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Austin Bishop and Planned Parenthood Battle for Girl Scouts

AUSTIN, July 13, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Bishop Gregory Aymond has warned Austin Catholics not to sign their children up for Planned Parenthood's "Nobody's Fool" program. Planned Parenthood had insinuated the sex-ed program designed for pre-pubescent children, into local Girl Scouts and a battle has ensued between the bishop and the abortionists. Cynthia Baylor of Temple pulled her 7 year-old daughter out of the Girl Scouts and complained to the bishop when the Texas Bluebonnet Girl Scout Council decided to run the program. She was joined by other outraged parents, one of whom is quoted saying, "We had to get their attention and take a stand. The Girl Scouts isn't a Christian organization and we weren't looking for Sunday school, but that kind of stuff crossed the line the other way."

The Girl Scouts have only said that they have no position on abortion and only include sex information "from an informative rather than advocacy point of view." Bishop Aymond, who has gone head to head with Planned Parenthood over the construction of an abortion facility, has written to the organization asking them to review their position. A statement he sent to Austin-area schools and pastors said, "Scouting troops associated with the diocesan entities will not support, encourage or in any way endorse the activities and programs of Planned Parenthood or any other organization espousing similar beliefs and practices. … Any scouting unit or troop not embracing the above directives shall not be permitted use of parish or school facilities … or indicate association with the Catholic Diocese of Austin. Whether or not we will be able to continue our association with Girl Scouts of America is still questionable."

The Girl Scouts have been worrying parents for years with their move toward an anti-family "value free" agenda which has allowed lesbians to serve as scout leaders and has reinterpreted the word "God" to mean any spiritual influence a girl chooses. The bishop said, "We have a Catholic scouting program nationally and it would be a shame to lose that link, but as Catholics we must stand for Catholic moral principles. I don't see this as a resolved issue."

National Catholic Register coverage:
http://www.ncregister.com/archive/May/0509lead2.htm

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