Troops in the Mosque (Not that kind!)

My Post (70)

Mention Girl Scouts around the U.S. this time of year and a healthy percentage of people will panic, “Is it too late to buy cookies?!?” (If you’re breathing just got rapid and shallow, do this: Go to girlscouts.org, drop in your zip code and relax. They’re still for sale near you!)

As much as I like their cookies, I want to talk about actual girls scouts this week. Particularly the fact that lots of Muslim girls are members of this most illustrious organization. I had no idea.

I read an article recently about Troop 647 in Plano, Texas. This all-Muslim troop numbers 100 scouts and meets in a mosque. After they recite the Girl Scout Promise, they together say the first chapter of the Quran, the Fatiha.

The article goes on to say, “These Scouts are part of the growing number of mosque-based troops sprouting across the nation. Although there are under 500 girls in all-Muslim troops in Northeast Texas, many more are among the 25,000 Scouts in integrated troops throughout the region’s 32 counties.”

And at a recent meeting, the all-Muslim group hosted a sister troop whose girls were working on their “Finding Common Ground” badges. Through conversation and activities, the girls gained understanding of each other and learned how to negotiate differences and compromise.

As you might guess, this has me thinking. Here are some questions that come to mind:

  1. If you want to meet Muslims and you qualify to join Girls Scouts (or have little munchkins who do), you might possibly find some friends there.
  2. Are all-Muslim girl scout troops a good idea? While I can see some advantages, it also raises some questions.
  3. Do we really want Muslim girls to “build their confidence, develop their sense of self and celebrate who they are?” If that happens, more of them are going to run for Congress! ?
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