Abigail on Recreation

[GeoBQn]

Abigail talks about how hobbies are holy and make you pray better.

abigails-alcove.blogspot.ca/2012/10/our-need-for-holy-recreation.html

One of the things she wants to do is start a church choir. I imagine it will be like the experiences of one of my friends. She is Roman Catholic and joined her church choir. They had a lot of fun singing more modern arrangements. Then the old choir director left and a new one came in who thought the songs they were singing weren't "Catholic" enough, and they went back to singing dirge-like hymns. Now she's thinking of quitting.

Abigail also did something so normal, that I found it shocking--allowing her daughters to join Girl Scouts. Not American Heritage Girls or any other fundy version--actual Girl Scouts. Of course, she did it for completely whacked out reasons.

abigails-alcove.blogspot.ca/2012/10/joining-girl-scouts.html

[Witsec7]

Abigail is as crazy as Frankie. I'm wondering if the GS have updated their merit badges to include one that looks like a round BC pill case, or a nice somber one of the coat hanger with the red slash through it.

[desertvixen]

First, let me say as an adult Girl Scout and the mother of a Daisy - don't join GS to "missionize". The whole point of Girl Scouts is for us to help girls grow up to be strong, confident women who know what they're doing and aren't trapped in a little box of "proper femininity". That would probably be the meeting where I lost it, honestly.

Girl Scouts is 100 years old this year. Please say a prayer that it will be cleansed and renewed. Our holy Bishops started investigating Girl Scouts for alleged improper contacts to Planned Parenthood this May. (At first I was scandalized by this, but now I think it only makes sense that the Evil One would attack such a great mission from the inside). Twenty-five percent of all Girl Scouts Members are Roman Catholic. My girls and I will follow the Bishops' final recommendation. If they ask us to leave Girl Scouts, we'll obey. In the meantime, its an honor to pray for this group and an honor to have such an easy way to give love to so many precious girls in our community.

We don't need your prayers, and well, I already left the Church.

I realize there are better things to dislike Abigail for but this condescension to an organization I care about a lot is infuriating.

[Guest Anonymous]

Girl Scouts is 100 years old this year. Please say a prayer that it will be cleansed and renewed. Our holy Bishops started investigating Girl Scouts for alleged improper contacts to Planned Parenthood this May. (At first I was scandalized by this, but now I think it only makes sense that the Evil One would attack such a great mission from the inside). Twenty-five percent of all Girl Scouts Members are Roman Catholic. My girls and I will follow the Bishops' final recommendation. If they ask us to leave Girl Scouts, we'll obey. In the meantime, its an honor to pray for this group and an honor to have such an easy way to give love to so many precious girls in our community.

How is Planned Parenthood, a group giving girls and women some control over their bodies, an improper group for the Girl Scouts, started to empower girls, to associate with? Boy Scouts was started to distract boys from masturbation and other unbiblical things like thinking about girls, so I guess their homophobic stances and demands for being Christian line up with the organization. GS being involved with PP is in line too.

[mockingbird]

I'm learning how to be flexible inside God's Will rather than sticking to more comfortable black and white way of thinking like the Pharisees.

Sure, Abigail :roll:

I wonder if any Catholic entity is really "investigating" GS like she says? I don't have time to research that right now. I did GS all 12 years (with all three awards - Bronze, Silver, Gold!) and my mom was the leader - and our troop started in my small Catholic elementary school. I really have mixed feelings about GS mostly due to very bad local politics and disorganization that resulted in serious/unnecessary delays in allowing me to get my Gold Award. Of course, I realize this may not be the case elsewhere. I also do not appreciate that they keep trying to "revamp" their program. Part of what attracts many people to scouting is the tradition IMO and... GS barely even does badges anymore. I think there could be ways to update their program/keep it relevant without throwing away the heart of the program, the badges! The organization I graduated with looked nothing like the one I joined in first grade. I felt a little ripped off because I wanted that specific experience and did not get it. On the other hand, I appreciate all the good memories and positive experiences GS provided for me. Beyond my troop I got to travel with GS, get involved in organizational politics, and had my second job right out of high school as a camp counselor. I also appreciate their forward-thinking policies regarding including ALL girls and not being afraid to partner with organizations such as Planned Parenthood. I think their message/mission of empowering girls is admirable.

I find it really condescending that not only does she think she can prostelyse to these girls but that she is especially excited about this because they are all "poor" and sound just like her former clients :roll: (I shudder to think of her as a lawyer representing these people so it's probably better that she isn't one anymore. She used to be a lawyer right and gave it up to be a fake nun?)

[thekate]

I'm learning how to trust my heart above my head.

No kidding.

As for the "investigation," there's not even any proof of the alleged PP/GS connection. The Girl Scouts have denied it, but conservatives keep accusing them of it and then the bishops go on a witch hunt. The "results" aren't even in yet, FWIW.

[Koala]

You know what blew me away about that post? Abigail (of I have no money to feed my kids for the week), can't justify going out to have a coffee and read for an hour or so, but she can justify spending the damn grocery money on fencing lessons. I'm sorry, but if your kids next meal is reliant on the kindness of strangers and they have holes in their little shoes, it *might* be time for you to grow the fuck up, get a job, and quit w/ the spending money on shit you don't need *coughbatmantoyscoughfencing*. (rant over)

Also, who the hell put Miss Crazy Pants in charge of a group of girl scouts??????

[slickcat79]

Yeah, because a bunch of "holy" bishops are totally the best people to be investigating improper behavior :roll: Give me a freaking break.

[salsa]

She is right about one thing, though: there is a difference between "me time" and "recreation," although I don't see that taking a coffee break or splurging on a bar of chocolate now and then is such a bad thing.

But fencing???? Is there not a community center that has aerobics or ceramics classes for much cheaper? Is there a YMCA (maybe not; they are rural) to join, where all members of the family can enjoy various forms of recreation from the same facility - for the same amount of money as the fencing lessons cost?

[singsingsing]

It wouldn't surprise me if Abigail TOOK charge of a group of girl scouts. She's a control freak and she wants to meddle in everything. She has this idea that she's been called by God to go into places and 'fix' them. That's what's happening with her current church, and now apparently she wants to reform Girl Scouts. :roll:

[lilwriter85]

She is right about one thing, though: there is a difference between "me time" and "recreation," although I don't see that taking a coffee break or splurging on a bar of chocolate now and then is such a bad thing.

But fencing???? Is there not a community center that has aerobics or ceramics classes for much cheaper? Is there a YMCA (maybe not; they are rural) to join, where all members of the family can enjoy various forms of recreation from the same facility - for the same amount of money as the fencing lessons cost?

I agree with your post. I have thought that Abigail taking fencing lessons while having money problems is really dumb. I think her and her husband manage money poorly. They spent $20 on a toy after one of their children had a very minor injury. There are other cheaper at home alternatives for recreation that Abigail could do.

[pixydust]

Um, Abigail can't afford to feed her kids, but she complains that the other girls are from poor families? Should we read "poor" as "minority"?

[Arete]

"Our holy Bishops" :shock: . Hand to my heart, I have never met a single Roman Catholic who talks like that, and I know some who pray the Rosary every day. When this woman refers to religious leaders or the mother of Jesus I just want to hurl. Pity the troop that wound up with her kids.

[lilah]

Because when Abigail spends all her grocery money on fro-yo and toys it's a virtue to be poor because she's a Super Special Carmelite Catholic. Those other poor moms are probably evil baptists.

[mockingbird]

"Our holy Bishops" :shock: . Hand to my heart, I have never met a single Roman Catholic who talks like that, and I know some who pray the Rosary every day. When this woman refers to religious leaders or the mother of Jesus I just want to hurl. Pity the troop that wound up with her kids.

And she is their game leader. I bet they won't get to sing any fun camp songs :( My school banned "God Bless My Underwear" (blasphemous) and "Going to Kentucky" (about watching a "senorita" dance at a fair - too sexual) from being sung at our GS meetngs. I don't think she would stop with those two!

[pixydust]

Because when Abigail spends all her grocery money on fro-yo and toys it's a virtue to be poor because she's a Super Special Carmelite Catholic. Those other poor moms are probably evil baptists.

Oh, well that makes perfect sense! :roll:

[GeoBQn]

I imagine that Abigail has not yet discovered the GS policy that allows girls to substitute any word they want for "G-d" in the GS Promise.

[desertvixen]

This has been bothering me all day.

These Moms have so much on their plate, but they keep showing up for love of their girls. Sitting in the meetings, I overhear stories that are exactly like waiting room of my old Legal Services office. "My phone got shut off for a $400 bill, you can't call me until next pay day?" Or "My SSI check got tangled up, been going on 8 months now...."

Girl Scouts is where the needy girls are in my town.

And how exactly are you any better, Abigail? You blog about blowing money on frivolous stuff when you can't keep enough food in your house to feed your children. That's no different than someone who runs up a phone bill.

Oh let me guess, it's because you're white and not a welfare mom. Fuck off.

Yes, there is actually an investigation: ewtnnews.com/catholic-news/US.php?id=5433#.T6_s02Zl4nE.facebook

For those who don't want to go to Crazy Catholic News:

Celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, Girl Scouts of the USA is continuing to fall under scrutiny for its alleged connections to groups that promote abortion, contraception and homosexuality.

Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades of Fort Wayne-South Bend, chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth, said that the bishops are looking into concerns about the Girl Scouts organization.

In March, Bishop Rhoades penned a letter to his fellow bishops explaining that the committee recently met and discussed “a variety of the concerns†that have been voiced about Girl Scouts of the USA over several years, including “possible problematic relationships with other organizations†and “problematic programmatic materials and resources.â€

In recent years, the Girl Scouts have met with increased allegations of acting against traditional values.

In 2010, two teenage girls who had spent eight years in Girl Scouts left the organization and created Speak Now: Girl Scouts, a website dedicated to raising awareness about the problems they discovered within the organization.

The two young teens – Tess and Sydney – said that it had become “increasingly apparent†that the Girl Scouts organization had values that were incompatible with their own.

“Leaving Girl Scouts was not a casual, easy, or convenient decision,†they said. However, in the end, they decided that they needed to “stand for our beliefs, for the dignity of life, the sanctity of marriage, modesty, purity.â€

Concerns over ties to Planned Parenthood also led 10-year-old Grace Swanke to leave her Girl Scout troop and start selling her own cookies, which she calls “Cookies for Life.†She donates the proceeds from her sales to pro-life groups.

Two years ago, concerns were raised over reports that a sexually explicit Planned Parenthood brochure had been distributed at an international Girl Scouts meeting.

In January 2012, a Colorado troop attracted criticism for allowing a 7-year-old transgender child to join, despite the fact that he was not a girl.

Objections have also been voiced to the Girl Scouts’ relationships with the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, an organization that promotes abortion, contraception and homosexuality around the globe.

Representatives of the Girl Scouts denied having knowledge of the Planned Parenthood brochures at the conference and have said that the organization does not take a stand on abortion or birth control.

However, controversy over the organization continues and has drawn the attention of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Voicing gratitude for the work that Catholic Girl Scout troops have done to serve girls and the wider community for many years, Bishop Rhoades also recognized in his recent letter that some important questions remain unanswered on both the local and national levels.

He reiterated his intent “to keep the bishops apprised of the Committee’s ongoing consideration of this matter.â€

Bishop Rhoades said that the committee hopes to offer resources for “local level use†by bishops, priests, youth ministers and educational leaders.

These resources “may include considerations related to the identity of Catholic troops and considerations that may be helpful for parents,†he explained.

Furthermore, he said, the committee has recommended having staff from the bishops’ conference work with the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry to identify and address and remaining questions or concerns that remain at the local level.

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops declined to comment on the matter with the Girl Scouts because it is ongoing.

However, the controversy has led some families to pull their daughters out of Girl Scouts and turn instead to other organizations that offer some of the same activities for young girls, but with a Christian approach.

American Heritage Girls, a Judeo-Christian focused girls organization, was founded in 1995 in Ohio by a group of parents seeking “a wholesome program for their daughters†to contrast the secular options available.

The organization has grown to more than 19,000 members in 45 states.

Recent years have also brought significant growth for the Little Flowers Girls' Club, a Catholic program for girls aimed at promoting virtue by exploring saints, Scripture and the Catechism.

Started in 1993 by a Catholic mom of 11, Little Flowers now has some 50 registered groups throughout the U.S. and Canada, although registration is optional, as the groups are run at the local level.

The group says that it “strives to bring the Catholic faith alive and inspire the girls to become authentic Catholic women.â€

[GeoBQn]

American Heritage Girls, a Judeo-Christian focused girls organization, was founded in 1995 in Ohio by a group of parents seeking “a wholesome program for their daughters†to contrast the secular options available.

No Jewish girl would ever be allowed in the American Heritage Girls. I hear by declare a restraining order against fundies from using the term "Judeo-Christian." Henceforth, there shall be a 500ft separation between "Judeo" and "Christian."

[rock_girl]

You know, I've always thought that declaring something Judeo-Christian (a country, it's education system, heritage, courts, etc), that fundies are basically saying 'well, we'll pick the worst parts of the old and the new testament to follow and try to make law, which is inclusive because those funny people who don't eat pork read the old testament, don't they?'.

Maybe they think it complements the whole loving Israel but wanting to convert some of its citizens and see the rest perish in a ball of holy fire thing.

[FaustianSlip]

In my experience, "Judeo-Christian" is just code for "fundamentalist Christian, but we're throwing 'Judeo-' in there to appease you Jews, because we support Israel and all of that, so stop your bitching about how we've infused everything with Jesus! It says 'Judeo-' right in the name! It can't be discriminatory!"

Also, this woman with the blog is nuts.

[kb2]

It's weird that the Bishops are "looking into" the Girl Scouts. It's like they're so used to being surrounded by people who see them as leaders they have no concept of people not giving a s**t what they think about something. Or maybe taking the Girl Scouts away from the minority of Catholics who would listen to them makes them happy enough.

[FaustianSlip]

I actually agree with whoever said on the previous page that the real problem with Girl Scouts is that they're completely reinventing themselves all the time. Her experience with Girl Scouts was similar to mine- I started in Brownies and stayed in until I was a Senior, but toward the end, I felt very disconnected from the program because there was already beginning to be less and less emphasis on camping, outdoor skills, badges and things of that nature, which were what I wanted, and more emphasis on cookie sales and other such things. My mother was our troop leader, and our troop didn't go as far in that direction as some others may have, but I look at the GSA website now and barely recognize the program in which I participated as a kid. I think they still do great things for girls, but the emphasis has definitely changed.

Someone posted about the Baden-Powell Service Association/traditional scouting recently, and I really liked what I saw when I looked over their website. I hope that they see great success and really take root, because I think they're offering something much more comparable to what BSA does, minus all of the hang-ups about God and sexuality. If I were in the U.S. now, I would try and find a troop to volunteer as a leader or something, because I think this is a great step in the right direction.

[desertvixen]

I can't speak too much to the changes, since my daughter's only a Daisy and that's one level I never did. The Daisies have the petals, but not really badges.

I was a little shocked at getting away from uniforms, but apparently they aren't cool anymore (except for the Brownies)?

Our troop seems pretty active - they did a summer camping deal, they're doing Make A Difference Day today, food drive stuff, field trips - but it's also a multi-level troop, which changes things a little. We also haven't had an awards ceremony yet, so I haven't seen if the older girls are being awarded badges. I'm waiting until cookie season to make a final judgment.

[JMarie]

She is right about one thing, though: there is a difference between "me time" and "recreation," although I don't see that taking a coffee break or splurging on a bar of chocolate now and then is such a bad thing.

But fencing???? Is there not a community center that has aerobics or ceramics classes for much cheaper? Is there a YMCA (maybe not; they are rural) to join, where all members of the family can enjoy various forms of recreation from the same facility - for the same amount of money as the fencing lessons cost?

What's that line from Legally Blonde? Endorphins make you happy. Looks like Abigail's discovered endorphins. Caffeine probably wasn't helping her already-frazzled state.