhood' sense. There are symbolic devices which the officers wear at functions, but other than that, maybe one will wear a ring or lapel pin. I got my "arrow of light" in the boy scouts and it was basically a long weekend campout where you had to do some particular project, ie fix up the trail in the scout camp by yourself and write some kind of public service essay, as I remember, and it was a big deal getting it because it seemed like a pain in the ass at the time and definitely it wasn't for everyone. Uh I think you are missing the point that Boy Scouts was definitely “ROTC lite” or Little League for the Armed Forces. Since the whole gay scout masters thing and the ACLU getting involved there has definitely been a sea change so to speak. The ribbons and sashes and patches for jamborees or other camping functions in my mind emulate “campaign” patches in a military vein and other regalia is distinctly derivative of military rank etc. I learned how to be a crack shot with a .22LR as well, damn I loved that shit.

With regards to the Masons, don’t forget that as a Master Mason one is regarded as equal and at the highest level of attainment in a ‘brotherhood’ sense. There are symbolic devices which the officers wear at functions, but other than that, maybe one will wear a ring or lapel pin.

I got my “arrow of light” in the boy scouts and it was basically a long weekend campout where you had to do some particular project, ie fix up the trail in the scout camp by yourself and write some kind of public service essay, as I remember, and it was a big deal getting it because it seemed like a pain in the ass at the time and definitely it wasn’t for everyone.

]]> By: Haeresis http://www.timboucher.com/journal/2006/03/21/the-boy-scout-freemason-connection/comment-page-1/#comment-11689 Haeresis Tue, 21 Mar 2006 11:12:13 +0000 http://www.timboucher.com/journal/2006/03/21/the-boy-scout-freemason-connection/#comment-11689 Funny you should bring it up..my middle son has become active in Scouts and we were just having the same conversation while watching one group 'graduate,' it is very ritualistic. There is also the same sort of focus on community and ;public do-gooding, they have 'regalia,' with similar fussy rules about what is worn how, etc. Funny you should bring it up..my middle son has become active in Scouts and we were just having the same conversation while watching one group ‘graduate,’ it is very ritualistic. There is also the same sort of focus on community and ;public do-gooding, they have ‘regalia,’ with similar fussy rules about what is worn how, etc.

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