P.R.A.Y. Publishing

Religious Emblems Presentation Script:
A Presentation by Unit Leaders to Boy Scouts and their Parents

Considerations for presenting the religious emblems to your unit:

Make the presentation at a meeting when parents will be present
Provide information on all religious emblems (do not assume that your youth members will be of the same faith)
Explain that the scouting program encourages “Duty to God”
Emphasize that young people will earn the religious emblem for their particular faith
Ask older Scouts who have earned their religious emblems to talk to your unit
Preview the requirements for the "Duty to God Promotion Patch" at www.praypub.org and decide whether you will pre-order these patches for your participants, both youth and adults.

Resources:

PowerPoint Presentation “Religious Emblems Presentation to Boy Scouts" - Available at www.praypub.org
Video “Promoting Duty to God (Religious Emblems)” No. 05-883 – Available from your council library; may be viewed on the P.R.A.Y. web site at www.praypub.org
Duty to God brochure (No. 5-879D) – Available from your local council (your council may order these brochures from BSA National Religious Relationships); also available in printable from at www.praypub.org
"Dear Parent" Handout - Available at www.praypub.org
Post the address to the P.R.A.Y. web site (for information on religious emblems): www.praypub.org
Square knot and “devices” for display (optional)
Display medals and sample booklets (optional)
“Resources for Promoting Duty to God” DVD – This DVD contains all the above resources (including the video) and is available for sale on the P.R.A.Y. web site at www.praypub.org

Religious Emblems Presentation Script:

Slide 1. Welcome your group: “Welcome to our presentation on religious emblems. We’re going to tell you all about religious emblems, but more importantly, we’re going to challenge you to earn the religious emblem of your faith.”

Slide 2. Introduce the connection between religious emblems and the Scouting program. Hold up the “Duty to God” brochure for everybody to see. Then say, “The title of this brochure is ‘Duty to God.’ What is it referring to? [Scouts should reply that it’s referring to the Scout Oath; also to the 12^th point of the Scout Law]

Slide 3. Ask Scouts to stand: “Will all Scouts please stand and join in the Scout Oath? 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. Continue by saying, “Duty to God is related to the 12^th point of the Scout Law: ‘A Scout is reverent toward God.’ How can you show your reverence to God? Allow Scouts to volunteer answers. Then explain: One way that Boy Scouts can show their reverence to God is to earn the religious emblem of their faith and to wear the emblem on their uniform. The video you are about to see will talk about the importance of the religious emblems.”

Slide 4. Show video, “Promoting Duty to God (Religious Emblems).” After watching the video continue by saying, “When you earn your religious emblem, the badge you wear indicates much more than achievement: it indicates who you are and what you believe. It shows your duty to God. I challenge all our Boy Scouts to earn their religious emblem. ”

Slide 5. Explain the universal religious square knot. “When you earn your religious emblem, you also earn the right to wear the universal religious square knot. This knot will always be on your uniform (it even carries up to the adult uniform).”

Slide 6. Explain that most religious emblems programs have more than one level. “If you have earned your religious emblem as a Cub Scout or Webelos Scout, and you have already received your religious square knot, it doesn’t mean that you are through. Most religious programs have more than one level. You can go on and earn another emblem as a Boy Scout. When you earn more than one religious emblem, you pin a special device in your square knot to show that you have earned your religious emblem at different levels.”

Slide 7. Explain that the Scout leader is not the instructor for the religious emblems. These are enhancement programs. Parents and guardians will decide whether or not their boy participates in these programs. “Your parents and religious leaders will help you earn your religious emblem. This is not a badge we earn together as a Troop. We are of different faiths and we belong to different congregations. Each Boy Scout will earn the emblem for his own faith. These emblems provide opportunities for you to get to know your clergy better and to be more involved with your congregation.”

Slide 8. Here’s how you get started on these programs: There are four basic steps:

Step 1: Youth members must obtain the specific booklet for their religion.

Use the “Duty to God” brochure to identify the program for your faith
Check with your council store or contact the religious organization directly.
Each participant needs his own booklet to document progress.
Some religions offer adult manuals for counselors and mentors.

Step 2: Parents must review the program guidelines.

Some programs require participants to be official “members” of the religious institution.
Age/grade requirements vary from program to program.
Each program sets its own guidelines as to who may serve as counselor. Some programs require clergy to serve as counselors; other programs allow parents or other family members to serve as counselors.

Step 3: Families should talk to their religious leaders and show them the booklet before beginning any program

Most programs require that they be completed under the auspices of that religious organization.
Many programs require the signature of the local religious leader.

Step 4: The youth member needs to complete the requirements, obtain the proper signatures, and follow the instructions to order the emblem.

These emblems are not available from your local council store (follow instructions in your booklet).
The emblem should be presented in a meaningful ceremony, preferably in the member’s religious institution.
The award can be presented at anytime of the year. Boy Scout Sunday/Sabbath in February is a perfect time to recognize recipients.

Slide 9. Distribute the Duty to God grid and/or the “Dear Parent” handout. “The Duty to God grid provides the name and address of where to obtain more information and/or to purchase the booklets. The “Dear Parent” handout is a short summary of how to get started on the programs. It also provides space for you to copy the contact information” (if copies of the grid are not provided). Please note that most of the Protestant, independent, and non-denominational churches use the God and Country program which is listed in the grid under “Protestant.” Have the Scouts find out what the emblem for their faith looks like. Be prepared for some not to know what religion or denomination they are or not to be active in a religious institution. Remind them that the religious emblems are optional programs.

Slide 10. Encourage the boys to talk to their parents and religious leaders about earning a religious emblem for their faith. Help the boys get started by setting a target date: “Let’s set our first goal together as a Troop. The important thing is to get started! I’d like everybody to talk to your parents and clergy about earning a religious emblem. Together decide whether or not you will earn your religious emblem, and if so, get the booklet and talk about setting up a schedule to earn it. Then at our next Troop meeting on _________ (date), I want to find out how many of you decided to earn your religious emblem. Even though this is a project that you will be doing with your family and clergy, I am interested in your progress and will encourage you to complete it.”

Slide 11. Explain the special Duty to God patch: “I have a special announcement about a Duty to God Promotion Patch. This patch is for youth or adults who 1) learn about religious emblems, and then 2) make a commitment to Duty to God. Because you are here today at this presentation, and are taking information about religious emblems to show your parents, you have fulfilled the first requirement for this patch. The second requirement is making a commitment. You may commit to earning your religious emblem, helping younger Scouts earn theirs, making a presentation on religious emblems to another unit, etc. How many Scouts want to make that commitment today? Please stand.

If you ordered patches to distribute to your Scouts, hand them out now: “Congratulations on making a commitment to do your Duty to God. Here is your Duty to God patch that shows you are committed to earning your religious emblem.”
If you plan on ordering patches for your Scouts, make an announcement: “Congratulations. You will be presented with a Duty to God patch on _______(date). This will be a good reminder to fulfill your Duty to God.”
If you want participants to order their own patches, distribute the order form and make the following announcement: “Congratulations. Every person standing is eligible to wear a Duty to God Promotion patch. Here is an order form so that you can purchase your own patch.”

Briefly describe the patch: “The Duty to God Promotion Patch is a four-segment puzzle patch. You can only earn one segment a year. Every year that you learn about the religious emblems or earn an emblem or help make a presentation about them, you can earn the next segment.”

Slide 12. Conclude your presentation: “By learning about religious emblems and making a commitment to Duty to God, you are living up to your Boy Scout Oath. Thank you for your attention. This concludes our presentation.”

13. Continue to encourage your Boy Scouts by setting goals and asking about their progress. Try to find activities for your Troop that will include all faiths. Can you plan a joint field trip or service project related to the religious emblems programs? Can you visit each other’s church, synagogue or temple? This would be a wonderful opportunity for the Scouts to experience pluralism.

14. Religious emblems are presented to the Scouts by clergy, usually in a worship service in the recipient’s congregation. Scout leaders should also plan to recognize the religious emblems recipients and present the square knot to them in a special ceremony in the Troop (i.e. Court of Honor).

15. If your Scouts are looking for a project for their Eagle Scout Award, make a suggestion that they consider a project related to the religious awards and/or their faith community.

Please duplicate.
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