Scout Promise and Law

 Scout Promise and Law

Every member of the Movement makes the Promise voluntarily and this serves as a moral binding force. When young people freely choose to make a promise, it adds a strong sense of personal responsibility. At the time of investiture every scout has to make a promise as follows:

“On my honour, I promise that I will do my best

To do my duty to God and my country,

To help other people at all times,

And to obey the Scout/Guide Law.”

*The word “Dharma” may be substituted for the word “God” if so desired.

Notice the words B.P. included in the promise: “on my honour.” He considered one of the Scouters most important tasks was to develop a sense of honour in each individual. On it B.P said “the whole of the Scout’s future behaviour and disciplines hangs.” You can develop this basic virtue by treating each Scout as a responsible person you can trust. When Scout recognize this, they will reciprocate your trust. The scout have a wide range of abilities: some have more, some have less. B.P. recognized this and build it deliberately and included into the scout promise. No matter how difficult the task, both you and the Scout would be satisfied if each could truthfully say, “I will do my best.” Duty to God is a fundamental obligation of every Scout. Whatever their faith, we expect and encourage Scout to Fulfil their religious duties. As the scout grows older in Scouting, his interpretation of the promise will mature

                                   The Scout Law

1. A Scout is trustworthy: A Scout tells the truth. He is honest, and He keeps his promises. People can depend on him. It is easy to trust someone, even strangers. All trust we have of strangers should be forced, either by laws, contract, or some similar regulations. That is where Scout is different. He is trustworthy not because he is forced to be that way, but because he chooses to be. His honour is the only regulation that enforces his trustworthiness. That is why the word, “On my honour”, are so important to the scout.

2. A Scout is loyal: A scout is true to his family, friends, Scout leader, school, and nation. Loyalty means to be faithful. When we say a scout us loyal, it means he remains steadfast in his adherence to what is right. Being loyal is character trait that can be often tested, and often misdirected. Loyal scout will support and promote the plan of the troop, even when they are not his favourite choice. Scouts need to be loyal to the laws of our country and the people that represent those laws.

3. A Scout is a friend to all and a brother to every other Scout. A

Scout offers his friendship to people of all races and nations, and respects them even if their beliefs and customs are different from his own. This states the bond of brotherhood/sisterhood and this is what makes scouting such a close kit movement. Friendliness, openness and a ready to mile must differentiate you as a scout from other boys and girls.

4. A Scout is courteous. A Scout is polite to everyone regardless of age or position. He knows that using good manners makes it easier for people to get along. Bad manners are cool, they always have been. Courtesy requires personal interaction where the value of other person can be demonstrated. After all, courtesy occurs out of respect for other people we can say please and Thank you. All these are ways in which we show that we respect the other person.

5. A Scout is a friend to animals and loves nature. It must be your endeavour to protect life. Many May like to keep pets such as birds, cats, dogs, etc. Such pets need much care as a little brother or sister. Unless you are prepared to spare your time and care for them, it will be far better for you not to have pets. They need right kind of food, special attention for their cleanliness, appropriate exercise and medical care when they are ill.

6. A Scout is disciplined and helps protect public property. This one of the most difficult points of the law which you are to observe, but as disciplined Scout it should not be very difficult for you to follow it. Each one of us need to value the public property in whatever form they are. We need to protect them with utmost care from natural calamities, from those who dirty it and from those who try to destruct it or dirty it.

7. A Scout is courageous. A Scout can face danger although he is afraid. He has the courage to stand for what he thinks is right even if other laugh at him or threaten him. Bravery is certainly not the lack of fear, but the strength to overcome that fear. Courage controls fear and allows a Scout to keep a cool head, rise above the danger, and act in a brave way. When fear controls the person, he loses his sense of honour and his guts instinct of selfpreservation takes over, causing acts of cowardice. The Scout is brave enough to accept consequences for his decisions are brave indeed.

8. A Scout is thrifty. He saves for the future. He protects and Conserves natural resources. He carefully uses time and property. A scout should be given as many opportunities as possible to practice being thrifty within Scouting.Thriftiness is most often discussed in terms of money since we exchange work for money and money for those things we need and want. But a scout should be thrifty in all areas of life. Turning off unused lights, closing doors and window shades, recycling, etc.

9. A Scout is pure in thought, word and deed. This Law is the basis on which you stand and live live the life of the Scout. Decent Scout look down upon silly youths who talks dirty, and they do not let themselves give way to temptation, either to talk it or to do anything dirty. A Scout is pure, and clean-minded. If a Scout is clean in thought, he will be clean in word and deed, for the mind is the source of word and deed. If the reservoir is pure, the water in the tape will be pure.