Boys' Uniformed Group: Activities--Religion

Figure 1.--.

Religion is not precisely an "activity" in boys' youth groups and perhaps needs to be treated as an entirely separate topic. For now we will address it here. Religion has been a part of boys' youth groups from the earliest days. The Boys' Brigade, the first uniformed boys' group, was organized at churches and propagation of the protestant Christain faith was the primary reason for the group. We are less sure about the Wandervogel in Germany. The Boy Scouts were initially organized as a program within the Boys' Brigade and also had a strong Christian component. It quickly developed a more secular program as it became an independent movement, but retained a Christain message. As Scouting expanded to other countries, the movement had to address the question of how to deal with the variety of Christain denominations and eventually entirely different religions. Some youth groups developed programs designed to weaken or destroy Christianity, such as the Hitler Youth. The Communist Young Pioneers attacked all religion and actively promoted athiesm.

Boy Scouts

The Boy Scouts were initially organized as a program within the Boys' Brigade and also had a strong Christian component. It quickly developed a more secular program as it became an independent movement, but retained a Christain message. As Scouting expanded to other countries, the movement had to address the question of how to deal with the variety of Christain denominations and eventually entirely different religions. Scouting as it has developed around the world has retained a religious component, but various national movements have addressed religion differently. Some as in Britain and America have sought to create one single national Scout movement in which at first all Christains and then eventually all religious groups were welcome. As many Scout troops are organized by local churches or other religious institutions, there is still an element of denominational separation. Other national Scout movements, especially Europdan Scouts, developed numerous associations often based on differing religious or approach to religion. Many families preferred a secular approach to Scouting. Often Catholics wanted a separate association. Today many Scout groups are entirely secular with a basic commitment to non-denominational moral values. American Scouts accept boys of all religions and promote "personal values based on religious concepts". In a controversial step, they have excluded boys exposing athiesm no matter how keen their interest in Scouting. The American Scout troops organized by churches and other religious institutions pursure a very active religious ptogram as expalined in a variety of fact sheets.

Boys' Brigade

Religion has been an part of boys' youth groups from the earliest days. The Boys' Brigade, the first uniformed boys' group, was organized as a Christian organization by Sir William Smith in Glasgow, Scotland in 1883 with the expressed purpose of instilling instilling discipline and providing religious instruction to the boys of his day. The Brigade since its foundation has been organized around churches and propagation of the protestant Christain faith was the primary reason for the group. The Boys' Brigade continues to be primarily focused on a boy's religious life, although they have adopted many secular activities like the Scouts. It also continues to promote protestant Christianity. As Brigade units are organized by individual churches, the boys in any given unit will primarily be of one denomination.

Hitler Youth

Some youth groups developed programs designed to weaken or destroy Christianity, such as the Hitler Youth. As most Germans were Christians, the NAZIs had to persue this goal with some circomspection rather than the overt athiesm of the Communist Young Pioneers. Concerning religion the NAZIS through the Hitler Youth persued activities with a two-fold purpose. The first was to help break the children's ties to what ever affiliation with organized religious groups they received from their parents as well as any religious training they had received. This may have been more intense with the Hitler Youth than the BDM. Hitler Youth activities were often sponsored on Sunday to conflict with church attendance. At Hitler Youth activities, especially summer camps, away from their parents, the campaign against religion may have even been more effective than in the NAZI-controlled schools. Hitler Youth Leader, Grupenführer Baldur Van Schirach composed catchy little marching ditties as, "We are the rollicking Hitler Youth; Wec have no need of Christain truth; no evil old priest these ties can sever; We're Hitler's children now and ever." The second was to sponsor a new pagan pseudo religious creed that would embrace NAZI values, especially volk culture, xeophobic nationalism, and racial hatred.

Wandervogel

We are less sure about the Wandervogel in Germany. We believe that it pursued a kind of amorphous back to nature theology. We are less sure about the movements orientation toward Christaianity.

Young Pioneers

The Communist Young Pioneers attacked all religion and actively promoted athiesm.