U.S. Bishops to Launch Official Inquiry Into the Girl Scouts Over Alleged Anti-Catholic Stances
- Posted on May 11, 2012 at 7:31am by
Billy Hallowell
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NEW YORK (The Blaze/AP) — Long a lightning rod for conservative criticism, the Girl Scouts of the USA are now facing their highest-level challenge yet: An official inquiry by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
This development isn’t surprising, considering the accusations waged against the group over the past few years. At the end of December, The Blaze exposed one of the organization’s books that refers young readers to Media Matters for America as one of the primary sources for debunking lies and deceit. Not long after, a teen Girl Scout recorded a video calling for a cookie boycott over the organization’s acceptance of a transgendered male.
But the tensions don’t end there. Earlier this year, St. Timothy Catholic Church in Chantilly, Virginia, decided to banish several Girl Scout troops from meeting both at the church and at St. Timothy School, an associated facility that educates children grades preschool through eight. Why, you ask? Because the organization is seen as operating outside of church teaching.
Also, over the past few months legislators in Indiana and Alaska publicly called the Scouts into question, and the organization was berated in a series aired by a Catholic broadcast network.
In this March 28, 2012 file photo, Girl Scouts of the USA CEO Anna Maria Chavez, foreground, stands with members of Girl Scout Troop 1774 (AP)
At issue in the most recent development — an official inquiry — are concerns about program materials that some Catholics find offensive, as well as assertions that the Scouts associate with other groups espousing stances that conflict with church teaching. The Scouts, who have numerous parish-sponsored troops, deny many of the claims and defend their alliances.
The inquiry coincides with the Scouts’ 100th anniversary celebrations and follows a chain of other controversies.
Some of the concerns raised by Catholic critics are recycled complaints that have been denied by the Girl Scouts’ head office repeatedly and categorically. It says it has no partnership with Planned Parenthood, and does not take positions on sexuality, birth control and abortion.
“It’s been hard to get the message out there as to what is true when distortions get repeated over and over,” said Gladys Padro-Soler, the Girl Scouts’ director of inclusive membership strategies.
In other instances, the scouts have modified materials that drew complaints – for example, dropping some references to playwright Josefina Lopez because one of her plays, “Simply Maria,” was viewed by critics as mocking the Catholic faith.
The new inquiry will be conducted by the bishops’ Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth. It will look into the Scouts’ “possible problematic relationships with other organizations” and various “problematic” program materials, according to a letter sent by the committee chairman, Bishop Kevin Rhoades of Fort Wayne, Ind., to his fellow bishops.
The bishops’ conference provided a copy of the letter to The Associated Press, but otherwise declined comment.
Girl Scout leaders hope the bishops’ apprehensions will be eased once they gather information. But there’s frustration within the iconic youth organization – known for its inclusiveness and cookie sales – that it has become such an ideological target, with the girls sometimes caught in the political crossfire.
“I know we’re a big part of the culture wars,” said the Girl Scouts’ spokeswoman, Michelle Tompkins. “People use our good name to advance their own agenda.”
“For us, there’s an overarching sadness to it,” Tompkins added. “We‘re just trying to further girls’ leadership.”
With the bishops now getting involved, the stakes are high. The Girl Scouts estimate that one-fourth of their 2.3 million youth members are Catholic, and any significant exodus would be a blow given that membership already is down from a peak of more than 3 million several decades ago.
The inquiry coincides with a broader effort by the bishops to analyze church ties with outside groups. Rhoades’ committee plans to consult with Girl Scouts leaders and with the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry, which has been liaising with the Scouts for two years about various complaints.
The federation’s executive director, Bob McCarty, praised the Girl Scouts for willingness to change some program content.
“I don’t think any of this material was intentionally mean-spirited,” McCarty said. “I think a lot of it was lack of attention.”
However, McCarty expressed doubt that the Girl Scouts’ most vehement critics would be satisfied regardless of what steps are taken.
The Most Reverend Kevin C. Rhoades is investigating the Girl Scouts (AP)
“It’s easier to step back and throw verbal bombs,” he said. “It takes a lot more energy to work for change.”
Mary Rice Hasson, a visiting fellow in Catholic studies at the Ethics and Public Policy Center, a conservative think tank in Washington, accuses McCarty of “whitewashing” Girl Scout programs and policies that struck some Catholics as counter to church teaching.
“They just repeated the Girl Scouts’ denials,” Hasson said. “Families’ concerns were minimized or ignored.”
Hasson is pleased that the bishops are launching their own inquiry but is skeptical that further rifts can be avoided.
“A collision course is probably a good description of where things are headed,” she said. “The leadership of the Girl Scouts is reflexively liberal. Their board is dominated by people whose views are antithetical to the teachings of the Catholic Church.”
One of the long-running concerns is the Girl Scouts’ membership in the 145-nation World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts.
The association, known as WAGGGS, is on record as saying girls and young women “need an environment where they can freely and openly discuss issues of sex and sexuality.” It also has called for increased access to condoms to protect against sexually transmitted diseases.
Some critics want the Girl Scouts of the USA to pull out of the world group; the scouts aren’t budging.
“Our world is becoming smaller and our young people need to have those opportunities to engage with their peers from around the world,” said the Girl Scouts’ CEO, Anna Maria Chavez. “But simply being a member does not mean that we will always take the same positions or endorse the same programs as WAGGGS.”
To the Girl Scouts, some of the attacks seem to be a form of guilt by association. Critics contend that Girl Scouts materials shouldn’t contain links to groups such as Doctors without Borders, the Sierra Club and Oxfam because they support family planning or emergency contraception.
One repeated complaint, revived in February by the Catholic broadcasting network EWTN, involves an International Planned Parenthood brochure made available to girls attending a Girl Scout workshop at a 2010 United Nations event. The brochure – “Healthy, Happy and Hot” – advised young people with HIV on how to safely lead active sex lives.
The Girl Scouts say they had had no advance knowledge of the brochure and played no role in distributing it.
Another complaint involved a Girl Scout blog suggesting that girls read an article about Chavez – who is Catholic – in Marie Claire magazine. Critics said the blog’s link led to a Marie Claire home page promoting, among other items, a sex advice article.
The Girl Scouts’ website addresses some of the recurring criticisms.
“Parents or guardians make all decisions regarding program participation that may be of a sensitive nature,” it says.
And although it’s a secular organization, the Girl Scouts embrace partnerships with religious groups. Scouts can earn a “My Promise, My Faith” pin for activities linked to their religious beliefs.
The Girl Scouts have been entangled in the culture wars as far back as the 1970s, when some conservatives became irked by the prominence of feminists such as Betty Friedan in the organization’s leadership.
In 1993, Christian conservatives were outraged when the Girl Scouts formalized a policy allowing girls to substitute another word for “God” – such as Allah or Buddha – in the Girl Scout promise that reads: “On my honor, I will try to serve God and my country.”
Among the disgruntled was Patti Garibay, a troop leader in Cincinnati who’d raised three daughters as Girl Scouts. In 1995, she founded the American Heritage Girls, which calls itself a “Christ-centered” alternative and now claims 19,000 members in 45 states. The Blaze profiled the group in January.
Garibay said many of the newest members are from Catholic families disenchanted with the Girl Scouts.
One uneasy Catholic parent is Jody Geenen of West Bend, Wis., a troop leader for the past 14 years as her three daughters – now 18, 14 and 12 – became Girl Scouts.
She complains about some program materials adopted by the Girl Scouts in recent years. One example she gave: a patch honoring Hispanic labor organizer Dolores Huerta, whose shortcomings – in the eyes of some Catholics – include a 2007 award from Planned Parenthood.
Geenen hopes the Scouts will change their ways. “I love the Girl Scouts,” she said. “But it can’t remain the way it is.”
American Heritage Girls signed a memorandum of mutual support in 2009 with the Boy Scouts of America, and some local units conduct joint activities. The Boy Scouts have no equivalent pact with the Girl Scouts, and the two organizations have, to an extent, become polarized ideologically.
Even in the face of criticism, the Boys Scouts stand by their policy of excluding atheists and barring gays from leadership roles. The Girl Scouts have no such policies.
“When you have a leadership brand like Girl Scouts, it’s natural that we would have some critics,” said Chavez. “We’re proud of our inclusive approach because that is what has always made this organization strong.”
Girl Scout controversies surfaced recently in two state legislatures.
In Indiana, Rep. Bob Morris wrote to his colleagues depicting the Girl Scouts as a radical group that promotes abortions and homosexuality. He later apologized for “reactionary and inflammatory” comments, but stood by his contention that the Scouts have links with Planned Parenthood.
In Alaska, Rep. Wes Keller – before deciding whether to support a resolution honoring the Girl Scouts – said he needed to investigate information “floating around the Internet” about the alleged Planned Parenthood link. Keller later said he was convinced the rumors were baseless; the resolution passed unanimously.
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Concerned Green Beret
Posted on May 12, 2012 at 11:30pmIt is about time. The Girl Scouts have long left the fold. They have been under progressive control for years. I stopped buying anything from them years ago once I found out what that garbage organization stands for. It really is too bad that the commies have taken over, but I just can’t support commie organizations!!!!
Report Post »sleeplessmedia
Posted on May 12, 2012 at 7:27pmKick back in your recliner and wipe the ketchup off your wife beater dude. The Pope is Christ’s bishop on earth, descendant from the apostles. Have you got a bible? Thank the catholic church whose monks laboriosly wrote it out by hand for centuries before the advent of the printing press so that you might read it today….
Report Post »coolerheads
Posted on May 12, 2012 at 4:13pmGirl Scouts was probably the greatest organization I was ever in. It gave me far more opportunities to help my community than I ever got from church. Cookies were always less important than volunteering in Old Folk’s homes, Animal Shelters, and Soup Kitchens.
Even though our troop leader was a staunch republican, she was also a single mom raising two daughters. She took in so many girls that had grown up in broken households, including one who had been beaten by her drunk father. Girl Scouts isn’t about “indoctrination” it’s about helping people, especially women.
Every Christmas, we held a party for single teen mothers in our area. I was surprised that these girls, who were barely older than I was had not only had sex, but had given birth. They were given a free present, and their children were invited to make Christmas ornaments and Christmas cards out of glitter and pipe cleaners. We also gave the teen mothers condoms, and gave them brochures about Planned Parenthood. (That’s right, our conservative troop leader felt that educating young women about their bodies was important for some reason) They thanked us, and said that this information would have been more helpful had they gotten it sooner. It‘s not that they didn’t love their children, they would just rather have had them when they were ready.
After the first Christmas party, the church we were throwing it in kicked us out, so we held the rest of the CHRISTMAS parties in the SYNAGOGUE.
Report Post »coolerheads
Posted on May 12, 2012 at 4:58pmOh, and we sent Easter baskets to the troops in Iraq, and raised money for the firefighters who got cancer from their heroics on September 11th.
But I guess it wasn’t ALL helping people. Our cookie sales contributed to our fun activities. Selling cookies, got us trips to Cave tours in PA, the DC zoo, Kayaking, rock climbing, camping, sleepovers in science museums, film festivals, planetariums, skiing, archery, horseback riding, and first aid. Because we were girls, we also learned to sew, knit, cook, bake, use pads and tampons (Something I’d have been mortified asking my mother about) fix a flat tire, read sign language, take care of babies, groom pets, and organizing fund raisers. In my senior year, we finally raised enough money to take us all on a trip to New York to see Mary Poppins on Broadway.
We learned about birth control awfully late. It was only after our Troop leader‘s daughter’s were diagnosed with PMDD. For years, they had the most painful menstrual cramps and dramatic mood swings. Finally, a doctor prescribed birth control. she was wary at first, but after she learned of it’s many health benefits for menstruating women, she got it for her daughters, and spoke to us about it’s uses.
Report Post »My Muslim friend’s parents took her out of the troop, because she also had terrible menstrual cramps, and wanted some relief, so she asked her parents about it. Her parents didn’t care that birth control did more than prevent pregnancy, it taught their Muslim daughter a
Rumrunner3
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 7:31pmYeah girls scouts have issues, but with the constant attack by the Goeverment, this is where you want to focus your energy, really. Whats next sticks in the spokes of wheel chiar people.
Report Post »The Third Archon
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 6:04pm“The association, known as WAGGGS, is on record as saying girls and young women “need an environment where they can freely and openly discuss issues of sex and sexuality.” It also has called for increased access to condoms to protect against sexually transmitted diseases.”
Report Post »What, you mean “common sense if you’re not Catholic (or any religion with the same stances on these issues)”?
The Third Archon
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 6:01pm“It says it has no partnership with Planned Parenthood, and does not take positions on sexuality, birth control and abortion.”
Report Post »Even though, were religion NOT distorting reason, their would be no controversy over the OBVIOUS benefits to public health of having such a partnership.
4xeverything
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 3:04pmFinally. Thanks Billy.
Report Post »dontbotherme
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 2:03pmI’m glad to hear this. I pulled my daughter out of girl scouts about 15 years ago (yes, it started that long ago). I quit my leadership role. They have the wrong standards for our little girls.
Report Post »hillbillyinny
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 1:47pmOh come on guys–back in the 1970′s SEVERAL DIOCESE AN ARCHDIOCESE broke “communion” with the Girl Scouts due to their position on homosexuality. At the time it was suggested (by the Bishops?), that there be a actual break with this group and the Blue Birds and an “older girl” group took their place as “faith related” girl groups in many areas, especially Pennsylvania!
How did Girl Scouts creep back into using Catholic Churches and schools? They have been well known since that time to push a VERY LIBERAL AGENDA, including birth control education, “sexual orientation” conversations, and allowing troup leaders and aides of any orientation to work with troops.
Please Bishops, take a stand and hold to it! Good religious leaders have a gentle firmness that guides the Church and its people to the Faith and the mind of God. Stop compromising and “forgetting”!
We’re with you, we’re praying for you and we support you!
Report Post »SaneAmerican
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 3:01pm” including birth control education, “sexual orientation” conversations, and allowing troup leaders and aides of any orientation to work with troops.”
What is wrong with any of these things? Daughters need to understand what birth control is, they need to understand that people have different sexual orientations, and interacting with people of different sexual orientations is part of the real world. These people exist and they are all around you. Why do you want your daughters to be ignorant?
Knowing WHAT birth control is is not the same thing of advocating its use. Knowing that people of different sexual orientations exist and recognizing them is not advocating adopting their lifestyle. Children are much smarter than you give them credit for.
Report Post »SSKmommy
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 4:25pmyeah. sane, but it should be up to the PARENTS to teach these things to their daughters at an age that they deem appropriate. It is not the job of the girl scouts. Scouting should be about crafts and camp-outs, not putting condoms on bananas.
Report Post »jfer12
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 10:27pmAmen!
Report Post »NHwinter
Posted on May 12, 2012 at 9:04amThe present Pope of the Catholic Church is trying to get his house in order. The church was inflitrated by communist (along with our government), read about Bella Dodd’s life on the internet. I’m glad to see the church taking a stand. Girl Scouts is not about sexual matters, that is the responsibility of parents, not the schools either. Enough of the PC and liberal‘s quest to invade every aspect of our children’s lives and ours.
Report Post »SaneAmerican
Posted on May 12, 2012 at 12:21pmGirl Scouts is about empowering girls to lead their own successful lives. You cannot be successful without knowing how to manage your own health. I don’t think they do this type of instruction to girls, but somebody made an accusation that the Girl Scouts support organizations that do this type of education. Any way that girls can get this information in a safe responsible way is a positive thing.
Report Post »drphil69
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 1:35pmThe New Girl Scouts – where birth control is free and lesbians are “developed!”
Report Post »mountainbiker
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 12:40pmI quit supporting the Girl Scouts when they started letting little boys in. Girl Scouts? Are you sure? I now will support the American Heritage Girls.
Report Post »Redhawke
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 2:04pmI stopped buying their factory built cookies because they allowed a boy in too.
Report Post »SaneAmerican
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 10:40amI think people have forgotten the national motto our Founding Fathers gave us, “E. Pluribus Unum”, “Out of many, one.” Many faiths, many peoples, many beliefs all make up One America. The Boy Scouts have a lot to learn from the Girl Scouts, as the Girl Scouts are holding up these core American ideals handed down to us by the people who founded this country.
The Girl Scouts are an excellent organization and they will continue to receive my support, despite what the haters say. There’s always somebody out there who wants to wreck a good thing. It’s really easy to support an organization that does so much good.
It certainly helps that their cookies are delicious too!
Report Post »jhaydeng
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 11:14amI think it is totally dependant on the troop or area! Here in the burbs of NYC we don’t see any extreme liberal philosophy being introduced in Girl Scouts! I guess if it were in SoHo or Boston maybe a liberal agenda would be introduced!
Report Post »SaneAmerican
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 12:02pmAs it is a volunteer organization, I think the troop leader volunteers have a lot of say at the local level. It’s a group of girls meeting to learn good things and do fun things.
The amount of conservative extremism over some girls getting smarter and having fun is a bit over the top.
Report Post »HonestGirlScouts_dot_com
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 1:23pmThe saddest part of the story is that the local troops, on the whole, do not participate in the pro-abortion promotion, but EVERY SINGLE MEMBER contributes to it financially by selling cookies, purchasing uniforms, books, and patches and asking for donations. Girl Scouts of the USA is a giant money funnel with million$ of brand licensing fees that go towards hosting events at the United Nations to lobby for explicit sex education in the name of Global Warming “sustainability”. See it for yourself by viewing the YouTube video “WAGGGS delegate advocates for Sexual and Reproductive Rights via Climate Change Agenda at CO16”. In this video, Julie Fink, delegate from World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) claims to represent 10 million girls (Girl Scouts of the USA making up the lion’s share of this representation and funding). She hopes all girls will talk about sex like child prostitutes in Zambia with access to contraception and abortion by “empowering” girls through non-formal education (Girl Scouts). Wake up, Girl Scout parents, this is your cookie money at work! It does not matter that your local leader is doing a good job, we Americans are all contributing to the early sexualization of children through WAGGGS by purchasing anything with a Girl Scout logo, including those over-priced cookies.
Report Post »SaneAmerican
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 3:15pm“Pro-abortion promotion”? I’ve never heard of, nor have I met anybody that is “pro-abortion”. I know people imagine them, but I am unaware of their existence.
“…towards hosting events at the United Nations to lobby for explicit sex education in the name of Global Warming “sustainability””
Sustainability is an important thing, especially with population control. I am uncertain about what you claim they are doing in regards to this, but no nation prospers unless it is able to manage it’s population in a sustainable fashion, and this involves female sexual education and birth control. When women are not empowered over their sexual health, you create unsustainable populations, like those in Africa.
The earth has a finite carrying capacity — the number of people that it can sustain at one time. We have technology to expand this, but ultimately if we are on a growth plan that exceeds that the only results are war, famine and climate disruption. If they are doing something to manage this, then good for them.
Report Post »cameramom
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 9:50amhttp://www.isna.net/Interfaith/pages/Our-Partners.aspx#Bishops
The Catholic church, highly infiltrated by communists, have a relationship with ISNA, the Islamic Society of North America, a known Muslim Brotherhood front group. They do interfaith deception in Catholic churches across the USA, bringing the Catholics to the brink of a split. Yet they rise up against the Girl Scouts? Abortion? I am totally against it!! I am also against the destruction of Western Civilization and deliberate attempts to allow Christians to become divided and conquered by Islamists.
841 The Church’s relationship with the Muslims. “The plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator, in the first place amongst whom are the Muslims; these profess to hold the faith of Abraham, and together with us they adore the one, merciful God, mankind’s judge on the last day.”330
Report Post »Wake up Catholic Bishops and stop sucking up to ISLAM, how quickly you forget, they HATE you.
encinom
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 10:35amThe Bishops need to shut up and leave these groups alone. The Bishops are driving away the flock with their embrace of the fringe right wing.
Report Post »Sh3LLz
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 10:35am“Christians” are divided all over the place…. Catholics dont believe what theyre taught, Baptists are split because every church teaches something different.. same with Protestants, and Pentecostals… Even the Mormons have break away sects and the Amish are cutting each others beards…. Ever see the fight on youtube of orthodox priests from two different sects of “Christianity” fighting in a church??? YOUTUBE IT…
“Christians” are completely divided across the globe. Youre a little late.
Report Post »hillbillyinny
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 2:03pmSometimes “cleaning house” comes a little late and a little misdirected, but in the end, hopefully the Church will realize AGAIN it’s true mission!
I was a Girl Scout in the 50‘s and 60’s straight through senior scouts and a leader afterwards. In those days Girl Scout teaching and involvement was EXTREMELY MORAL! But times and “orientations” (among other reasons) have changed, the it‘s not your mother’s or grandmother’s Girl Scouts!
The Church is not trying to stop the scouts, rather it is evaluating whether to be association with and/or provide support for (through meeting places and publicity). The Church can and will make that decision, and we will all be aware of why, when and how.
Pray for wisdom as the Church holds itself accountable, and realigns with the true teachings of Christ. “For all have sinned. . . “ and ”. . . but of such is the kingdom of God.”
“If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to stumble! Such things must come, but woe to the person through whom they come! (Matthew 18:6&7 NIV)
Report Post »Redhawke
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 2:09pm@encinom
It is not the Bishops that need to shut up. If the Girl Scouts do not want to abide the church’s doctrine, then they should find a new space to meet.
Report Post »deadend
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 9:10amMcCarthy was right Gonzo and they cruxified him. I would just see how well comrad rolls off your tung before Obummer send us to the Alaska gulogs. On the bright side at least they will be pristein because of the no drilling p[olicies
Report Post »Nemo13
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 9:04amPeople should start their own independant girl scouts. Why be a part of this large crappy organization? Stay local.
Report Post »BeeAlert
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 10:44amLooks like they have — it’s called American Heritage Girls!
Report Post »phillyatheist
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 8:57amso they don’t lift a finger over decades of molestation by their priests, but THIS gets them off their butts??? typical.
angelcat
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 9:48amThe Church has learned from its mistakes and is now becoming more pro- active. I can tell you that to even work with young people in my parish you have to take a class about abuse, go through a background check, and even then cannot be alone with the kids. The clergy are also not allowed to be alone with them. Our parish recently had a deacon dismissed just for taking several kids to the Church for counseling without another adult present – and he didn’t so much as touch them. The Church, like people, can learn from its mistakes. Past atrocities shouldn’t prevent it from taking action now to discover if the Girl Scouts are going against Church teachings.
Report Post »Sugabee
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 11:01amThank you, AngelCat!!!! Lord, I get SO TIRED of the constant attacks against the Church!! YES, she’s made mistakes in the past, but whatever happened to restitution and forgiveness????
Report Post »OklahomaBound
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 5:34pmphillyatheist
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 8:57am
so they don’t lift a finger over decades of molestation by their priests, but THIS gets them off their butts??? typical.
________________________________________________________________________________
Ah yes another anti-Christian leftist que*r blaming the church for the crimes of their fellow leftist. I guess you didn’t notice that all these molest@tions involved male priest with little boys. In other words they were que*r leftist who infiltrated the church in order to use a position of trust and authority to indulge in their own sexual deviancy just the way these same leftist have done in our so-called educational system. The real crime by the church was in not admitting that they did not do their due diligence in making sure leftist were not allowed into the priesthood and once they realized their mistake that they have not corrected this failing. Any time a leftist is given a position of authority, immoral and criminal acts are sure to follow.
Report Post »barber2
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 8:42amWonder when the Bishops will investigate some prominent Catholics in the Democrat Party who are “ quite comfortable ” and even “ compelled” to take stands against church teachings ? And these so-called Catholics do it quite vocally and noticeably from the bully pulpit of the American media ?
Report Post »angelcat
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 10:46amACtually, a few of them have been “talked to” by their bishops. Sebelius was told she could no longer receive the Eucharist by her bishop in Kansas. That being said, I wish they would speak out more forcefully in criticizing those “Catholics” (who are not really Catholic at all) and even publicly excommunicate them. The problem is that they are so reluctant to condemn anyone openly. In this case, it is the right thing to do and not hateful since these politicians are openly committing the sin of scandal – leading others to sin.
Report Post »HonestGirlScouts_dot_com
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 1:27pmScrutinizing Girl Scouts is a good start. There are many Catholic parishes that host Girl Scout meetings and allow cookie sales after Mass. GSUSA needs the Catholic Church more than Catholics need a sullied extracurricular organization.
Report Post »SaneAmerican
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 3:05pm“Honestgirlscouts”, from your username, I’m going to take a wild guess that you have an ax to grind with these people. There is no reason why the Girl Scouts should have a pro-Catholic stance, or a pro-Buddhist stance, or favor any particular religion as they are secular organization.
Churches have a long-standing arrangement with their communities of opening their doors as meeting places for a lot of groups, and if they don’t like a particular group, they can certainly say no. I’ve never known any of these organizations to “need” the Catholic church. They need a meeting space, and I’m sure if the Catholic Church bows out, some other organization will be happy to let them in.
Report Post »biffo
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 8:36amThe Girl Scouts today have been compromised. Time to walk away from these socialist ideologues. Good on the Catholic church for pushing back on all these Catholic haters. If you think that the radical feminists and homosexuals don’t have a foothold in the Girl Scouts, think again. Remember the younger parents are products of the radical public education regime and say ‘how high’ when the homosexual overlords say jump! I miss the cookies but time to stop the anti-Catholic tide. From our despicable president down to that not so nice pack leader. Planned Parenthood has their nose under the Girl Scout tent and the liars in charge will never tell the truth. It’s the socialist democratic way, after all.
Report Post »sawbuck
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 8:26amI can see two PC worlds about to collide…!
The Girl Scouts and their cookies.. Verses ..The Fruit and Nuts CLUB
angelcat
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 5:11pmThe Fruit and Nut club is the liberals. I don’t think the Girl Scouts could collide with them, but I wish they would.
Report Post »blanco5
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 8:23amThe more I learned about the girl scouts the faster I got my girls out of it!
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 8:05amCommunists have infiltrated every facet of American life. It’s going to take an iron will to root them out…if we even can anymore.
Report Post »GrumpyCat
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 7:53amSelling manufactured cookies door to door is the wrong message. No one should be surprised at the other wrong actions this group takes.
I want cookies the girls baked themselves. I want to buy from the girl who baked. Something they can take pride in. Mistakes and all.
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 8:10amYou vill buy vat ve tell you to buy, ja?
Report Post »SaneAmerican
Posted on May 11, 2012 at 11:56amEverything you buy is made by somebody, and sold by somebody else.
Why does it matter if they baked the cookies or sold the cookies? They are acting as entrepreneurs, not housewives. Their national cookie campaign makes far more money for their organization than a little bake sale might.
They can take pride in what they do, their entrepreneurial actions fund all of the activities and community work they do the rest of the year.
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