[troutman]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_Scouting

Scouts Canada defines Duty to God broadly in terms of "adherence to spiritual principles" and does not have a policy excluding non-theists.[11]

http://ffrf.org/timely/bsa.php

Although it advertises itself as a fun youth club open to any boy, Boy Scouts of America has a recent history of blatant discrimination against nonreligious boys. The BSA national office mandates a religious litmus test, forcing the parents of boys interested in joining to sign a "Declaration of Religious Principles" which must be returned with membership fees. The membership form states, "The Boy Scouts of America maintain that no member can grow into the best kind of citizen without recognizing his obligation to God."

http://hubpages.com/hub/Religion-and...to-Go-Together

Religion is a core component to the practices of the Boy Scouts of America. Challenges to this focus and the organization's apparent exclusion of athiests have been dismissed by reviewing courts. For now, the BSA can continue requiring boys to devote themselves to God and their County, primarily because it is a voluntary organization.

http://scoutdocs.ca/Documents/Duty_to_God.php

What does Duty to God mean? "[Duty to God] refers to a person's relationship with the spiritual values of life" (ibid) and not to certain beliefs about the material world. The material elements of religions are not important to Scouting. Just as Scouting does not care whether or not one believes in gravity, it does not care whether or not one believes that a god created the universe, in the material sense. Thus, atheists and agnostics are welcome in Scouting as both youth members and Scouters. Excluding such people violates the definition of the Scout Movement which states that Scouting is "open to all without distinction of origin, race, or creed..." (ibid:2). Of course, everyone in Scouting must be open to continual spiritual development.