Scouts adopt Islamic pledge

ChristiansInstitute ^ | 1/20/09

[Sammy67]

Boy Scouts in Dundee will be able to pledge allegiance to ‘Allah’ and drop the traditional oath to God and Queen, says the Scout Association in Scotland.

The Association has given its backing to starting Dundee’s 45th troop which will specifically target Muslim boys.

In the oath Muslim recruits will be able to replace the name ‘God’ with “Allah, the Most Beneficent and the Most Merciful”, and pledge to honour “the country in which I am now living” instead of the Queen.

The Scout Association is already open to all faiths and Muslim boys are currently part of existing troops, but according to the Association they are aware of some who might be opposed to the traditional pledge.

A spokesman for the Scout Association Drummond Cox claims the change “represents a tweak rather than a major change”.

He said: “The Scouts may have been a Christian organisation originally but we have long been non-denominational and inclusive.

“This new troop will in no way be exclusionary and non-Muslim

[RonF]

As am I. Scouting was not founded as a Christian organization. B-P was certainly a Christian and thought that Christian practice flowed naturally into Scouting, but from the start he welcomed Moslems and Buddhists into Scouting and permitted their practicioners to give public prayers at Scouting functions.

[the scotsman]

I have much less of a problem with the Allah part (after all, Scouts are to preach to their god), than I do the idiotic ‘country where I live’ part.

[hunter112]

Funny thing is, how do we award the suicide bombing merit badge?

[saleman]

Posthumously?

[Uri’el-2012]

Edgar M. Robinson and Lee F. Hanmer became interested in the nascent BSA movement and convinced Boyce to turn the program over to the YMCA for development in April 1910.

I'm afraid you are ignorant of the history,
this was a Christian nation in 1910.

I've been involved with scouting for over fifty years,
dramatic changes have occurred in that time.

[RonF]

The initial reference was to Scouting and B-P, not the BSA. The fact that the BSA has strong roots in Christian organizations is not relevant to the question of whether Scouting was a Christian organization at it’s start in 1907, nor does it validate the statement of a representative of the Scottish Scouting organization.

As far as the BSA goes, it should be noted that while the YMCA had a big hand in it’s early development, it was also given a boost in it’s early history by the Mormon Church, a non-Christian organization. The BSA’s acceptance of non-Christians goes back to it’s very beginning.

[Uri’el-2012]

The initial reference was to Scouting and B-P, not the BSA. The fact that the BSA has strong roots in Christian organizations is not relevant to the question of whether Scouting was a Christian organization at it’s start in 1907, nor does it validate the statement of a representative of the Scottish Scouting organization.

As far as the BSA goes, it should be noted that while the YMCA had a big hand in it’s early development, it was also given a boost in it’s early history by the Mormon Church, a non-Christian organization. The BSA’s acceptance of non-Christians goes back to it’s very beginning.

You are aware the the King/Queen of England
is the head of the Church of England.

The fact that the highest award is known as Kings/Queens
Scout Award, this would imply that it is(was) a Christian Organization.

I have scouted with Mormons for over thirty years.

Most Mormons would strongly disagree with you
as they believe that they are Christians.

[SandRat]

My heart burn with British Scout was the removal of the Oath of Allegiance to the Queen. Like you B-P would have accepted the substitution of Allah for God.

[SandRat]

To that I agree.

[montesquieu]

If this is where America is headed then NO MORE GIRL SCOUT COOKIES FOR ME!!!!!!!!!! SACRILEGE!!!

[RonF]

Given that I’m an Episcopalian I’m quite aware of the role of the British Sovereign in the Church. But the Sovereign is at least the titular head of a number of institutions there. That does not define Scouting’s identity as being attached to any of them.

I’m aware that most Mormons consider themselves Christians. However, if you research the matter you’ll find that no Christian denomination considers them Christian. There are a number of doctrinal differences between the LDS and Christianity that are quite central to both. It reaches the point that while a convert from one Christian denomination is considered by their new denomination to have been validly baptized and to be considered as having been a Christian prior to conversion. However, if a Mormon converts to a Christian denomination their baptism is not considered valid, they are not considered to have been Christian prior to conversion and they have to be baptized.

I do not know whether or not you are a Christian. If you are, I propose that you contact your national office (or look on their website) and see what they have to say on the matter.