bprev

Baden Powell on Religion and Scouting

With all these controversies over Religion and Scouting I would like to let everyone know what the founder of the movement thought about the relationship between a boy's religious convictions and his scouting career

Here is what he said...

"No man can be really good, if he doesn't believe in God and he doesn't follow His laws. This is why all Scouts must have a religion".
(Scouting for Boys, 1908)

"There is no religious side to the [Scout] Movement. The whole of it is based on religion, that is on becoming aware of God and His Service"
(Headquarter's Gazette - November 1920)

"Scout Activities are the means by which you can lead the most accomplished street urchin to nobler feelings, and have the faith in God start in him"
(Aids to Scoutmastership, 1919)

"I have been asked to describe in more detail what I had in my mind regarding religion when I founded Scouting and Guiding. I have been asked `Why must religion enter in it?'. My answer has been that religion needn't enter, because it's already inside. It is already the fundamental factor pervading Scouting and Guiding."
(from a speech to Scout and Guide commissaries, July 2, 1926)

The method of expression of revernece to God varies with every sect and denomination. What sect or demonination 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 inculcate reverence, whatever form of religion the boy professes.
(Aids To Scoutmastership pg.36)

B.-P's Outlook on Religion

Very closely allied with education comes the important matter of religion. Though we hold no brief for any one form of belief over another, we see a way to helping all by carrying the same principle into practice as is now being employed in other branches of educaiton, namely, to put the boys in touch with their objective, which in this case is to do their duty to God through doing their duty to their neighbour. In helping others in doing daily good turns, and in rescuing those in danger, pluck, self-discipline, unselfishness, chivalry, become acquired, and quickly form part of their character. These attributies of character, coupled with the right study of Nature, must of necessity help to bring the young soul in closer touch spiritually with God.

Personally, I have my own views as to the relative value of the instruction of children in Scripture history within the walls of Sunday-school, and the value of Nature study and the practice of religion in the open air, but I will not impose my personal views upon others.

I prefer to be guided by collective opinions of experienced men, and here a remarkable promise stands before us. Scouting has been described by barious men and women of thought and standing as "a new religion" - three times I have read it this week. It is not, of course, a "new religion," it is merely the application to religious training of the principle now approved for secular training - that of giving a definite objective and setting the child to learn and practise for himself - and that, I think everybody's experiences will tell him, is the only training which really sticks by a man for good and ultimately forms part of his character

January, 1912

Back to 12th Point

Hosted by www.Geocities.ws