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Duty to God (Scout Oath): Difference between revisions
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This article discusses how a scout can do his ''duty to God'' as the requirement to live the principles of the Scout Oath or Promise. | This article discusses how a scout can do his ''duty to God'' as the requirement to live the principles of the Scout Oath or Promise. | ||
== Article Objective == | == Article Objective == | ||
Duty to God is an important yet sensitive topic in scouting. | Duty to God is an important yet sensitive topic in scouting. It can be a very controversial topic because there are thousands of religious movements and traditions around the world, and many thousands more families that practice their own religious traditions. Many religious traditions are of a personal or sacred nature, but because they can vary quite dramatically, this topic can become quite controversial. | ||
Many religious traditions are of personal or sacred nature, but because they can vary quite dramatically, this topic can become quite controversial. | |||
<blockquote> | <blockquote> | ||
"The [[World Movement of Scouting]] is in a very unique position to help the different peoples and cultures of the world find common ground from among their best traditions and beliefs. By this Scouting can help promote better [[Citizenship in the World| world citizenship]] and world peace." <ref>[Original statement from article author, [[User:MainTour| Bryce R Hall, 2018]], posted here on 01-Sept-2018]</ref> | "The [[World Movement of Scouting]] is in a very unique position to help the different peoples and cultures of the world find common ground from among their best traditions and beliefs. By this Scouting can help promote better [[Citizenship in the World| world citizenship]] and world peace." <ref>[Original statement from article author, [[User:MainTour| Bryce R Hall, 2018]], posted here on 01-Sept-2018]</ref> | ||
</blockquote> | </blockquote> | ||
* '''[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQG_kjyEYTg Duty to God]''' - Key statements from notable scouting leaders. | |||
=== Show Scout Spirit === | === Show Scout Spirit === | ||
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* Everyone around you participates in an activity that you know is wrong, would you join them or abstain? | * Everyone around you participates in an activity that you know is wrong, would you join them or abstain? | ||
* What are actions and consequences? | * What are actions and consequences? | ||
=== BSA Duty to God Video Series === | |||
Great collection of videos to teach youth about Duty to God: | |||
# [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQG_kjyEYTg Duty To God] - "It is better to build boys than to mend men." | |||
# [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QuwOVD1pEDk How to Start your Duty to God] - | |||
# [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frwABzoec60 Duty to God] - Program Feature from Troop Leader. | |||
# [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmRAkGd-904 Duty to God in Action] - Waterloo Council | |||
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* '''[[Scout Law]]''' - The Scout Law attempts to closely mirror the Law of God. | * '''[[Scout Law]]''' - The Scout Law attempts to closely mirror the Law of God. | ||
* '''[[A Scout is Reverent]]''' - | * '''[[A Scout is Reverent]]''' - Be reverent toward God. Be faithful in your religious duties. Respect the beliefs of others. | ||
* '''[[A Scout is Obedient]]''' - | * '''[[A Scout is Obedient]]''' - Follow the rules of your family, school, and pack. Obey the laws of your community and country. <ref>[https://www.scouting.org/discover/faq/question10/ What are the Scout Oath and Scout Law - Scouting.org]</ref> | ||
=== 7. Invite Others to Faith === | === 7. Invite Others to Faith === | ||
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# '''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religious_conversion Convert]''' - one who sets aside the religious traditions of his ancestors to pursue another faith that he feels better defines his duty to God. | # '''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religious_conversion Convert]''' - one who sets aside the religious traditions of his ancestors to pursue another faith that he feels better defines his duty to God. | ||
== Duty to God | |||
== Teaching Scouts about Duty to God == | |||
[[Image:DutyToGod2.jpg|thumb]] | [[Image:DutyToGod2.jpg|thumb]] | ||
Scouting teaches youth to do their Duty to God through 1) Program Delivery, 2) Special Observances, 3) Faith-based Partnerships and 4) BSA Religious Support. | Scouting teaches youth to do their Duty to God through 1) Program Delivery, 2) Special Observances, 3) Faith-based Partnerships and 4) BSA Religious Support. | ||
# '''[[Scout Promise]]''' - at the start of every scouting meeting, the youth recite the Scout Oath and Scout Law and through that repetition come to know that they have a duty to God. | |||
# '''[[Religious Emblems Program]]''' - earning the religious awards particular to your faith helps the scout and his family to better understand, appreciate and to follow their religious traditions. | |||
# '''Give Meaningful Service''' - a scout learns that a important way to fulfill his Duty to God is to serve his fellow man. | |||
# '''Earn a Heritage class Merit Badge''' - Some merit badges like [http://www.maintour.com/meritbadge/american_heritage.htm American Heritage], Scouting Heritage, [http://www.maintour.com/meritbadge/genealogy.htm Genealogy], etc. focus on the study of important people from your past. Here youth have an opportunity to see what important role Duty to God played in shaping their lives and the choices they made. For example: did your forefathers come to America to seek religious freedom? | |||
# '''[[Chaplain's Aide]]''' - Each scout troop, crew and ship should have a youth serving as Chaplain Aide to teach scouts about their duty to God and to promote scouting's Religious Emblems Program. | |||
# '''[[Scout Sunday]]''' - | |||
# '''[https://www.scouting.org/resources/info-center/relationships/religious-calendar/ Calendar of Religious Dates (BSA)]''' -There are certain holidays that individual Scouts and Scouters of different faiths celebrate each year. These holidays are not always on the same date on the calendar and may not be familiar to everyone. In order to respect the traditions of all Scouts and Scouters, care must be taken in scheduling Scouting activities. | |||
# '''[[Scouts' Own Inter-faith Worship Services]]''' - frequently held at weekend campouts. | |||
=== Faith Based Partnerships === | |||
Several scouting organizations have developed meaning full relationships with same major religious groups to help promote Duty to God and religious emblems work unique to that faith: | |||
# [http://www.ldsbsa.org/ LDS/BSA.org] - BSA and [[The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]], promoting [[Duty to God (Latter-day Saints)]] program. | |||
# [https://www.nccs-bsa.org/ National Catholic Committee on Scouting] - BSA with Catholic Church. "[[Catholic Scouting (Boy Scouts of America)| Scouting is a youth ministry.]]" | |||
=== Benefits of Practicing Duty to God === | |||
==== 2018 Harvard Study ==== | |||
* [https://academic.oup.com/aje/advance-article/doi/10.1093/aje/kwy142/5094534#121243228 2018 Harvard Study] has shown that youths who regularly attend religious services, pray or meditate may get a well-being boost that sticks around into young adulthood.<ref>[https://www.deseretnews.com/article/900033438/these-religious-practices-by-kids-are-linked-to-better-well-being-as-young-adults.html Religious Practices to Help Children be Happier (DeseretNews)]</ref> The study, by VanderWeele and Harvard research scientist Ying Chen, is published in the American Journal of Epidemiology. (See also [[Benefits of Scouting]].) | |||
Among the findings, youths who attended religious services at least weekly as children and adolescents were: | |||
* About 18 percent more apt to report higher happiness between ages 23-30 than those who didn't | |||
* 29 percent more likely to be volunteers | |||
* 33 percent less likely to use illegal drugs | |||
Those who prayed or meditated at least daily as kids were, as young adults: | |||
* 16 percent more likely to report higher happiness | |||
* 30 percent less likely to have sex at a young age | |||
* 40 percent less likely to have a sexually transmitted disease | |||
=== Duty to God Quotes=== | |||
<blockquote> | |||
1) "I have been asked to describe more fully what was in my mind as regards religion when I instituted Scouting and Guiding. I was asked: 'Where does religion come in?' Well, my reply is: 'It does not come in at all. It is already there. It is the fundamental factor underlying Scouting and Guiding.' " ([[Robert Baden-Powell| Lord Robert Baden-Powell]], founder of Scouting) | |||
</blockquote> | |||
=== Teaching Adventures === | |||
[[Image:Ten-Commandments-Hike-2015.jpg|thumb]] | |||
'''[[Duty to God Adventures]]''' - scouting activities that promote learning about '''[[Duty to God]]'''. | |||
Scouting is well known for its many great teaching activities. This especially holds true for teaching Duty to God: | |||
# '''[[Ten Commandments Hike]]''' - town center day hike to visit local churches. | |||
# '''[[Religious Emblems Program]]''' - Title used for a number of religious scouting awards. | |||
# '''[[Chaplain's Aide]]''' - Each scout troop, crew and ship should have a youth serving as Chaplain Aide to teach scouts about their duty to God and to promote scouting's Religious Emblems Program. | |||
# '''[[Scout Sunday]]''' - | |||
# '''[https://www.scouting.org/resources/info-center/relationships/religious-calendar/ Calendar of Religious Dates (BSA)]''' -There are certain holidays that individual Scouts and Scouters of different faiths celebrate each year. These holidays are not always on the same date on the calendar and may not be familiar to everyone. In order to respect the traditions of all Scouts and Scouters, care must be taken in scheduling Scouting activities. | |||
# '''[[Scouts' Own Inter-faith Worship Services]]''' - frequently held at weekend campouts. | |||
=== External Links === | === External Links === | ||
* [https://slideplayer.com/slide/12301787/ Emphasizing Duty to God in Scouting] - Slide show from the [[College of Commissioner Science]]. | * [https://slideplayer.com/slide/12301787/ Emphasizing Duty to God in Scouting] - Slide show from the [[College of Commissioner Science]]. | ||
* blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2014/10/03/belief-in-god-scouting/ ''About that "Belief in God" requirement'' - Scouting Blog Oct 2014. | |||
* [https://www.uua.org/children/scouting?fbclid=IwAR3yvvydOWRXvn55iAm-UPPkJeHk2YB4N-KT84VcS9zWV4jVw6pPuuwiBsU Unitarian Universalist Duty to God Workbook] - If you find yourself takling over the Duty to God pin and a parent or child is concerned that their particular spiritual path might not accommodate what needs to happen to complete the pin, the Unitarian Universalist workbook for scouts is a good option. Because Unitarian Universalist accept ALL religions (and even those without one) their doctrine requires no faith in any particular one (or more) god(dess). Because of this, the program can fit multiple paths. Completing the BSA approved workbook you can get from their website will fullfill the requirements, earn their knot, and if you want you can buy the medal too. | |||
* [https://scoutermom.com/40444/duty-to-god-troop-program-feature/ Duty to God Troop Program Features] - ScouterMom.com | |||
== References == | == References == | ||
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[[Category: Religion]] | [[Category: Religion]] | ||
[[Category: Scout Duty]] | [[Category: Scout Duty]] | ||
[[Category: Scout Law]] | |||
