A BOY SCOUT’S “DUTY TO GOD” Michael Tullier
Nov 20, 2014
A BOY SCOUT’S“DUTY TO GOD”
Michael Tullier
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Promise: “…duty to God”
A Scout’s ‘Duty to God’
Oath: “…duty to God…”Code: “…trust in God…”
Oath: “…duty to God…”Law: “A Scout is reverent.”
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Reverence to God and reverence for one’s neighbor and reverence for
oneself as a servant of God is the basis for every form of religion. The method of expression of reverence to God varies with every sect and denomination. What sect or denomination a boy belongs to depends, as a rule, on his parents’ wishes. It is they who decide. It is our business to respect their wishes and to second their efforts to inculcatereverence, whatever form of religionthe boy professes.
Baden-Powell on ‘reverence’
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BSA’s Declaration of Religious Principles: doesn’t define what constitutes
“a belief in God” doesn’t define what constitutes
“the practice of religion” doesn’t require religious group
membership respects each individual’s constitutional
freedom of worship recognizes religious standards are upheld
by the religious group/faith, not by Scouting
BSA’s outlook on ‘reverence’
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places of worship churches, synagogues, mosques,
temples
clergy priest, pastor, minister, rabbi,
sheikh, guru, monk
worship/prayer obligations Saturday, Sunday, daily
restrictions dietary, labor, scheduling,
attire
Scouting’s religious diversity
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spiritual element in unit activitiesspiritual growth of membersreligious emblems promotionparticipation in religious observancesmemorializing a passing Scout/leaderpastoral careconflict resolution
outcomes greater sense of “unit community” leadership development for Scouts/leaders
A unit’s “Duty to God’ program
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No man is much good unless
he believes in God and obeys his
laws. So every Scout should
have a religion.
Robert Baden-PowellScouting for Boys,
1908