RE: Boy kicked out of scouts for refusing to swear allegiance to god
October 21, 2012 at 2:13 pm
(October 21, 2012 at 2:01 pm)Polaris Wrote: Never really saw Boy Scouts being that big into religion. Not anymore at least than a child saying the pledge of allegiance.
Religion in Scouting
wikipedia Wrote:However, the founder's position moved shortly after the Scout movement began to grow rapidly around the world, and his writings and speeches allowed for all religions. He did continue to emphasise that God was a part of a Scout's life:
When asked where religion came into Scouting and Guiding, Baden-Powell replied, It does not come in at all. It is already there. It is a fundamental factor underlying Scouting and Guiding.
wikipedia Wrote:Religion and spirituality is still a key part of the Scouting method. The two major world organizations have slightly different interpretations.
The World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) states the following in Fundamental Principles:
Under the title "Duty to God", the first of the above-mentioned principles of the Scout Movement is defined as "adherence to spiritual principles, loyalty to the religion that expresses them and acceptance of the duties resulting therefrom". Note that, by contrast to the title, the body of the text omits the word "God" to make clear that the clause also covers non-monotheistic religions, such as Hinduism, and those that do not recognize a personal God, such as Buddhism.
The World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) stated the following in the 21st World Conference in 1972:
The essence of Duty to God is the acknowledgement of the necessity for a search for a faith in God, in a Supreme Being, and the acknowledgment of a force higher than man of the highest Spiritual Principles.
Apparently they do realize that Buddhists don't have a god, but they still think there is something wrong with atheists...
wikipedia Wrote:"Declaration of Religious Principle. The Boy Scouts of America maintains that no member can grow into the best kind of citizen without recognising an obligation to God. In the first part of the Scout Oath or Promise the member declares, ‘On my honour I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law.’ The recognition of God as the ruling and leading power in the universe and the grateful acknowledgment of his favours and blessings are necessary to the best type of citizenship and are wholesome precepts in the education of the growing members."
The Boy Scouts of America has accepted Buddhist members and units since 1920, and also accepts members of various pantheistic faiths. Many Buddhists do not believe in a supreme being or creator deity, but because these beliefs are still religious and spiritual in nature, they are deemed acceptable by the BSA since their leaders subscribe to the BSA Declaration of Religious Principle
John Adams Wrote:The Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion.