Do You Think This is Fair?

I don't necessarily think it is fair whiteheather hen but it is something you have to do in the scouts here as well as boys brigade, girl guides and girls brigade! When Niall was in the Boys Brigade for years it used to upset me he had to swear allegiance to the Queen rather than his country and also that they had to sing God save the Queen! Can you tell I am not a Royalist at all? I don't wish them any harm I just think they were born into a powerful and very rich family by luck and they are no better than anyone else! xxx

Well, rules are rules. And life isn't fair. So I'd say if you don't want to take the oath as written for the Scouts, then don't join the scouts. I also find it hard to believe that an eight-year-old, on his own, would take a stand on the 1701 Act of Settlement. If he is that precocious he wouldn't fit in with others his age anyway. Sounds like his folks are the ones who are taking a stand and using their son to do it. I'm not sure I'd put my child through that. Just my two cents . . .

well I would think it would be just about the same as putting in " country which I live in now" And what in the world faith is the Queen I always thought they were Catholics lol thats all I know huh?

It seems so weird that they would have to swear allegiance to the Queen, when the queen is but a figure head, and has no real political power.

From the aspect of an outsider looking in, I would wonder why the would not let it be changed for this boy since it has been changed for others to eliminate the reference to both God and the Queen according to their wishes or beliefs.

Go non-British boy scout! You rock! lol... i agree with him... First thing, i think Queen Elizabeth had already passed away... it's year 2008 already... 2009 will be coming few months after... but i really am that boy scout's fan... Full of courage... *applause*

Speaking as a Scot who was raised as a Catholic yes I do think it's fair. He's a British subject and if he's a practising Catholic he also believes in God so there is no reason why the wording should be changed. The Queen is merely a figurehead, swearing allegiance to the Queen is exactly the same as swearing allegiance to Great Britain. Citing the 1701 Act of Settlement is absurd and if the Scouts were to change the wording for him they would be opening the door to all sorts of silliness and frivolity. As for the variations for non-British subjects I don't see anything wrong with that. There is little point in someone swearing allegiance to God if they're not a Christian, and as the Scouts are an international movement it seems logical that someone living outwith their own country would swear allegiance to the country they are living in at the time. I do feel sorry for the boy but not because he's been told he can't join the Cub Scouts on his terms. I'm sorry for him because he has parents who are prepared to use him as a pawn in this way. An 8 year old, even a super-smart 8 year old, is unlikely to have dreamt this stuff up on his own. And if he DID come up with this all by himself then I can only imagine the sort of sectarian rubbish he hears at home that produced that way of thinking!

Fair or not fair a person is expected to abide by the laws of the organization they are joining. There are many things that are unfair, but we tolerate them because that is the way it is. The Boy Scout Organization does not allow gay people to participate, is that fair, most would say no but still it is their rule. Is it really worth the aggravation and the forced repression just because of a few words. Sometimes people carry their principals a little to far and it becomes a case of cutting your nose off to spite your face. But as they say to each his own and may they be happy with it.

This is not far; i thought you had to swear to be a scout and be a good one. Not to the queen; then to not let the little boy join is wrong. They could have let him join an explained what the pledge to the queen was about. I would think it would he his choice to pledge to the queen and if he didn't he still could be a scout. I don't think that this is far to the little boy. I know that his feelings were hurt from that.

a non british subject does not have to swear allegiance to the Queen so a non british boy scout should be able to swear allegiance to God and my Country not to theQueen .so this is patently unfair to the catholic boy scout and I hope that they let him in.

i think one thing that should be borne in mind is "when in Rome,do as the Romans do" The great thing about it is that noone can change your perspective or resolve of who you are. Your trueself cannot be altered by a pledge to the queen. Do what you have to do as long as you do not hurt anyone and noone hurts you.