Classic songs sung by Girl Guides are set to be cancelled after the movement confirmed they found lyrics could “have been hurtful to people.”
In the latest woke episode, the songs that have been sung for generations are facing the axe or having their lyrics changed.
The changes were confirmed by the Girl Guides in a post on their website, where they say the songs remain a “big part” of the tradition of the group, but suggests “there might need to be adaptations so everyone can join in.
One Brownie group amended the lyrics to the camp song Brownie Bells to drop all religious references – to the anger of a number of Christian groups.
The songs have been sung by the Girl Guides and Brownies for generations
David Parry
Their upset is over the fact that the Girl Guides original message was to encourage a belief in God.
The new version removes any reference to the Holy Spirit.
Originally, the lyrics to Brownie Bells were: “Oh Lord our God, Thy children call, Grant us thy peace, And bless us all. Good Night G.O.O.D.N.I.G.H.T.”
But the new version goes: “Time for the end, our meeting’s past, Brownies is great, time flies so fast, goodnight. I’m a Brownie, you’re a Brownie, Brownies all around the world. Goodnight Brownies everywhere.”
The songs have been sung by the Girl Guides and Brownies for generations
Yui Mok
The organisation has defended the changes, saying they are “inclusive of all religions.”
The decision has been criticised by The Christian Institute, with Ciarán Kelly telling the Daily Mail: “The Girl Guides and Scouts should remember that their founders, Robert Baden-Powell and his sister Agnes, were motivated by their faith.
“Erasing their past and our traditions do not promote greater inclusion, or diversity, quite the opposite. The many Christian members of the Girl Guides will certainly question how welcome they really are. I hope they reconsider this decision.”
In a now-removed post, one Guide leader said she stopped singing some of the songs “because of their colonial and racist histories.”
Girl Guides go woke as 'God' removed from camp song lyrics to be more 'inclusive' Doug PetersThe leader, named Emma, said: “We’ve stopped singing any songs that have a questionable history. Songs like Land Of The Silver Birch, written to imitate Native American culture but not respectful of their song culture, and Five Little Monkeys, which has a history in minstrel songs [and] which were sung wearing blackface.”
Reacting to the news, Toby Young, general secretary of the Free Speech Union, said: "No British institution, however revered, is safe from the 'woke' thought police. It was only a matter of time before they came for the Girl Guides.
“Funnily enough, this may turn out to be quite helpful to those of us trying to defend free speech. Censoring the lyrics of the Girl Guides’ songs is a step too far, like sanitising the works of Roald Dahl.”
A Girlguiding spokeswoman told the Daily Mail: “We are proud to be an inclusive organisation. Our ambition for diversity and inclusion is for Girlguiding to be a place where everyone is welcome and is free to be themselves – whoever they are and wherever they’re from.
“It’s important we consider elements of our heritage that may not illustrate our values and ethos of today, and how they may be excluding girls or volunteers from taking part fully or feeling truly welcome.”
