All you need to know:
- The Catholic Bishops are once more acting like a Republican GOTV organization in an election year.
- The Catholic Bishops defend the boy-abusers but put their nuns (average age, 74) into receivership.
- Many Scout groups are organized in parish schools, which gives the Bishops some leverage.
The sad Catholic tale, from Yahoo News (my emphasis):
[T]he Girl Scouts of the USA are now facing their highest-level challenge yet: An official inquiry by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.I cut out Yahoo's church-justifying intro phrase; feel free to click and read it for yourself. But if you do, ask yourself if that phrase, coming first, doesn't lay down some ground cover for the Bishops. (How to read the press, folks; it's not that hard.)
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.
Note that organization — U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. This isn't all bishops, but a conservative-captured and highly influential "professional association" akin to the AMA. Capturing these organizations, then propagandizing through them, is how conservatives work. The phrase for this is "cadre coup".
The writer cycles through the Bishop's complaints — some new, some old, some non-existent (Girl Scouts have never partnered with the evil Planned Parenthood, for example). And the organization says it will modify some of its material to conform to the Catholic Bishop's narrow orthodoxy (though their phrasing is different, something about "easing apprehensions").
Still, that may not be enough:
"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."Did I say "may" not be enough? Make that "will" not be enough. These are take-no-prisoners conservatives, and there's blood in the air. The Girl Scouts have given an inch; bad move in my estimation. Again, these are guys who put their nuns (average age, 74) into receivership.
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.
Digby has more.
My solution is simple, by the way. Tax them. Then they can electioneer all they want without the free ride on my dime.
GP
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