Benjamin Franklin succinctly answered to a query more than two hundred years ago that his generation created a republic on this land, but that it was up to the people of each succeeding generation to keep it. The case of the Randalls vs. the Boy Scouts of America is a generational test to the old fart's statement.
Monday, the California Supreme Court ruled that the Boy Scouts of America is a private organization and thus have the freedom of association, which includes excluding atheists, agnostics, homosexuals, girls and any other groups inimical to its purpose.
The twins definitely have their freedom not to believe in some god; the government cannot force them to believe in anything.
In the same way, the other boys in the Boy Scouts of America definitely have their freedom to believe in the Christian God; likewise, the government cannot force them to disbelieve.
These young boys have chosen of their free will to band together in common fellowship in the form of the Boy Scouts of America. The government had no role in this and can have no role. The Boy Scouts have many requirements for membership. Among them is that the candidate believes in God. The Randall twins chose of their free will not to believe in a god. In doing so, they disqualified themselves from membership in this organization.
The unanimous ruling is a victory for all parties, even the Randall twins. While they may not appreciate it now, the ruling is an affirmation of their freedom to associate with people whom they share common interests and without being challenged by detractors and people looking for quickie lawsuits.
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