Girl Scouts under scrutiny from Catholic bishops

[brooklynite]

Source: Arizona Republic

NEW YORK -- 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.

At issue 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.

Earlier this year, 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. Last year, the Scouts angered some conservatives by accepting into a Colorado troop a 7-year-old transgender child who was born a boy but was being raised as a girl.

Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2012/05/10/20120510girl-scouts-under-scrutiny-from-catholic-bishops.html

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Is there anyone the Church isn't angry at now?

[hedgehog]

1. Well, here's the real problem right here:

"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."



Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2012/05/10/20120510girl-scouts-under-scrutiny-from-catholic-bishops.html#ixzz1uVMBl6dZ


From uppity girls come uppity women!

[freshwest]

7. You got it. Keep those uppity girls from becoming uppity women. Grow up, bishops!

[Bandit]

31. For "Christ's" sake, why does it take leadership to be in the kitchen, barefoot & pregnant?

The NERVE of those Scouts trying to teach leadership...

[Blue_Tires]

2. Holy Mother Church just keeps speeding along the road to irrelevance

rage against the dying of the light, bishops...

[CreekDog]

17. Yep.

The most confidently clueless I've seen it in my lifetime.

[LoisB]

3. These so called "holy" men are going to be so surprised when they find out they are NOT

going to "heaven" after all. May their souls all rot in hell. When are we going to get these "churches" out of our government? Why don't they go after the pedophiles in the Boy Scouts and their own pulpits. Which reminds me: Why are our government sessions opened by some minister with a prayer?????

[goclark]

33. Exactly!

I want to put an " AMEN" after hell...may their souls all rot in hell AMEN!

[Libertarian90]

36. Tradition

It is a tradition that has been practiced since the founding fathers. The same goes for our currency. I agree that church should be seperate from state, but removing it will lead to a lot of tension with the religious folks.

[freshwest]

4. Judging a secular organization by their values? Shoo, go away, child molestors!

[Moonwalk]

5. Well, there's a double entendre if I ever saw one...

I'm alarmed that they're after the Girls Scouts either way. Really, I think the Catholic Church should back away from making any attacks or criticisms of any children's organizations. It just reminds everyone of how they've handled children. Double entendre completely intended there.

[hedgehog]

8. I refrained from pointing that out!

[DinahMoeHum]

14. "There may be no peace for the wicked. . .

". . .but the "righteous"** manage to get a piece whenever they feel like it. . ."

- V for Vendetta (Alan Moore graphic novel, not the movie)

** (quotation marks mine)

[Sherman A1]

6. I believe the Girl Scouts

should launch an official inquiry into the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and the actions or lack of action in covering up child sexual abuse in their diocese. Wonder who would win the PR war on that one?

[Rozlee]

9. "Is there anyone the Church isn't angry at now?"

Hmm. Misogynists.

[wildeyed]

10. Just when I thought it would be impossible to dislike the Catholic leadership any more

than I already do, I do. Girl Scouts help girls to grow into strong women with independent minds, and we couldn't have that, could we? Keep 'em stupid and preggers, that's the ticket. As a parent, I would be way more nervous about the Catholic Bishops being around my kids than anything the Girl Scouts can dish up.

[liberal N proud]

11. Sure that's not the Boy Scouts?

[spiderpig]

12. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't rattle my brains

shaking my head over the latest stunt from religious/political hypocrites.

There are people out there starving, dying, being tortured - and these sanctimonious freaks get upset over THIS??

**goes back to shaking head in disbelief**

(oh, and I forgot to mention clergy molesting children and the hierarchy systematically covering it up. I have to go lie down now.)

[Vidar]

13. The Grand Inquistitor isn't very impressive with his pants down.

[tawadi]

15. Scrutiny from Catholic bishops?

They should begin with themselves if they feel the need to 'scrutinize.'

http://www.bishop-accountability.org/bishops/accused

[Angry Dragon]

16. I personally find many things of the Catholic church

very offensive

If the church does not like things in this country then they are free to move back to the Vatican
and the sooner the better

[HockeyMom]

18. Girl Scouts are not a Catholic, or even a Christian organization

When my daughter was a Girl Scout, a number of the girls in the troop were Jewish. I seriously doubt ANY of these girls parents would give a damn what the Bishops of the Catholic Church thought. In fact, when the school refused to let the girls meet there, the Jewish parents refused to meet in a church instead. They didn't want to see crosses, etc. They said this outright. Meetings were held in a parent's home instead.

Of course, we are a CHRISTIAN NATION, and recently, a CATHOLIC one at that.

[Libertarian90]

37. Doubt the catholics don't have their reasons.

The Catholic church should have no say over anything the girlscouts do. However, I believe that the parents of these girls who are Catholic are more concerned about their child being influenced or confused by the transgender child. Homosexuality is a natural attraction, but in some cases choice does have an impact for the "pretenders'. Whether that choice is made out of fear, peer-pressure, or downright rebeliousness is irrelevant. The religious folks just want their children to share in their beliefs without outside sources confusing them. At the same time however, the transgender child should have every opportunity to become a better leader and be entitled to the same chances for success. This is a very difficult and controversial issue.

[AngryOldDem]

41. See, here's what really pisses me off.

In reference to your last sentence.

They cry and whine that they are being persecuted, that they aren't being allowed religious freedom, and that they have to dance to the secular tune. But then, they make no bones about what THEY want to do -- make everybody conform to THEIR standards and THEIR ideals; in other words, they want this to be a CATHOLIC nation, not just a Christian one, so you are spot on.

(One more irony: Last week while watching TV I came across a show where two Catholics were having a discussion about Catholic education. One person was actually upset that schools don't get MORE money from the feds.)

When my daughter was in Scouts, there were a lot of Jewish kids in her troop, and her leader was Jewish as well. (We were Catholic at the time -- note past tense.) We became good friends with the leader and her child; my daughter was invited to take part in some ceremonies at temple, and we were both honored to be invited to the girl's bat mitzvah. It was very special, although I'm sure that would have made some bishops' heads spin.

The only good thing I can see coming from this nonsense is that the Church's mission to make itself totally irrelevant is continuing apace.

[Odin2005]

19. Angry old men cursing at the world.

[47of74]

20. Time to whip this out again

[spiderpig]

28. Thank you 47!

This is so much less messy than the brick to the forehead.

[goclark]

43. Love your banging board

: )

[Archae]

21. The Catholic "church" is headed for the sewer.

Good.

[jerseyjack]

23. Headed? Where the hell have you been?

They have been in the sewer for centuries.

[goclark]

44. The Catholic Church needs to look in the mirror

and start charging all the Priest that have harmed little Boys!

[TrogL]

22. Remind me to buy a whole shitload of Girl Scout cookies even if they do make my teeth hurt

Do they have real Girl Scouts in them?

[DeSwiss]

24. These ''religious'' people and their institution are an anachronism....

...an evil, pedophillac and deadly anachronism. They have nothing to do with Jesus -- one who preached about humility, about loving everyone as one's self. Of caring for all, including one's enemies. And of being non-judgmental, because in the end -- All Are One.

This is an institution that has been, and continues to be held together and empowered by weak, unthinking, uncaring and selfish people. People who continue to give them money without any consideration of the hatred and havoc they wrought upon the rest of humanity with such power and riches.

- They are a people who need to wake the fuck up and see what they are doing and the lives they destroy under this bastardized version of LOVE......

K&R

[Politicalboi]

25. How do the Catholic Pedophiles

Have ANY say in ANYTHING. STFU already you fucking perverts. And how ANYONE can still be a Catholic is amazing. To associate yourself with an organization that hides pedophiles and defends them is just amazing to me. They ONLY care about money. It's ALL they EVER cared about.

[happyslug]

26. Seems to be some sort of dispute within the Catholic Church on its relationship with the Girl Scouts

The only news article I could find on the US Conference of Bishops web site is this one, and while it points out some "concerns" with the Girl Scouts, overall it as pro-Girl Scouts:

http://www.catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/1201669.htm

The US Conference of Bishops "Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth" who sent the letter and is to do the investigation:

http://www.usccb.org/about/laity-marriage-family-life-and-youth/

From what I can find, I do NOT see anyone claiming they is EVIDENCE of Girl Scouts being Anti-Catholic, but some people in the Catholic Church are saying some of the things the Girl Scouts are doing violate Catholic Doctrine and for that reason all relationships with the Girl Scouts should be stopped. On the other hand that does NOT seem to the position of the Majority of Bishops, thus the Committee to told to "investigate" and get back with the Conference with its report. Anything more then that is pure speculation and we are better off waiting to see what the result of the investigation are, before we make to many stupid statements on this paper and its claims.

[PBass]

27. Guys, this is the issue right here:

(quote from original article)

"The Scouts, who have numerous parish-sponsored troops..."

While I agree with basically everything that was posted in this thread, the Catholic Church is poking their nose in because there are Girl Scout Troops who are using church facilities for their troop activities. I think it's fair for the Church to object if there are things the Girl Scouts say or do, which contradicts the Catholic Church. The solution would be simple, too... Girl Scout Troops should then stop using Church property for their meetings. Fair enough.

This is basically the Church drawing lines in the sand, and isolating themselves further. I guess that's life in the 21st century.

[lunatica]

29. Since grown women are harder to shame into servitude they're picking on girls now

[daaron]

30. I think Congress and the IRS should open an official inquiry in the CCB.

They have been far too active in politics. This is chaos - they are blatantly flouting established law!

TAX THEM. If they fight it, TAX THEM MORE.

[yellowcanine]

32. The real problem the bishops have is that girl scouts grow up and become women.

The bishops have a problem with women, not girl scouts.

[Maeve]

34. Why? Was picking on nuns too hard, had to go for an easier target? eom

[dropkickpa]

38. You never know, what if *gasp* a girl scout grew up to become a nun?

The american nuns would be more uppity than they already are. Ignoring the fact that it is often the sisterhood keeping catholicism alive in america (no nuns=not enough school teachers in their school, less professors in the colleges, less administrators/nurses/docs in their hospitals, etc). I give it 1 generation until the catholic church is on the steep decline to the relevance level of snake handlers, they do not have anything close to enough priests to remain viable. Most of the catholic churches in my area have had to send off for foreign priests when theirs get too old/die/molest children.

[AngryOldDem]

40. Yes.

Misogyny runs deep in that outfit.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

35. I think the bishop are creating a new generation of ...

"lapsed catholic" women.

Reap what you sow, bishops.

[AngryOldDem]

39. Why the fuck don't they muck out their own stables first?

Jesus Christ. First the crackdown on the nuns, and now -- going after kids. Are they feeling THAT emmasculated that they have to throw their weight around? To what new levels will they stoop to reassert their "authority"?

I seriously don't know where they get half the shit that they fling at the Girl Scouts, other than from their own fevered imaginations. I just wish they would all go off and live in their alternative universe and leave the rest of us the fuck alone.

They need to call that numbnuts legislator in Indiana to see how well an attack on the Girl Scouts will go over with the general public.

And let me guess -- the "Catholic broadcast network" is EWTN, whose mission is to take civilization back beyond the Dark Ages.

I swear, there are NO WORDS for the loathing I feel for the Roman Catholic Church. After decades of ignoring crimes that should have people in jail for fucking LIFE, they still have the balls to arbitrate faith and morals to the rest of us.

[goclark]

42. Go Girl Scouts!

[frankroberts]

45. I give these bishops a lot of credit...

most bishops 'scrutinize' the Boy Scouts.

[KakistocracyHater]

46. pedopriests shoulg stfu

vile repulsive sub-moral bottom feeders