On November 5, 2002, the Chief Seattle Council, Boy Scouts of America, revokes the membership of Assistant Scoutmaster Darrell Lambert, who had declared himself an atheist. Lambert is an Eagle Scout and an adult leader in a Port Orchard Scout Troop.
Lambert, 19, had been in the Scouting program since he was 9 and had earned almost 40 merit badges. The Scout Oath includes "duty to God," and the organization requires its members and leaders to adhere to the oath. A 2000 Supreme Court decision held that the Boy Scouts of America is a private organization and can set its own standards for membership.
Sources:
Marsha King, "Scouts Kick Out Avowed Atheist," The Seattle Times, November 5, 2002.
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