Britain Girl Guides Drop Oath to God .. Now Oath to Self

Washington Post - Britains Girl Guides Drop Oath to God

For more than 100 years, Britain’s Girl Guides took an oath to “love God and serve the King/Queen.” But on Wednesday (June 19) the movement announced it would scrap its oath to God in an attempt to broaden its appeal and attract children from secular, nonbelieving families. ...Beginning in September, all new members who make the promise to be good and useful citizens will pledge an oath to “be true to myself and develop my beliefs” and “to serve my Queen (Elizabeth II) and my country.”

In the USA, Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts are tied to churches. They are church based and therefore have religion in them. I don't know if the Britain Girl Guides are like that or if they are totally secular. At any rate, I thought this was interesting.

just like the queen when sworn in she promised to uphold gods laws which state that man should make no laws . traitor ???

Only following what is happening to Religion in the UK, we are becoming a secular society because most people just do not believe or do beleive but do not follow any Religion.
Good for them.

reply to post by boymonkey74


I don't care either way. Oath to God .. No oath to God .... It doesn't matter to me.
I just found it interesting that they dropped an oath to God and made a promise to themselves.

Originally posted by boymonkey74
Only following what is happening to Religion in the UK, we are becoming a secular society because most people just do not believe or do beleive but do not follow any Religion.
Good for them.

thank satan for that

Britain really is quite secular, so it's not a big surprise an oath to God has been dropped. Britain is also quite diverse - funnily enough my girlfriend mentioned only recently that a Hindu girl she went to school with in the early 90s wasn't permitted to join her local girl guides because of that specific part of the oath. I'm fairly sure that wasn't the official stance of the guides or anything, but it just goes to show that (even probably not maliciously intended) problems arose from it.

As for the 'true to yourself' thing - that's attracted a bit of criticism from more traditional (i.e. religious) types who have complained it invites kids to be self centred, which is contrary to the group's principals. I just think they're a bit sore God has been knocked out of the oath myself, but you can sort of get what they mean.

It's all about me, yay me, go me, me me me me me. All joking aside isn't it somewhere in the Masonic oath about wanting to be good and useful or some such? Just my conspirational mind.

reply to post by FlyersFan
I guess I can understand how they might attract more children from non-religious families by dropping God from their oath, but why leave in the part about serving the Queen? I thought she really doesn't hold any political power and is basically just a figurehead- or am I mistaken?

Step in the right direction.

Get rid of all imaginable being from society and shut them in the private of one's house.

Go ahead and practice it within that 4 walls and don't utter a single word about it outside.

Originally posted by FlyersFan
Washington Post - Britains Girl Guides Drop Oath to God

For more than 100 years, Britain’s Girl Guides took an oath to “love God and serve the King/Queen.” But on Wednesday (June 19) the movement announced it would scrap its oath to God in an attempt to broaden its appeal and attract children from secular, nonbelieving families. ...Beginning in September, all new members who make the promise to be good and useful citizens will pledge an oath to “be true to myself and develop my beliefs” and “to serve my Queen (Elizabeth II) and my country.”

In the USA, Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts are tied to churches. They are church based and therefore have religion in them. I don't know if the Britain Girl Guides are like that or if they are totally secular. At any rate, I thought this was interesting.

When i was a girl guide,(a long long time ago), you had to go to church, it was one of the criteria for joining, im not sure if its the same now. I can remember the oath, not sure if its changed now though,
i promise that i will do my best,
to do my duty to God,
to serve the queen,
and help other people,
and to keep the brownie guide law.

I still cant get a tent up though. (thats not part of the oath btw).

reply to post by luciddream

Go ahead and practice it within that 4 walls and don't utter a single word about it outside.

yes, how dare anyone have an opinion contrary to what you believe, much less speak about it. hang them all, i say!

reply to post by Bob Sholtz


Yes how dare these atheist stop you from dividing the people, causing holy wars and injecting your disgusting religious laws into judicial laws! how dare they! these people of no belief!

reply to post by FlyersFan

In the USA, Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts are tied to churches. They are church based and therefore have religion in them.

Both of my daughters were in Girl Scouts for many years. Some troops had meetings at church rec halls, etc. because it was a free place to meet, but other than using church property as a meeting place there was no church affiliation and no church service attendance even suggested. My youngest niece is currently in Girl Scouts and they meet at a school cafeteria and attend no church events and have no church affiliation.

reply to post by Bob Sholtz


Iam all for freedom of religion but I am also a strong believer in freedom from religion, my right not to have it thrown in my face by people telling me I will goto Hell for not believing in their club, my right not to have ruddy people knocking on my door wanting to talk about Jesus.
I feel sorry for the children whom are brainwashed into following a Religion, It is child abuse.

Originally posted by KingIcarus
- funnily enough my girlfriend mentioned only recently that a Hindu girl she went to school with in the early 90s wasn't permitted to join her local girl guides because of that specific part of the oath. I'm fairly sure that wasn't the official stance of the guides or anything, but it just goes to show that (even probably not maliciously intended) problems arose from it.

.

It certainly isnt they have allowed the use of the word God or Gods. So there was no reason she wouldnt have been able to join.

I would guess it would mean that those who wish their kids to have a more spiritual group, will start sending their kids to The Girls Brigade.

I had one of my boys in the scouts and there was never any mention or reference to god or religion.....other than the small nod within the scout's guides that tell scouts to be true to their "faith".

It's my opinion that if this (dropping the oath to god) brings more people into the British Girl Guides.....so be it.

If you want to be a guide/scout, go to a scout meeting.

If you want some religion, go to church.

reply to post by luciddream

Yes how dare these atheist stop you from dividing the people, causing holy wars and injecting your disgusting religious laws into judicial laws! how dare they! these people of no belief!

dividing the people? don't see what that has to do with free speech, or that it has anything to do with religion.

holy wars? nothing religious about wwi, wwii, korea, the gulf, vietnam, etc. i believe in non-violence, as do many others. i doubt you can say the same.

this has nothing to do with religious "laws" (religions are generally trumpet morality, not law) becoming common law or legislative law. it's more about your opinion that others cannot have opinions.

I was a Girl Guide about 40 years ago. I don't remember anything about an oath to God.
I think if my dad had heard about such an oath, he never would have let me join. He didn't believe in any god(s).
Too long ago to remember.

Canada doesn't tie very many things to religion. We're diverse in our beliefs. It wouldn't be fair to too many people if guides or scouts were tied to a specific religion.

reply to post by sheepslayer247


The Guides was an organisation with religious roots.
How about if you dont like the religion join another group?