Scouts kick out avowed atheist; Kitsap County case drew nationwide attention

The Boy Scouts — at the center of an uproar over God — kept their promise and revoked Eagle Scout Darrell Lambert's membership for being an atheist.

"They just booted me out," said Lambert yesterday, sounding slightly surprised.

The Port Orchard 19-year-old learned the news from the Chief Seattle Council of the Boy Scouts, the regional governing body, just minutes before appearing on national TV to explain yet again his reasoning about God.

In a cellphone call, council Scout Executive Brad Farmer asked Lambert if he'd had enough time to confer with family and friends and if he'd had a change of heart.

Yes, the assistant scoutmaster had given it enough thought. No, he hadn't changed his mind. He still doesn't believe in a supreme being.

With that, Farmer told the young man, who's been a Scout since age 9 and earned nearly 40 merit badges, that his membership termination would be in the mail. He can appeal.

The council has not answered Lambert's request to be allowed to keep attending troop meetings as an unregistered adult. He fears the troop's charter could be threatened if he attends against council wishes.

Last night, at the troop's regular weekly meeting in Retsil, Lambert briefed some of the parents on the week's events. The troop has sent a letter, signed by most of the parents, to the Chief Seattle Council requesting Lambert's membership not be revoked and listing his accomplishments. But the troop does not plan to leave the Boy Scouts.

The Chief Seattle Council faxed reporters a statement. In part, it read:

"We regret that Mr. Lambert feels his beliefs must be compromised; that is never requested or desired by the BSA. The Boy Scouts of America is a shared values organization and we do not ask anyone to compromise their beliefs just to become a member. ... We only ask those who disagree with the Boy Scouts to show Scouting the same respect."

For 92 years, the Scout oath has stated, "On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country," said the statement. Scouting is broadly ecumenical and also "exists as a voluntary association of like-minded persons," said the Council statement.

But to allow some members to ignore one or more principles would be a disservice to the more than 43,000 members of Scouting in the Chief Seattle Council and the 5 million members nationwide who follow the Oath and Scout law, concluded the Council.

In making his decision, Farmer "has been in touch all the way up through the regional and national office. This has not been done in a closet," said Karl Duff, chairman of the Seattle Council's Sinclair District, which includes Lambert's Port Orchard troop.

"This is not creating anything out of whole cloth. This type of issue has already been to the U.S. Supreme Court."

Farmer was not available for comment.

Those who oppose the Scouts believe this decision will simply give ammunition to those opposed to Scouting's membership policies.

"It's going to be a downward spiral for the Boy Scouts of America unless they change their ways," said Scott Cozza, president of Scouting for All, one such group.

"They're going to end up as a very narrow, fundamentalist outdoor program for youth. If that's what they want, they should just be up front about it."

Lambert plans to appeal the decision first to the regional office of the Boy Scouts in Tempe, Ariz., and "if regional doesn't listen, I'll go to national," in Irving, Texas. Beyond that, he hasn't decided what to do, though he's made calls to the American Civil Liberties Union.

"It's disturbing ... so sad ... that people let them get away with that kind of stuff," said Lambert. He wonders why the Scouts don't make a big deal about enforcing other guidelines, about physical fitness, for example.

In 2000, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld the Boy Scouts' right as a private group to exclude certain leaders and members including gays and atheists. Since then the issue has continued to provoke strong emotional debate. Some Cub packs and Boy Scout troops have dropped membership. Many United Way branches around the country have come up with various ways to avoid contributing to traditional Scouting.

Lambert's story first appeared in The Seattle Times last Tuesday and provoked response across the nation — scores of e-mails to the newspaper as well as calls for interviews with Lambert and the Scouts from radio and TV stations.

Lambert garnered praise for his courage in honestly stating his beliefs and criticism for not coming forth earlier. Lambert said he didn't come forth in his early days of scouting because, "Back then I didn't come out because I didn't have the guts to do it. And I didn't understand what I do now. I wish I would have." He said he has never pushed his beliefs on troop members.

Lambert's atheism came to light in October at a leader-training session. Lambert said a district official told him then that he asks scouts whether they believe in God and, if they don't, he kicks them out. Lambert objected and proclaimed he was an atheist. The interchange was relayed up the line.

The Chief Seattle Council maintains it is not its policy to confront members about their religious beliefs. But they must attest to a belief in a supreme being on the application to join.

Marsha King: 206-464-2232 or mking@seattletimes.com