Those godless guides!

[Rum]

Progress! From the Beeb at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-22959997

God vow dropped from Girlguiding UK promise

Girls will no longer have to pledge their devotion to God when they join the Guides and Brownies in the UK.

It comes after a consultation found a new Girlguiding UK promise was needed to include "more explicitly" non-religious and those of other faiths.

They currently vow to "to love my God, to serve my Queen and my country".

The new oath drops the reference for the first time since Guides began in 1910 and will see them promise to "be true to myself and develop my beliefs".

The revised wording from September will also see members of the 540,000-strong organisation promise "to serve the Queen and my community".

Guides promise from September 2013

I promise that I will do my best

To be true to myself and develop my beliefs

To serve the Queen and my community

To help other people

and

To keep the Guide (Brownie) law

The consultation earlier this year involved nearly 44,000 Girlguiding UK members and non-members.

Chief Guide Gill Slocombe said: "Guiding has always been somewhere that all girls can develop their beliefs and moral framework, both inside and outside the context of a formal religion.

"However, we knew that some people found our promise confusing on this point and that it discouraged some girls and volunteers from joining us.

"Guiding believes in having one promise that is a clear statement of our core values for all our members to commit to. We hope that our new promise will allow all girls - of all faiths and none - to understand and feel proud of their commitment."

The promise has been changed 11 times in the organisation's history, most recently in 1994 when the long-standing phrase duty to God" became "to love my God" and "serve the Queen" was supplemented with "and my country".

First Guides promise: September 1910

On my honour I promise that I will do my best

To do my duty to God and the King

To help others at all times

To obey the Guide Law

The British Humanist Association (BHA), which gave a response to the consultation, welcomed the change, noting it was the first version of the oath to "open guiding up fully to non-religious girls".

BHA Chief Executive Andrew Copson said: "We welcome the fact that the new promise is about personal integrity and ongoing and active self-reflection, both of which sit well alongside a sense of responsibility to others and to the community."

The Church of England was among the groups which had urged Girlguiding UK to keep the reference to God in the promise.

In December last year, the UK Scout Association announced its own consultation to see if its members would support an alternative Scout Promise for atheists, who are unwilling to pledge a "duty to God".

And in July 2012, the Girl Guides in Australia dropped their allegiance to both God and the Queen, agreeing to serve their community and be true to themselves instead.

[Clinton Huxley]

They're still basically the military wing of UKIP.

[JimC]

This simply allows them to recruit militant young islamic females...

There will be a Burka re-design to the uniform, mark my words...

[Rum]

And Brown Owls will be wearing brown-shirts no doubt..

[JimC]

And Brown Owls will be wearing brown-shirts no doubt..

Knucledusters at the ready!

Is it un-PC to mention Scouts rubbing 2 Girl Guides together to start a fire?

[Rum]

More than your woggle is worth!

[JimC]

My woggle needs polishing...

[Audley Strange]

What's the point, come the global international financial economic mega-collapse, they'll at best all be factory fertilised for fresh meat or something.

[Rum]

What's the point, come the global international financial economic mega-collapse, they'll at best all be factory fertilised for fresh meat or something.

You spending time at Scrumple's place?

[Audley Strange]

Well done Mr Holmes!

[Rum]

Actually not as obvious as you might think. He's been on my foe list for a couple of months. The pain is beginning to fade...

[rachelbean]

I'd feel just as uncomfortable with my kid having to vow to serve the Queen, as serve God.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

So, they still pledge to serve Freddy Mercury?

[Rum]

Americans seem to make pledges to the flag left right and centre. I doubt one has to to our Queen ever except on occasions such as this.

[rachelbean]

Americans seem to make pledges to the flag left right and centre. I doubt one has to to our Queen ever except on occasions such as this.

Not sure where you get that from. The only time I remember needing to was in elementary school and my mom told me I didn't have to since I was not comfortable pledging allegiance to a flag or country (I just put my hand on my heart and was quiet). So yeah, this has nothing to do with UK vs America (btw, if I have a child they would be a British citizen). I wouldn't be comfortable with my child pledging allegiance to any president, leader, or country, because I am not myself, even though I'll have to say the words one day to become a citizen (never had to in order to become a U.S. citizen since I was by birth).