I'm not sure but I think the point was lost.
I think the point of Rangers is to REACH, TEACH, AND KEEP BOYS FOR CHRIST.
Whether that is by a woman or a man doesn't matter. Its that it does get
done is the point. That is what we have to remember.
Personally I believe that no outpost over buckaroos should be run by a woman.
Not that I think woman can't handle it, but that these boys need a male role
model. * Their pastor is a male, but they see him once a week and only at
church.
* Teachers are still predominantly female until high school, and the males
that are teachers are often ones we don't want to be role models for our
children.
* Musicians... horrible role models because you never see the good they do
on TV and whatever else you learn about them. The media likes to pronounce
the negative. Plus listen to a lot of the lyrics out today.
* Athletes... Charles Barkley, John Rocker... do i need to continue on?
They need the Ranger Men. Men who will be there monday night, who will call
and check up when they miss a couple of wednesday nights. They get a Godly
influence not only on wednesday nights, but they see them on Sundays and
other times.
I know that many of the commanders I have had went out of their ways for the
boys in their outposts. My dad has been a commander as long as our church
has had rangers. He still stops and talks to one of the boys who was in
Rangers with me, but who has moved on. He sees him sometimes as he is
driving around because of work and will talk to him. This influence shows the
love of God through my father to this young man.
I never spent much time in the program in Trailblazers and ASTs as I was busy
helping leading the Straight Arrows. I worked with them all through high
school and before being there every wednesday night. They loved me and
looked up to me, running up to me on Sundays or whenever I saw them to show
me something they got or tell me something they learned. True they were a
captive audience but they CHOSE to want to be like me. They would ask their
mom to go eat at McDs where I worked. Everything I did they wanted to copy,
they wanted to be like me because I was their role model. Now even after
three years of college and not being able to be there with them some of them
still run up to me when they see me, whether uncool or cool because of the
impact I made on their lives in those few minutes once a week.
Even then I would argue they need someone there to be a strong positive roll
model of what a Christian man should be. But as boys grow older it becomes
more and more important. As a boy matures and hits puberty he seeks to
distance himself in some ways from his mom. A "momma's boy" is seen as weak
and unable to be a "real man." They set up who they are oon teh traits they
see in the men in their lives. A strong male influence can sway a boy to or
from Christianity.
Also at this time a reality of females is being created. Boys are seeing girls as
more then just breeding grounds for cooties. They want to be with girls and hang out,
which is completly normal. A female commander cannot respond to some feelings a boy
might have. Plus who is to say that this effect of having a female leader won't have
some negative conotations in teh social abilities and habits of the child. I think
the biggest reason that I can think of would be the uncomfortability factor. I know I
would be uncomfortable if I went camping with a female commander even if she wasn't
the only leadership there. Its just how I think... shy boys would be more likely to
drop out and others too. Strong male leadership is what I believe keeps boys in.
Believe me or not... I just can remember how it feels to be a boy.. Im not very far
removed from it. And I KNOW I would not have wanted a female leader
XKeithX
_______
To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe rangernet" to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
"Eat the hay & spit out the sticks! - A#1's mule" RTKB&G4JC!
http://rangernet.org Autoresponder: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
