The first entry of this blog will be devoted to the promise, since as every Scout knows: everything starts from the Law and the Promise.
Written in Scouting for Boys in 1908, all Scouts and Girl Guides around the world have taken a Scout (or Guide) promise or oath to live up to ideals of the movement, and subscribed to a Scout Law.
The wording of the Scout Promise (or Oath) and Scout Law have varied slightly over time and from country to country. Although most Scouting and Guiding organizations use the word "promise", a few such as the Boy Scouts of America (United States) tend to use "oath" instead.
Written in Scouting for Boys in 1908, all Scouts and Girl Guides around the world have taken a Scout (or Guide) promise or oath to live up to ideals of the movement, and subscribed to a Scout Law.
The wording of the Scout Promise (or Oath) and Scout Law have varied slightly over time and from country to country. Although most Scouting and Guiding organizations use the word "promise", a few such as the Boy Scouts of America (United States) tend to use "oath" instead.
First, we would have to take a look at the original Promise which stated:
On my honour I promise that---
- I will do my duty to Gof and the King
- I will do my best to help others, whatever it costs me
- I know the scout law, and will obey it.
Since then the World Organization of the Scout Movement, the overall ruler of the scouting movement, has let countries make slight changes on the text so it fits with their own culture too. However, these primary ideals are still a requirement for a National Scout Organization (Scouts of Venezuela, for example) for membership.
In their Constitution, they stay that the Scout Promise should be:
On my honour I promise that I will do my best
To do my duty to God and the King (or "to God and my Country", as in the case of Venezuela)
To help other people at all times and
To obey the Scout Law.
Last but not least, let's take a look at the American version:
On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law,
to help other people at all times; to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight.
Since the Scout movement does not restrict people from any religion to be members, "God" refers to a higher power, not necessarily Christian or Muslim God. The WOSM Constitution explains "Duty to God" as "Adherence to spiritual principles, loyalty to the religion that expresses them and acceptance of the duties resulting therefrom".
References:
Scouting of Boys
To the man who reads 'Scouting for Boys' superficially, there is a disappointing lack of religion in the book. But to him who tries it in practice, the basic religion underlying it soon becomes apparent. - Robert Baden-Powell
