ciyates Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 My son was selected for OA last year. He went through his ordeal and now is a brother. We were at a party yesterday and I ran into the Scoutmaster's wife (who is a friend of mine), she asked how my son was doing and I told her this weekend was his Brotherhood. I bemoaned the fact that camp was 100 miles away and smiled and said next year we could carpool (suggesting that her son would be apart of OA). She became livid and told me how the OA was just a cult, she would never let her child apart of it. I was shocked. She said she had done all of this research and that Christians should not be apart of etc. She was with me last year when my son was tapped out and said she picked up on the signs right away. I asked her to send me some info on and backed off. The link she sent me said how the founders of OA were Masons and alot of the rituals were the same. I am kinda confused about what this has to do with a cult. :confused: I will be honest I don't know anything about Masons. What is the big deal? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChemMommy Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 It's a bit hokey with all of the rituals, etc, but it is not hidden or secretive, like a lot of cults would be. OA is mostly a fellowship and service groups for people who love scouting and are too old to be boy scouts :001_smile:. Do I love it? No, but it doesn't alarm me (and I'm a pretty conservative Christian type person). I don't love the hokey ceremonies and rituals, but, honestly, after the ordeal and brotherhood ceremonies, the rest is just weekend fun and service projects, nothing objectionable. Hope that helps...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ciyates Posted August 15, 2011 Author Share Posted August 15, 2011 What do you mean "too old to be a Boy Scout"? I thought it was just for the boys. My son is only 15 and is an active member of the scouts. All the boys I saw in the ceremony were active boy scouts not adults. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChemMommy Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 No, parents who have been strongly involved in boy scouts can be selected, too. My dh and my son did their ordeals together. Our OA events are about 30-40% adults even. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QueenCat Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 OA is for both boys and adults. My husband went through his Ordeal as an adult leader. It has been one of the best things for my son. Our troop does not let elections become a popularity contest. If it did, like some troops do, I would have a problem with it. Your friend is wrong, it is not a cult. And parents will have every question answered if they ask ahead of time. If the boys were told everything, they may think it is something it is not, and they will enjoy their ordeal far less. I understand why they don't give out too many details. With my son, who has Aspergers, they gave more as they knew he needed it to be successful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krista in LA Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 My dh and ds both went through ordeal this spring. It is a service organization - that is their primary purpose. They do learn/use Indian folklore a lot in their ceremonies and even have dance teams. But, there is no cult aspect of any of it or dh would be running the other direction! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
higginszoo Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 They're pretty open, so I don't see where the cult comment comes from exactly. They do use a lot of Native American mythology, and while I don't have a problem with it, I can see how some people would. Some lodges pull the boys away from their troop activities and set up a flavor of elitism. Dh's lodge when he was a teen was like this, and he was turned off by it. He chose to stay with his troop. Ds's experience has been different, with OA serving as more of a complimentary thing to the regular scouting program. Both dh and ds are going to do their brotherhood in the spring ... for dh, it will be 25 years after his ordeal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DawnM Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 Our troop (Christian homeschool troop) struggled with this too and some objected UNTIL we took a very close look at it. There is nothing secret about it. It is not a secret society or have orders that are secret. Anyone who objects really hasn't looked at it closely. I often find Christians to be on witch hunts. Dawn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ciyates Posted August 16, 2011 Author Share Posted August 16, 2011 Thanks! I didn't see anything objectable in what I found but wasn't sure if I was just missing something. I really like the Scoutmaster's wife. I guess this is one of those issue we just view things differently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK_Mom4 Posted August 16, 2011 Share Posted August 16, 2011 DS15 spent the past weekend at an OA ceremony pretending to be some guy in warpaint that recites poetry. I am positive there is nothing offensive in the ceremony - DS has been wandering around the house practicing his lines for a week. They have some good fun and do lots of community service work - both boys and adults. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommyrooch Posted September 10, 2011 Share Posted September 10, 2011 What do you mean "too old to be a Boy Scout"? I thought it was just for the boys. My son is only 15 and is an active member of the scouts. All the boys I saw in the ceremony were active boy scouts not adults. You are correct! The only requirement for OA is that you be registered in a Troop, Crew (Venturing) or a Ship (Sea Scouts). You must also be at the 1st class rank or higher. These are the two requirements that must be met before you can be eligible for OA. Adults leaders can be voted into OA but you are limited to 1 leader per 50 scouts during each election which is usually once a year. :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justasque Posted September 10, 2011 Share Posted September 10, 2011 (edited) The ceremonies involve fake-y Native American costumes, which I'm not thrilled with but can tolerate. If you ask, leadership should tell you exactly what's involved. It is not secret, but as PP's have said, to reveal all to the boys in advance would spoil it somewhat. Once or twice a year in OA, they have "fellowship weekends" at a local BSA camp, often involving service to the camp, which means hard physical work fixing stuff up. They hike, they eat, they live in tents, they wear their BSA uniforms. They sing. Loudly and with vigor, I'm guessing. They come home dirty and happy. It's kind of an alumni association, as once you're in OA, I think you can do it as long as you want. My ds knows tons of kids from other troops, from working at camp, and OA will be a way he can maintain those friendships as an adult, even though their day-to-day lives would not normally intersect. He can also use those friendships for networking, both on behalf of BSA activities, and as a working adult. It's a way he can give back to the BSA, and a way the BSA can benefit from his involvement even if he's not actively working with a troop. Edited September 10, 2011 by askPauline Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Nyssa Posted September 10, 2011 Share Posted September 10, 2011 But what does the "ordeal" consist of? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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