UKC

My son is a keen and active member of his BB group. So far this year he's missed one regular night. He plays in the band, regularly being praised for obviously practising on his own between band nights, and always turns up for performances. Despite having little enthusiasm for football or quizzes (rugby and climbing are more to his taste), he always makes himself available for them too. Again, despite his own aetheistic convictions, as a mark of respect to the group and the church who's hall they use he did attend fortnightly bible class. The group have changed the Sunday on which they meet, he's now at my house, which is in another village 17miles away, and he uses Sunday mornings to do voluntary work towards his DofE. He's now been told that he can not join in group treats, next one being a day out to an indoor ski venue, as his attendance is too low; group captain has decided to count Sunday school as part of compulsory attendance.

Is this normal practice?

Feel free to tell me not to be lazy and go Google it myself, but does this not discriminate a bit against non-theists; does this not have implications for their charitable status and eligibility for lottery funding? Apparently the boys are excused from bible class, and attendance is credited if they attend some other form of worship; is it acceptable to discriminat against atheists and humanists in this way?

Would be particularly keen to hear opinions of other youth group leaders, do scouts etc operate similar policies?

In reply to Hyphin:

Trying to work out that BBs are? ball bearings, big brothers, brass bands, boys brigade (do they exist any more?) If the answer is the latter, go join the scouts and a brass band, much more fun.

In reply to Hyphin:

As an ex scout leader I never operated such an inflexible rule. If someone can't be bothered that is different but this is clearly not the case. Actually teenagers today are under more pressure than ever at school. With the older ones we were deliberately flexible because Scouts is fun and its not school. To punish someone for being unavailable due to volunteering for d of e is the most ridiculous thing I have heard in a while (and I work in a madhouse sorry I mean school)

In reply to Hyphin:

The boys brigade is (or at least was when I was a member) an overtly Christian organisation, but in the company I was a member of I cannot recall any overt discrimination between members based on chapel attendance. Mind you we never had group treats either.

Scouts are a mere offshoot of the Boys Brigade, and markedly inferior.

In reply to Hyphin:

If I remember correctly Jesus had this argument with the Pharisees when he healed someone on the Sabbath. I think the Pharisees won