While I attended Ohio State University, I worked several of my summers at a Boy Scout camp.  The camp staff saw themselves as the guardians of the organizations motivational message.  For many of the troops that attended The Boy Scout camp, they looked to us as the highlight of the years experience.  Twenty year later, I encountered a few Scouts briefly again and it seemed they had lost that high motivational level I knew as a young man.  I was concerned when they saw The Scouting Program as an source of activity and seemed to be numb to the values for which the organization stood.  In the midst of what seemed to me, a shocking realization, I took-it-upon-myself, to re-write The Boy Scout Law.  
Here it is...



The Boy Scout Law...
a few suggested updates for your consideration.

Trustworthy.....Beyond your parents and family. A Scout is trustworthy even when no one is looking. Trustworthy, even with the poor and the weak. A Scout is trustworthy even when he could safely steal, even when he is invited to steal, even when he is merely in the company of a potential thief.

Loyal....even when loyalty is not returned to you. A Scout is loyal even when loyalty is not deserved. A scout is loyal to friends, family and the ideas that make this nation a better place to live. A scout is loyal even when it is inconvenient, a “heavy” load, embarrassing or painful.

Helpful....even when it might make you late. Helpful even when there’s no “tip”, no reward, no benefit. Scouts help because help is needed....not because folks are watching or there might be a reward later.





Friendly....to those who need a friend. A Scout doesn’t decide if he likes someone first. He is friendly to everyone....even those who he does not initially like. Friendship is deserved by all of God’s creatures. A Scout cares and he shows it. A risky venture? Sometimes.

Courteous....to all. Treating folks with respect includes being polite and respectful. A Scout is courteous even when he doesn’t feel good or doesn’t particularly like those he encounters.

Kind....to all of God’s creatures including those animals and folks who are vulnerable. Pets, animals roaming the woods, those who hunger during the Winter are all of concern to the Scout. And, kindness isn’t something that we only do when confronted with the need. It can be quite an exciting adventure when we seek to be kind...How can I help the hungry animals, the wheel chair bound neighbor or the classroom “outcast”?





Obedient...It’s harder for some Scouts; easier for others. But, obedience includes acknowledging the right of adults to make some of the decisions about what we do and how we behave. Obedience binds the adult to the child. It commits the adult to support the Scout during troubled times. It’s a binding link requiring the adult to stand beside the Scout when it’s needed most. Obedience is the Scout’s way to say I trust you and believe you see beyond my childhood vision.

Cheerful ...It Involves having a sense of humor and a positive attitude. It can be a search for the “lighter side” of tragedy. Sometimes it’s finding hope in the midst of hopelessness. Sometimes it’s finding light in midst of emotional darkness. It’s uplifting. It’s Hope generating. It can be in direct contradiction to the visible reality. It can cause a smile, momentarily lift a burden, give a perspective of “a problem” in the midst of a life time.

Thrifty... It means you don’t spend your money as fast as you get it. Thrifty Scouts look beyond the moment to consider such things as tomorrow, next week, next month. When a Scout is thrifty, he sees his money as a tool that can serve him and, on some occasions, it can help others too.



Brave....includes standing up for what’s right. It includes standing up for folks who are “in the right”. It includes seeking the truth of rumors. It includes being willing to hear what others have to say....even when it is critical. When a Scout is brave, others will see the courage sooner or later. It’s the Scout who knows he is on the “right” road....it’s not necessarily others who direct the behavior.

Clean ...in and out. A Scout keeps himself physically clean. His mind doesn’t always have “clean” thoughts (It’s the human condition!) but a Scout controls his actions. We have urges, fantasies and physical changes that effect our thoughts but our thoughts need not be acted upon. A Scout does his best...and, at night, as he prepares to sleep, he can close his eyes knowing he has lived as a Scout should.

Reverent... It implies that a Scout accepts his worthiness as a child of God. A Scout accepts the presence of a force greater than himself. A scout respects spiritual faith or lack of it in others. He need not push his faith or his values on others. He just needs to live his own life....and his life will speak for itself. And it is his faith that allows him to forgive himself and begin new after the inevitable mistakes that occur with learning. It is his faith that supports him as he ventures into new territory. It is the Scout’s faith that is the foundation of his reverence.


Yes, it’s The Scout Law...a demanding list, a rewarding guide. The Scout Law is a challenge to every Scout to live the best life that is within. The Law gives us an objective that will not always be reached but will always be sought.

Do we dare offer big expectations or continue on the road of "politically correct" requirements? Do we dare ask little and hope for greatness? Shall we leave the future to the whim of "fate" or shall we set the course on a high road and lose a few along the trail? Is Scouting a pathway to fun or a life style that requires effort? A few quesitons to ponder in this age of law suits, dumbing down expectations and political correctness..... Brad Engert





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