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But if you a shopkeeper, want to sell megaphones to everyone but mormons, for example, that's something different.

There are certain protected classes for certain activities sometimes subject to what kind of an organization you are. For example, the Boy Scouts of America (private) routinely and officially discriminates based on beliefs. They have defended (and won) on this issue in courts all across the USA. As long as people believe what they do is "ok" and choose to continue participating, they'll keep doing it. I was kicked out as a Cub Scout at the age of 8 for refusing to testify to my belief in God and because my family was not religious.

Also, the policy in question here, on "hate speech" is not religious discrimination. The policy should be equally enforceable against hate speech from any group.

First, let me point out that yes, I've been involved with scouting, both as a scout myself and as a parent of two Life scouts working on Eagle projects in May.

Second, there's a difference between an organizations' formally stated aims and what they mean in practical terms. Yes, there has been a 'political' distancing of the military and Boy Scouts for a while; starting in the Vietnam era, the 'militarism' thing was seen to be distasteful by BSA, and in more recent administrations the absolute stance by BSA against homosexual scoutmasters has been distasteful to the Left. So the US gov't and the BSA have formally grown further apart. Let's remember however - there remains a very strong, possibly unique connection between the military and scouting: Eagle Scout rank still gives you a better starting rank and pay grade in the military (the ONLY non-military award/rank that they so honor).

Further, look at the history - Baden-Powell's Scouting for Boys was a juvenile rewrite of his Scouting for NCOs, and grew directly out of his use of 12-15 yr old boys at Mafeking (the Mafeking Cadet Corps) in the Boer War. To suggest that military utility to the country wasn't the original and primary motivation is utterly naive; certainly it's been overlaid with many decades of 'touchy-feely' reinterpretation (as well as program changes, such as the elimination of marching training), but don't mistake the frosting for the cake itself.

Finally, you might want to watch this: http://www.bsalegal.org/tribute-to-the-military-293.asp

No, you'd have to lie.

They have an entire f'ing FAQ dedicated to that fact.

If they're going to set those sorts of standards, and that limits the amount of support they get from the community, too bad. They're a private organization, so it's their prerogative, but it's also their problem if there are consequences. Apparently, they don't feel those consequences are of considerable concern.

As an AC has already mentioned, your troop leaders were breaking the rules. I sure there are a lot of people involved in Scouting who are like that. Indeed, tolerance and respect for unusual opinions and orientations would seem to be consistent with the whole Scouting ethos.

But officially speaking the rule is no gays or atheists. And as long as that's the rule, a lot of us are just not going to have anything to do with the BSA, no matter how tolerant some of its individual participants are.

What you're failing to account for is the fact that the rules of BSA state that these people simply cannot be a part of the organization:

http://www.bsalegal.org/faqs-195.asp

So even if individual troops overlook these rules, they do so in direct opposition to the rules. I don't know about you, but I see no reason to support an organization that dismisses me due to its own ignorant definition of "immoral."

The boys scouts are "Jesus Camp":

Can't be atheist http://www.komotv.com/news/story.asp?ID=21204

But lets get their belief on their "Duty to God" strait from their legal department
http://www.bsalegal.org/faqs-195.asp

I am all for letting everyone practice whatever their beliefs, but I am for letting them practicing equally. I have a personal beef with the schools system for only allowing religious organizations that they personally find acceptable. The local school even states in their policy that the only uniforms allowed are for ROTC and Boy Scouts. I am a humanist, I believe in Peace and Getting support from other human being instead of waiting for divine intervention (on a personal note, I think I have made an involentary exception to that for the upcomming elections), why can't I have an organization advertised in the school by allowing the children to wear a uniform?

Would you send your 12 year old daughter camping with a 35 year old man, or your 12 year old son camping with a 35 year old woman?

When I was a Cub Scout, many many years ago, we had a Den Mother. I don't think we ever went overnight camping, but I don't see much less "liability" in leaving a bunch of boys with an older woamn in a suburban basement than in the woods.

IOW, your "liability" excuse is a poor attempt to retconn homophobia. Especially when the Scouts themselves state, "Boy Scouts believes that homosexual conduct is not compatible with the aims and purposes of Scouting and that a known or avowed homosexual does not present a desirable role model for the youth in the Scouting program...Boy Scouts regards homosexual conduct as not morally straight as required in the Scout Oath."

So, BSA are avowed homophobes. Fuck them.