Scout Promise
Since the birth of Scouting in 1907, all Scouts and Guides around the world have taken a Scout (or Guide) promise or oath to live up to ideals of the movement, and subscribed to a Scout Law. The wording of the Scout Promise (or Oath) and Scout Law have varied slightly over time and from country to country. Some national organization promises are given below. Although most Scouting and Guiding organizations use the word 'promise', a few such as the Boy Scouts of America tend to use 'oath' instead.
World Organization of the Scout Movement requirements
The form of the promise has varied slightly from country to country and over time, but must fulfill the requirements of the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) to qualify a National Scout Organization for membership. The Constitution of WOSM states:[1]
• Article II, paragraph 2, “Adherence to a Promise and Law”: “All members of the Scout Movement are required to adhere to a Scout Promise and Law reflecting, in language appropriate to the culture and civilization of each National Scout Organization, and approved by the World Organization, the principles of Duty to God, Duty to others and Duty to self, and inspired by the Promise and Law conceived by the Founder of the Scout Movement in the following terms:
The Scout Promise
On my honour I promise that I will do my best
To do my duty to God and the King (or to God and my Country)
To help other people at all times
To obey the Scout Law.
In order to accommodate many different religions within Scouting, 'God' may refer to a higher power, and is not specifically restricted to the God of the monotheistic religions. The WOSM Constitution explains 'Duty to God' as 'Adherence to spiritual principles, loyalty to the religion that expresses them and acceptance of the duties resulting therefrom.'
The World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS), which is a sister organization to WOSM, follows similar policies.
The Alternative Promises
Although the Constitution of WOSM states that the Promise should include a reference to Duty to God [2], six countries (Belgium, Czechoslovakia, France, Luxembourg, The Netherlands and Finland) were granted the right in the 1920's to additionally use an alternative promise without a reference to God. [3] Two of these countries still offer this alternative promise (the Netherlands and the Czech Republic), where others have abandoned it. WOSM stated in 1932 that no new exceptions will be made and has expressed the hope that the few remaining countries will stop using any promise lacking a reference to Duty to God.
National Scout/Guide organization promises
Many of these are translations from the native languages of a particular organization and translations of the same words by different people can vary.
Australia
On my honour
I promise that I will do my best
To do my duty to my God, and
To (the Queen of) Australia
To help other people, and
To live by the Scout Law
- The reference to the Queen can be omitted in some cases
I promise that I will do my best:
to do my duty to God, to serve the Queen and my country;
to help other people; and
to keep the Guide Law.
Austria
I promise on my duty
To do my best
To serve God and my country
To help my fellow people
And to live according to the Scout/Guide Law.
Brazil
I promise, on my honour
To make the best I can do my duty to
My God and my country,
Help the other in any opportunity,
And, live by the Scout Law.
Canada
On my honour,
I promise that I will do my best,
To do my Duty to God and the Queen,
To help other people at all times,
And to carry out the spirit of the Scout Law
I promise to do my best,
To be true to myself, my God/faith* and Canada;
I will help others,
And accept the Guiding Law.
- Choose either the word God or the word faith according to your personal convictions.
Chile
I promise on my honour
To do all that I can to do my duty to God and my country,
To help others at all times
And to obey the Scout Law
Czech Republic
On my honor I promise that I will do my best,
to serve the highest Truth and Love faithfully at all times,
to fulfill my own duties and to observe the Scout/Guide laws,
to be prepared to help my country and my neighbors with all my soul and body.
(May God help me so.)
- The reference to God is optional in the Czech Republic. See introduction above for explanation.[4]
Finland
I will love my God and my neighbour,
my native country and mankind
by fulfilling the Guide and Scout ideals in my life.
Germany
Due to the huge number of different Scout associations in Germany, there is no common Scout Promise in Germany. For details on the individual promises, see also Scouting in Germany.
Greece
On my honour, I promise
To do my duty to God and the country,
To help every person in every circumstance,
And, to obey the Scout Law.
Hong Kong
On my honour,I promise that I will do my best
to do my duty to God and to my Country
to help other people
and to keep the Scout Law
I promise to do my best
to be true to myself, my God/faith*, and my country,
to help others, and
to keep the Guide Law
- choose either the word God or the word faith according to her personal convictions
Hungary
I, … promise that I’ll do my duties
to God, my Country and my fellow people loyally.
I’ll do my best to help others.
I know the Scout Law and keep it always.
Iceland
I promise to do what ever I can
to do my duties to god and the homeland
to help others
and obey the scout law
India
On my honour, I promise that I will do my best
to do my duty to God* and my country,
to help other people and to obey the Scout/Guide Law
- The word "Dharma" may be substituted for the word "God" if so desired.
Israel
I promise to do my best
to fulfill my duties to my people,
my country
and my land,
to help others at all times
and to obey the Scout
Law.
Italy
With God's help, I promise on my honour to do my best
To do my duty to God and my country
To help others in every circumstance
And to observe the Scout Law.
Japan
I over an honor, swear the following article-three practice.
1. With a god (Buddha) and a state at serve and for truly defend it.
2. Always, I help other people.
3. I make a body strong, are healthy for a mind, and uphold virtue.
I promise to:
Do my duty to God (Buddha):*
Be responsible for my community,
My country and the world;
Try to be helpful to other people;
and
Live by the Girl Scout Law.
- God (Buddha) in Japanese is Kami (Hotoke)
Netherlands
I promise to do my best (with the help of God) to be a good Scout,
to help everybody whenever I can
and to follow the Scout Law.
You can count on me.
- The reference to God is optional in the Netherlands. See introduction above for explanation.[5]
New Zealand
On my honour,
I promise to do my best,
To do my duty to my God,
To the Queen and my Country,
To help other people,
And to live by the Scout Law.
Norway
I promise to do my best to serve God,
Help others and live according to the Scout Law
Singapore
On My honour, I promise that I will do my best;
To do my duty to God, and to the Republic of Singapore,
To help other people;
And to keep the Scout Law.
I promise to do my best,
To do my duty to God,
To serve my country
and help other people,
and to keep the Guide Law
South Africa
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;
To obey the Scout Law.
Sri Lanka
On my honour, I promise to do my best,
to do my duty to my religion
and country,
to help other people at all times
and to obey the
Scout Law.
Sweden
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 Law.
Switzerland
With the help of God, with your help and happily I Promise to do my best:
To study in details the values of our Scout Law;
To search for the meaning of my life;
To be involved in the community where I live.
Taiwan (Republic of China)
I wish to join Boy Scouts of China, and on my honor,
I promise that I will obey the Scout Law,
and all my life I will do my best.
To do my duty to God, be friendly to the people and
become a righteous Chinese citizen.
To help others and serve the public at all times.
To strive to make myself rich in knowledge, perfect
in character, and healthy in physical constitution.
Thailand
On my honour I promise
that I will be loyal to the Nation,
the
Religion and the King;
help other people at all times;
and obey the
Scout Law.
Turkey
On my honour, I will promise,
To do duties to God and my country,
To help others at all time
To obey the scouting laws,
To be physically strong, mentally awake and morally strong.
United Kingdom
On my honour, I promise that I will do my best,
To do my duty to God and to the Queen,
To help other people,
And to keep the Scout Law.
- Variations to the wording are allowed to take into account the different religious obligations of its Members according to Rule 1.1:[6]
United States of America
On my honor, I will do my best
To do my duty to God and my country
To obey the Scout Law;
To help other people at all times;
To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.
On my honor, I will try:
To serve God* and my country,
To help people at all times,
And to live by the Girl Scout Law.
- The word "God" can be interpreted in a number of ways, depending on one's spiritual beliefs. When reciting the Girl Scout Promise, it is okay to replace the word "God" with whatever word your spiritual beliefs dictate.
The Outlander Promise
On my honour, I promise that I will do my best,
To render service to my country;
To help other people,
And to keep the Scout Law.
- This alternative oath was written early in the Scout Movement for Scouts who could not, for reasons of conscience, recognize a duty to a King, for individuals or members of religions that do not worship a deity, and for members of orthodox religions that do not use the name of God in secular settings. This oath is no longer used by any WOSM member National Scout Organization.
Traditional Scouting
Scout sections that follow traditional scouting such as Baden-Powell Scouts use several promises including the traditional scout promise that includes reference to God:
On my honor I promise that I will do my best
To do my duty to God and country
To help other people at all times
To obey the Scout Law
However some, including the 1st Tarrant Scout Group in Fort Worth, Texas use a blend of this Promise and the Outlander Promise, omiting reference to God:
On my honour, I promise that I will do my best,
To render service to my country;
To help other people at all times
To obey the Scout Law