duty to god | boy scouts of america

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