Girl Scouts under scrutiny from Catholic bishops

[Rich_Olszewski]

Since the organization is present in the Catholic school system, any issues with GSUSA, by necessity, demand that the bishops investigate.

It is part of the teaching office of the Magisterium to insure that a Catholic education is just that, Catholic in nature and in action.

The Girl Scouts are not part of the educational curriculum in the Catholic schools. No girl is obliged to belong to the GSA, no girl earns credits for belonging to the Scouts.

 

[rlg94086]

Have you a daughter in the Girl Scouts? Is her troop promoting immorality? Have you any evidence that local councils are promoting immorality?

As was just said, “If the GSA is offending you then simply withdraw your daughter from the membership. It really is just that simple.” Amen.

I do have a daughter in Girl Scouts, and I haven’t seen anything immoral being promoted. However, that doesn’t mean I think the Bishops shouldn’t check out the reported immoral material. The passages from Simply Maria that Brendan posted are disturbing, for example.

I am not able to monitor my daughter’s Girl Scout experience 100%. No parent can. If she is going to be exposed to such trash, I would want to know about it. If they do find problematic teachings in the Girl Scouts, then I hope their report will lead to the GSA changing such things.

This doesn’t have to be a Church versus Girl Scouts battle royale. It’s simply an investigation to make sure our kids are not being put in harms way from a moral standpoint.

 

[Brendan]

The Girl Scouts are not part of the educational curriculum in the Catholic schools. No girl is obliged to belong to the GSA, no girl earns credits for belonging to the Scouts.

But if they use Catholic property for their meetings, the bishops should have an full understanding of what is being presented, right?

 

[Brendan]

As was just said, “If the GSA is offending you then simply withdraw your daughter from the membership. It really is just that simple.” Amen.

And the bishops should have no (name removed by moderator)ut at all? Even if Catholic property is being used?

Go back and read what I posted on the “Simply Maria” play. If blacks were portrayed in the way Catholic clergy and Sacraments were, would not the NAACP be correct in at least investigating the organization?

Or investigate who the people the GSUSA is holding up as role models for the girls in the Journey books. Would it not be appropriate to see how the teachings of these women compare to a Catholic understanding of the feminine genus?

After all, these books are being used or will be used in ALL the troops, Catholic or otherwise.

The topic at hand is not any personal decision on our part to participate in Girl Scouting, but the bishops use of their teaching authority to insure that anything presented in their schools (voluntary or not) does not contradict Catholic teaching.

Do you object to the bishops doing such?

 

[Tigg]

Have you a daughter in the Girl Scouts? Is her troop promoting immorality? Have you any evidence that local councils are promoting immorality?

As was just said, “If the GSA is offending you then simply withdraw your daughter from the membership. It really is just that simple.” Amen.

Yes, years ago, our daughter was in GS, but that was long before they promoted material antithetical to family and Christian values. How do you belong to a national organization, yet say you don’t believe in their ideals, principles and purposes? Makes no sense at all.

 

[Rich_Olszewski]

Yes, years ago, our daughter was in GS, but that was long before they promoted material antithetical to family and Christian values.

Nice sweeping generalization, that. You are saying that the GSA are now promoting material antithetical to family and Christian values. Nonsense. Go to a few meetings and talk to the leaders in your local council, especially those sponsored by Catholic parishes. See how much anti-Christian values they teach the girls there.

 

[rlg94086]

Yes, years ago, our daughter was in GS, but that was long before they promoted material antithetical to family and Christian values. How do you belong to a national organization, yet say you don’t believe in their ideals, principles and purposes? Makes no sense at all.

What makes no sense at all is a Catholic who opposes having the Bishops scrutinize an organization that Catholics participate in to determine whether Catholics should participate. The Bishops are doiing what they should do for the flocks they shepherd.

 

[Rich_Olszewski]

What makes no sense at all is a Catholic who opposes having the Bishops scrutinize an organization that Catholics participate in to determine whether Catholics should participate. The Bishops are doiing what they should do for the flocks they shepherd.

Right. Like the American Bar Association, the National Reading Association, and even the National Rifle Association. Not sure which bishops have scrutinized these or when it was done, and what their findings were.

 

[rlg94086]

Right. Like the American Bar Association, the National Reading Association, and even the National Rifle Association. Not sure which bishops have scrutinized these or when it was done, and what their findings were.

Okay. What does that have to do with an organization our girls receive a measure of their formation in?

Btw…the Church did determine that Catholics can’t join Masonic organizations. Are you opposed to them meddling there? Would you like to give a list to the Bishops of what they are allowed to scrutinize?

 

[Rich_Olszewski]

Okay. What does that have to do with an organization our girls receive a measure of their formation in?

THat’s not what you asked. Your statement was about “having the Bishops scrutinize an organization that Catholics participate in” Those three are organizations Catholics participate in. So, why not those?

 

[rlg94086]

THat’s not what you asked. Your statement was about “having the Bishops scrutinize an organization that Catholics participate in” Those three are organizations Catholics participate in. So, why not those?

If there are complaints about moral formation in those organizations, I suppose they would. There are questions and complaints about the Girl Scouts and what they teach our kids, so they are scrutinizing the organization. It makes perfect sense to most people. I’m not sure why you are having difficulty with it. What do you expect the Bishops to do? Stay out of it?

 

[pnewton]

Right. Like the American Bar Association, the National Reading Association, and even the National Rifle Association. Not sure which bishops have scrutinized these or when it was done, and what their findings were.

If there is evidence that these organizations are poisonous to the sheep, then they should evaluate them. I think most of the accusations are more guilt by association though, similar to being opposed to public libraries because they carry Nietzsche. But there may be more than meets the eye so I welcome their scrutiny.

 

[estesbob]

If there are complaints about moral formation in those organizations, I suppose they would. There are questions and complaints about the Girl Scouts and what they teach our kids, so they are scrutinizing the organization. It makes perfect sense to most people. I’m not sure why you are having difficulty with it. What do you expect the Bishops to do? Stay out of it?

Parishes don’t sponsor these organzations. They do sponsor Girl and Boyscout troops

 

[rlg94086]

Parishes don’t sponsor these organzations. They do sponsor Girl and Boyscout troops

No, but Catholics join those organizations. Catholics are not supposed to join masonic organizations, even though parishes don’t sponsor them.

 

[Brendan]

You are saying that the GSA are now promoting material antithetical to family and Christian values. Nonsense. :

Yes, the content of the Journey books, their promotion of pro-choice advocates as role models are certainly antiethical to Catholic teaching on family and morals.

Are you saying that the GSUSA is somehow NOT including the content I listed in their published materials, or is your claim that plays such as “Simply Maria” are in line with the Catholic understanding on marriage and the family.

Which one are you claiming?

 

[Brendan]

Here it is again, in case anyone has forgotten

forums.catholic-questions.org/showpost.php?p=9286698&postcount=43

forums.catholic-questions.org/showpost.php?p=9287023&postcount=63

 

[pnewton]

Here it is again, in case anyone has forgotten

forums.catholic-questions.org/showpost.php?p=9286698&postcount=43

forums.catholic-questions.org/showpost.php?p=9287023&postcount=63

I have not forgotten the arguments. I just believe that there are two sides to this story. For example, THE BOY SCOUTS PROMOTE THE KORAN, at least by this argument. They offer many religious awards, including, Bismallah for Islam, which, of course, uses the Koran.

usscouts.org/advance/cubscout/religious.asp#Islamic

 

[Brendan]

I have not forgotten the arguments. I just believe that there are two sides to this story. For example, THE BOY SCOUTS PROMOTE THE KORAN, at least by this argument. They offer many religious awards, including, Bismallah for Islam, which, of course, uses the Koran.

usscouts.org/advance/cubscout/religious.asp#Islamic

If you look at the website, it is informing a scout about awards that are provided by outside organizations

“The following faiths or denominations have religious awards for Tiger Cubs, Cub Scouts, and/or Webelos Scouts:”

The statement above would simply be a statement of fact, would it not.

Is the “Simply Maria” a statement of fact?

The website even goes futher by stating: “Such an emblem is not a Scouting award. It is conferred on a Scout by his religious leader.”

The Journey books are requirements for Girl Scout advancement. Can the same be said for Boy Scouting and the Koran?

 

[Brendan]

And Besides,

My post was a question to Rich. He made the statement

You are saying that the GSA are now promoting material antithetical to family and Christian values. Nonsense. :

If that was true, it would follow that either the GSUSA never promoted the Journey books that I posted the content from, or that what I posted was not “antithetical to family and Christian values”

I would like to hear which one of those two that he holds to.

 

[Tigg]

What makes no sense at all is a Catholic who opposes having the Bishops scrutinize an organization that Catholics participate in to determine whether Catholics should participate. The Bishops are doiing what they should do for the flocks they shepherd.

Agreed!