Scout promise

The scout promise is a personal commitment that is assumed freely and voluntarily, in some groups, when they begin to participate (they are given six months to accept if they want to make the promise) of scouting. It is a unique pledge in which the pledger commits to the values and principles of Scouting.

Since the publication of Scouting for Boys in 1908, all Scouts and Girl Guides around the world formulated their scout promise to live the ideals of this movement. The text of the scout promise and the scout law has varied over time and from country to country. Below are some of the texts of the Scout Promise of some national scout organizations. In general, when scouts and girl guides make their promise or renew it, they give the traditional scout salute with the three raised fingers that symbolize the duties of the scout.

Historical evolution

Original formulation

In the first book of Scouting, titled Scouting for Boys and published in 1908, Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of the movement, presents the first text of the Scout Promise.

The original formulation contained in said book is:

Before I was scoutthe young man must make his promise scoutLike this:

For my honor I promise...

1. Doing as much of me depends on fulfilling my duties with God and the homeland.
2. Help others, no matter their own sacrifice.
3. Know the Scout Law and obey it.

While making his promise scout the young man standing, lifts his right hand to the height of the shoulder, with the palm to the forehead, the three extended central fingers and the thumb on the little finger:-

This is the greeting of scout and his secret sign.

Later Variations

Subsequently, throughout the more than 100 years of life of the Scout Movement, the text of said commitment varied, adapting to the times and culture of each country.

A mid-20th century formulation is:

I promise for my honor to do all that depends on me to fulfill my duties to God and the Fatherland, to help others in all circumstances and to faithfully fill in the scout law.

And a later evolution of said text are the following formulations that vary according to the country and the national scout organization: I (full name and surname) on my honor and with the grace of God promise: to do everything possible to fulfill my duties to God, the church and the country, to help my neighbor in all circumstances and to observe the scout law

By my honor and by the grace of God I promise to serve God the home and home, to help others in all circumstances and faithfully fulfill the scout Law.

I (name of the Promiser) for my honor promise to do everything that depends on me to fulfill my duties with God my homeland and my parents to help others in all circumstances and live the law scout day to day.

I, by my honor and by the grace of God, promise: to do all that is up to me to fulfill my duties to God and the homeland and to help the child in all circumstances and faithfully fulfill the law scout.

I (name of the processor) promise for my honor and with the help of God to do as much of me depends on fulfilling my duties with society, helping the child in all circumstances and faithfully fulfilling the law scout.

I (name of the promiseee) promise to do as much of my dependence to fulfill my duties to God the homeland others and with myself, always help the child and live the scout law.

I (name of the Promising) for my Honor, I promise to do everything that depends on me to fulfill the duties with God, the Homeland and my Family. Help the Projimo in all circumstances and live faithfully the Guidance/Scout law.

I promise for my honor to do as much of my dependence to fulfill my duties to God and homeland, to help others in any circumstances and faithfully fulfill the scout law.

By my honor and by the grace of God, I (Speaker's Name), I promise to do all that depends on me to fulfill my duties with God and homeland, to help others in any circumstances and to faithfully fulfill the Scout Law.

But, as we clarified, not in all Scouts Groups the Promise is formulated in the same way or from a single text. Currently, in some, the promisee is given the possibility of making his own promise or, in other cases, adding a personal commitment after the text defined by the scout association. In addition, when they are older, they are invited to renew it from a maturity and greater understanding of said commitment.

In general, the text of the Scout Promise is common, in many associations, for all age ranges from 11 years old (scout branch). It is tradition that the text of the Promise is different for the Cubs and Wolverines Branch.

Difference from Lesser Branches

Original text

The Cub Promise is the first pledge made in Scouting and, although it can be considered to be inspired by the values of the Scout Promise, it is a simpler wording that is understandable to boys of the age group at which refers.

For this reason, from the very beginning of Cubbing, a promise formula different from the Scout Promise has been proposed.

The original formula can be found in the book The Cubs Manual that Robert Baden-Powell wrote in 1916:

Me. (Speaker name) I promise to always do the best to fulfill my duties to God and the Homeland; to observe the Law of the Way and to do good action to someone every day.

Later formulations

In the Scouts Association of Mexico, ASMAC, the text is:

I promise to always do the best to fulfill my duties to God and the Father to obey the Law of the Way and make good action to someone every day.

The WOSM Interamerican Scout Region proposes in the 'Guide for Pack Leaders' the following text:

I (name of the wolf), I promise to be always better, to love God and my country and to fulfill the Law of the Flood.

Independent Scouting - Scout associations not affiliated to WOSM

Scout Associations that practice Traditional Scouting, such as Baden-Powell Scouts and the WFIS, use different promise texts, including the original text of the Scout Promise which includes reference to 'Duties to God' 39;.

Variations according to religion

Since it is a personal commitment, the text of the promise may also vary depending on the religion of the person making it. For example, the evangelical Christian Scouts of Argentina and those belonging to the Church of the Saints of the Last Days make a promise similar to the generic one, while the Catholics add "...for God, the Church , the Homeland,..."; the Jews "...toward God, the Torah, the Fatherland,..." and the Buddhists "...I (...), and taking refuge in the triple jewel on my honor I promise to do everything in my power to fulfill my duties to my Buddhist Faith, the Homeland,...".

Variations, according to religion in Scouts of Argentina

Buddhists

I (...), and taking refuge in the triple jewel for my honor, I promise to do everything in my power to fulfill my duties towards my Buddhist Faith, the Homeland, with others and with myself, help others and live the scout law

Catholics

I (...), by my honor and with the Grace of God, promise to do everything that depends on me to fulfill my duties towards God, the Church, the Homeland, with others and with myself, help others and live the scout law

Evangelical Christians

I (...), by my honor and with the Grace of God, promise to do everything that depends on me to fulfill my duties towards God, the Homeland, with others and with myself, help others and live the Law scout

Jews

I (...), on my honor, promise to do everything in my power to fulfill my duties to God, the Torah, the Homeland, with others and with myself, help others and live the Scout Law.

Latter Day Saints

I (...), on my honor promise to do everything in my power to fulfill my duties to God, Country, others and myself, help others and live the Scout Law

Muslims

I (…), on my honor promise to do everything in my power to fulfill my duties towards God, the Koran and the Prophets, the Homeland, with others and with myself, help others and live the Scout Law.

Requirements for members of the World Organization of the Scout Movement

The wording of the pledge has varied from country to country and over time, however it must meet certain requirements set by the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) to be accepted as a National Member Scout Organization.

The current WOSM Constitution (January 2011 version) establishes in Article II, paragraph 2 "Adherence to the Promise and Law" what:

All members of the Scout Movement must adhere to the Law and the Promise, which must reflect in language appropriate to the culture and customs of each National Scout Organization and approved by the World Organization, the principles of Duties with God, Duties with others and Duties with oneself, and inspired by the Promise and the Law originally conceived by the Founder of Scouting in the following terms:

On my honor, I promise to do everything possible, to fulfill my duties to God and the King (or to God and my Country); always help others and obey the Scout Law.

In order to understand the different religious beliefs that participate in Scouting, the concept "God" it is understood to refer to the transcendent, and is not specifically restricted to the concept of God of monotheistic religions. The WOSM Constitution explains the "Duty to God" as "Adherence to spiritual principles, loyalty to the religion that expresses them and acceptance of the duties that result from it."

Alternative Promises

Although the WOSM Constitution states that the Scout Promise must include a reference to Duties to God, six countries (Belgium, Slovakia, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Finland) included in the 1920s the additional possibility of make an alternative promise without explicit reference to God. Three of these countries still allow making the alternative promise (France, the Netherlands and the Czech Republic), while the others abandoned that proposal. In 1932 the World Organization of the Scout Movement established that it would not accept new exceptions and expressed its desire that the remaining countries stop using the text that did not include references to Duties with God.

The National Association of Scouts of Israel since its foundation in 1919/1920, and its subsequent accession to WOSM in 1951 and WAGGGS in 1963, does not have a reference to 'Duties to God' or other equivalence in the text of your promise.

Currently in Spain, the formulation of the Promise is voluntary and is chosen by each student.

The text

At the beginning of 2000, the WOSM Interamerican Region published the 'Guide for Scout Branch leaders'. This proposal proposes to unify the tools, evaluation criteria and language among the member countries. In said book the following Scout promise text is transcribed:

I promise to do whatever I depend on to love God, to serve my country, to work for peace and to live the Scout Law.