On my honor, I (name) will do my best, to do my duty. To God and country. To be square, and obey the law of the pack.
On my honor, I will do my best To do my duty, to God and my country, and to obey the Scout Law; To help other people at all times; To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.
The LAW:
A Scout is: Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty. Brave, Clean, Reverent.
The above is what made me the person that I am. I spent my entire youth in the Boy Scouts of America Cub Pack and Troupe 38 and rose to the level of “Life” scout, then Junior Assistant, then Assistant Scout Master. (There were several) Military service finally broke the link.
I know what “to be square” really means, and not the silliness of the 1950’s and 60’s. That reference has been removed and almost totally buried. Except in my memory.
Various “break the rules” social factions have pretty much destroyed “The old Baden Powell” BOY scouting movement as I experienced it, with what I have seen today, 60 years later. Not going to rant on the current state. Just thankful for my long experience and early life-shaping activities.
There were other activities that guided me. Mostly church and church youth activities. I was president of a fairly large Church Youth Group in my senior year of High School. And was still active in scouting.
What brand of faith IS NOT important. What was and is important, is the social environment these activities provided. The leadership, structure, and life long friends and faith that a good life DOES have rules, ARE important.
It’s called structure and has supported me for nearly 80 years. And will continue.
The “Lost Generations” are the people that now struggle with life because a proper and strong, secure “Rules Based” structure was not experienced in the formatives early stages of their lives.
Absolute freedom became the mantra for child raising and education. “Be all that you can be” is still chanted today. (By the U.S. Army!)
But before that, there needs to be some basic training. I have been through a military boot camp, so I know what that is intended to do. Break your civilian habits and teach one to follow the rules.
THEN, one becomes all they can become… Structure (rules) are necessary guideposts when good choices need to be made.
I don’t have a fix for today. I just know why I have lived the way I have and most of my choices were correct for me. Not all. Just the vast majority.
I am thankful (and perhaps lucky) I was raised with oaths and honor structure and within a country with the freedom to make those pledges and accept the rules they represent.
Please read the first three paragraphs again. Thanks