I've been a Scout leader for almost fifteen years, including several years as Scoutmaster. I'm not here to defend the organization's attitudes toward atheism and homosexuality, just to provide a little informed knowledge.
atheism -- The BSA requires that every member profess a belief in a supreme being. They don't say what form that belief has to take. Some troops are overtly Christian, especially those sponsored by the LDS (Mormon) church, which uses scouting as part of its youth education program.
The twelfth point of the Scout Law says that a scout is "reverent towards God." It also states that he respects the rights of others to believe and worship as they choose. My troop (which is sponsored by a Catholic church) has both Jewish and Hindu families in it, as well as a considerable number that don't belong to any specific church.
homosexuality -- The national policy is that adult leaders can't be homosexual. It says nothing about the sexual orientation of the boys. In reality, I suspect that most units (the LDS church excepted) interpret this to mean "openly" homosexual.
If you're looking for reading-type resources, you might consider the following:
Peopleware, by Tom Demarco and Timothy Lister. Easily the best (and most recommended) book I have ever read on the human side of software development.
Developing Products in Half the Time, by Preston Smith and Donald Reinertsen. Good insights on the economics of product development.
The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, by Stephen R. Covey. Don't blow it off because it's a "self-help" book. Covey admits up front that changing behavior is hard, and then offers seven carefully-selected, well-presented, and eminently sensible habits for you to cultivate.
Joel on Software, by Joel Spolsky. Actually a collection of essays from his web site. Joel writes well, and thoughtfully, on a variety of topics.
Becoming a Technical Leader, by Gerald Weinberg. Weinberg was one of the early writers on the human side of engineering; I read The Psychology of Computer Programming (also by Weinberg) when I was in college.
Neanderthals at Work, by Albert J. Bernstein. A delightful insight into human behavior in the workplace.
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atheism -- The BSA requires that every member profess a belief in a supreme being. They don't say what form that belief has to take. Some troops are overtly Christian, especially those sponsored by the LDS (Mormon) church, which uses scouting as part of its youth education program.
The twelfth point of the Scout Law says that a scout is "reverent towards God." It also states that he respects the rights of others to believe and worship as they choose. My troop (which is sponsored by a Catholic church) has both Jewish and Hindu families in it, as well as a considerable number that don't belong to any specific church.
homosexuality -- The national policy is that adult leaders can't be homosexual. It says nothing about the sexual orientation of the boys. In reality, I suspect that most units (the LDS church excepted) interpret this to mean "openly" homosexual.