I never thought God would have been taken out of our schools or from public places. But now possibly with the Boy Scouts too?! The UK Scout Association is considering a new oath for atheists. As this interview mentions, I too wonder if BP is rolling in his grave…
A duty to God has always been the center of this program for the past 100+ years. Is this the right step for Scouting to “keep up with the times”? Is this movement coming to America so that Scouting can be more “relevant” in this country too? I’d say the world is struggling based on the declining trend to acknowledge a Divine Being in our lives.
Watch this spirited discussion on the proposed alternative to the Oath from HuffPost Live.
We must be careful; an old saying comes to mind…sometimes when you try to be all things to people you stand for no-thing…
The consultation Scouts UK is holding is not to decide whether or not ALL their Scouts pledge duty to God, but if they can offer an alternative oath for atheists (they already offer several alternative oaths that better fit varying religious beliefs). It does not change the Scout oath at all, it expands it.
As a Buddhist my belief in God is not the same as a Christian – Buddhism does not include the concept of God at all, yet for thirty years running I stand next to Christians, Jews and Muslims and pledge my duty to ‘God’ because, for me, the word in the oath may mean something different, but we are all brothers.
I think it would be great if this idea did cross over to the BSA, it isn’t an attack on anyone, it does not ask anyone to deny or belittle another person’s faith, it just accepts that there’s many different ways.
Thanks for posting the video – I like the idea of Scouting as a movement, not an unyielding organization, we’ve always changed with the times, and will only remain relevant as we continue to change.