LHT: Girl Scouts Continue Plunge Into New Age Spirituality
Nov 26
Lighthouse Trails reports on new Girl Scouts. For decades, the organization has been an avenue for old feminists to teach young girls the ropes. Fifteen years ago, I received materials from a local Girl Scout leader who was concerned about the Planned Parenthood-style sex ed that was coming through the organization, and now, the feminism has predictably led to the teaching of aberrant spirituality. (Think goddess Sophia dolls—)
Chastain reports that “the highlight of the convention was the unveiling of the latest ‘Journeys’ program inspired by the Ashland Institute.” The program is created with the help of Brian Bacon of the Oxford Leadership Academy, a practitioner and teacher of the Brahma Kumaris Raja Yoga. “Girls are encouraged to make a Zen garden, use yoga and martial arts as a form of relaxation and use a Japanese tea ceremony to ‘clear the mind,’” says Chastain.
OK, girls, now draw that sacred circle. Here’s the black cauldron, here are the frogs and newt eyeballs. Your Wicca badges are waiting here on the table—
65 comments
HOW DARE THEY LEARN ABOUT OTHER CULTURES!!
Japanese tea ceremonies are cool, why shouldn't they be taught?
"goddess Sophia"
I read that as Sophitia from the Soul Edge/Calibur. Was about to say shes my goddess, ehehehe.
"OK, girls, now draw that sacred circle. Here’s the black cauldron, here are the frogs and newt eyeballs. Your Wicca badges are waiting here on the table
"
/sigh Thats not Wicca you twat.
“Girls are encouraged to make a Zen garden, use yoga and martial arts as a form of relaxation and use a Japanese tea ceremony to clear the mind,’” says Chastain.
I don't see the conflict here. The activities you listed are techniques for using the physical body to affect changes in the emotional state--preferably for the better. A person could just as easily pray to Jesus while holding a yoga posture as the person could meditate on the oneness of being.
I used to study a martial art back in high school. The most spiritual thing the teacher introduced to class was an exercise designed to focus the mind and clear it of potential distractions. Not only did this help with getting the moves right; it gave me a valuable tool that led to postiive results in the rest of my life.
Actually Brahmakumari is a hindu organisation.
1. No sacred circles in Yoga.
2. Most of Yoga is actually just calisthenics and stretching. It's good for your health.
3. Martial Arts Kick Ass... More women should learn them.
4. Meditation is basically introspection and is important to keep a clear and focused mind. Something you assholes seem to lack.
5. Wicca is just as retarded as your belief.
"Think goddess Sophia dolls
"
Something that Ingrid could never relate to - Sophia being representitive of Wisdom and all...
Scouting sounds a whole lot more fun than when I was involved *ahem*years ago. I would have loved to learn yoga and martial arts.
Do you know anything about Yoga? I go twice a week and love it. I find it more a philosphy than a religion. When the yogi mentions anything about connecting to the "divine", she always says "who/whatever that may be to you." They do not push anything down anyones throats, and I know there are Christians (who are very nice and I am quite friendly with them) in the class with me.
Please stop with your Hollywood depiction of Wicca/Witches. It's not reality.
I read that as Sophitia from the Soul Edge/Calibur. Was about to say shes my goddess, ehehehe.
Ah, Sophitia. The MILF of Namco.
Ingrid:Behold, a mighty triceratops!
Ingrid's mom: It's a cow, sweetheart.
Ingrid: Well, it could be triceratops.
*Change cow to yoga and triceratops to Wicca.
"OK, girls, now draw that sacred circle. Here’s the black cauldron, here are the frogs and newt eyeballs..."
Wouldn't that be chemistry or biology? Unless spell casting is being endorsed, don't give a hoot.
Ingrid you moron, there was NEVER anything this cool when I was in Girl Scouts (OK technically, I was only a Brownie)! We never learned martial arts, or yoga! And the tea ceremony, what's wrong with learning about something from another culture and why it's considered important? We didn't even learn about making fires, or knots, or even how to handle an ax, like the Boy Scouts did. This is why people like you fail at life!
The Goddess is not pleased with your stereotypical and unpleasant depiction of Witches, Ingrid. I'm not going to waste energy cursing you at this point, but you're really fucking pushing it.
@Elia: That's why I always wanted to be a Boy Scout. The sheer awesomeness of being able to fend for yourself in nature was more than enough to make up for the severe lack of cookie sales.
So, teaching them how to have control over their minds and bodies is a BAD thing? Considering your religion teaches NOTHING about that subject besides "OMG GUYS DONT SIN!" They're being taught to be introspective, take pride in themselves, and to pay attention to themselves! Oh god! They're teaching them to be materialistic and they're going to be the down fall of the country! I think this lesson is actually probably needed. And oh noes! They're learning about another culture!!! We must teach them to be only AMERICANS!! THEY'RE BEING UNPATRIOTIC TEACHING THIS JAP SHIT!
Right right, here's your tinfoil hat. I see its styled into a lovely beret today. And you totally FAIL on knowing what the fuck Wicca is doouchebag.
Also, WTF, we never got to do cool stuff like that when I was in the scouts! God damnit they always leave the cool shit for when you're too old to join. I did sell the most cookies in my troop tho.
Shit, where was that when I was in Girl Scouts... I had to sell cookies, learn to knit, make a campfire, etc.
The closest we got to "fundie new age" was learning origami to make cups and bowls in emergencies. I had to wait until highschool to learn about the cauldrons on my own... and don't diss newts! They are awesome little tank dwellers if you have the time to take care of them.
@ The L: Definitely. I was lucky enough to have parents who became Boy Scout Leaders. I got to go on camping trips with them and the boys, and hang out during the meetings. I wonder if the Girl Scouts now have badges for things like swimming, whittling, etc.
I can tell, Ingrid, that you've never been so much as a foot away from a book on Wicca that wasn't written by a Christian with an agenda. If ever you were, you'd be singing a different tune. Don't ever go to Salem - they love playing up the "witch town" angle, especially during Halloween.
There IS a good deal of spiritualist woo-woo claptrap in most Martial Arts and in Yoga -- but it pales in comparison to the amount of spiritualist woo-woo claptrap that comprises Christianity.
The main difference, of course, is that Martial Arts and Yoga practitioners don't try to have you executed for believing differently than they do.
Zen gardens are really kick-ass, and I take it Ingrid has never seen a Japanese tea ceremony? Thanks to her fundiness she's really missing out. Tea ceremonies are awesome.
I wish all this stuff had been happening when I was a Girl Scout. All we did were make little safety-pin things that we traded and sold cookies.
"OK, girls, now draw that sacred circle. Here’s the black cauldron, here are the frogs and newt eyeballs. Your Wicca badges are waiting here on the table
"
Meh, there's already a group out there for that: http://www.spiralscouts.org/
Besides, Wicca would be an "Emblem of Faith" (or whatever the Girl Scouts call them, that's the Boy Scout term for it), not a merit badge.
I'm in hysterics! This is great!
....You're....Serious?
...Uhm...Oh.
Honestly, girl scouts terrify me. Utterly terrify me. They's of teh debbil.
A Japanese tea ceremony is evil, but serving your husband dinner is good?
Yoga as relaxation is bad, but washing windows or ironing shirts as relaxation is good?
I think it's excellent for the young girls to learn how to protect themselves from unwanted pregnancies and STDs. They ARE going to have sex, no matter what the church is saying, better have them prepared for it, than so ignorant they'd be fooled into something by older boys.
(The same can, of course, be said about young boys and older girls.)
Confused?
So were we! You can find all of this, and more, on Fundies Say the Darndest Things!
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