Why I don’t give to the Salvation Army this year…
November 19, 2007 by MissPDX
It’s that time of year again. Bell ringers in front of every store. You can’t get past them without the little bell deafening you and feeling a little guilty when you don’t give anything. Most people will fish around for a little change in their pockets to donate it to charity. Me too. “God bless you.” is what I usually hear when I make a donation. I don’t pay much attention to this anymore. So why won’t I donate this year?
Well, I’ve learned a few things. For one, the Salvation Army discriminates against Homosexuals (rescinding same sex partner benefits after quotes from people like AFA president Donald E. Wildom:
“We are absolutely shocked that an evangelical Christian organization would grant health benefits to same-sex partners,” Wildmon said. “Homosexual relationships are not legitimate in God’s eyes, and treating them as if they are by extending the benefits traditionally reserved for married couples is troubling.”
The threat by the AFA (American Families Association) to shift their “financial support from the Salvation Army to ministries that uphold Biblical standards in defining the family.” made it actually very easy for the Salvation Army to rescind their benefits.
And then, have you ever wondered what happens to the money that you donate to the Salvation Army? Well, needless to say a lot of money goes into church services. Yes, they do offer help to homeless people for example… by giving them a place to sleep and food. But not just out of the goodness of their hearts. No, you have attend church services in return. So you better be a Christian, because otherwise you’ll be screwed.
Did you also know that the Salvation Army evicted hundreds of low income women in NYC to sell their buildings for $100.000.000 each? That’s one hundred million dollars!! Not that it was a great life for those women anyway. They were not allowed to have male visitors and were strictly supervised on that.
Of course you can’t just throw out tenants, so the Salvation Army has argued that they are a religious organization and can do whatever they want. Their reason for selling the buildings have been that they are too costly to maintain. This is actually surprising. The Salvation Army is hardly pressed for money. They have received a $1.5 billion bequest from the estate of Joan Kroc… (whose husband founded McDonald’s by the way)… obviously by far the largest donation to charity in American history! Add to that government funding (yes, YOUR tax dollars) and donations from people like you every year, and you get a nice little sum of money to do good (…uhm for those who deserve it… )
The Salvation Army has a history of trying to discriminate based on religion and sexual preferences. They do ask their employees not to do so by signing a statement every year. However they will not hesitate to fire you if they find out that you are not Christian or that you are a Homosexual. Quite a double standard, don’t you think?
As far as my yearly donations are concerned… there are many ways to handle this. Not all charities are religious. I contribute to my community with financial gifts as well as working as a volunteer. If I adopt a family at christmas it doesn’t have to be through the Salvation Army, although I will admit that their Adopt a family program is at least one of those that really does benefit the family (by providing food, clothes and presents at christmas). But then those needy families might just have to attend church services in return for the help….
I agree it’s necessary to do good. There is a lot of poverty on our planet. People who can’t help themselves need our help. So do your homework when it comes to making a donation, and choose wisely. Make sure that it’s not just 10% of your money that goes to the poor, but 90%. And by all means make sure they get this help without having to go to church or convert to Christianity or some such thing.
Thank you for your well-reasoned explanation for your decision not to support The Salvation Army with your donations this Christmas. It’s important for people to research well their philanthropy, and make sure their money is supporting the things that are important to them.
I do need to correct a few statements you’ve made, however.
Families and individuals needing assistance for food, clothing, housing, bills, etc., are NOT required to attend religious services. Though information and invitations to attend may be offered, there is no additional benefit offered for attending. (The only exceptions to this are residential drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs where the religious component is part of the discipline of the program.)
There is no requirement to be a Christian in order to work for The Salvation Army! There are many valuable employees around the country (and the world) who benefit The Salvation Army through their expertise and experience who are not Christian, do not attend religious services, and make no claims to adhere to The Salvation Army’s beliefs. (Again, the exception is in religious programs where of necessity Christian guidance is one of the components of that program.)
In reference to the gift to The Salvation Army from Joan Kroc, that money is not available for general operating expenses or even specific relief programs. The gift is very explicitly limited by legal bequest to build and operate “Kroc Centers” around the country, modeled after the original center built in San Diego, where many community services are offered with the intent of benefiting and enhancing the entire community.
It is extremely important, when making generalizations like yours, that they not be based on hearsay or isolated instances. Please, in the future, make sure you get all of the details right.
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Curtiss, thank you for your reply, which of course was expected and not surprising at all. You are correct that I was not aware of the Kroc centers. However I do know of people who have been fired for not being Christians. It’s not a generalization, it’s a fact. And no, I’m not going to hand out specific names, because these are people that need to be protected.
If it’s true that people who are being provided with a place to live, do not have to attend church services, then I really do wonder, what my credible resources are talking about.
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As for the discrimination against Homosexuals… you didn’t protest…
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If there were a hell, it’d be filled to the rafters with Christians….
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I appreciate this issue being aired in a reasonable manner.
I have a few comments, as well.
I do not work at a Kroc center. I work in the offices of The Salvation Army in Greater Columbus. My supervisor is Jewish. She has been promoted commensurate with her skills. There are many Christians here, but I have never felt pressured or even asked about my faith, aside from meetings being opened with a prayer.
Additionally, one of the reasons The Salvation Army is able to provide so many services with limited resources (we are considered the more effective and efficient charity in the U.S. by economist Peter Drucker) is because of the religious element. Most of our executive positions are occupied by ministers. They usually work as married couples and earn hardly anything. They give their lives to service and live in provided housing. This is why we have very little overhead. It would be impossible to separate the religious aspect of The Army from the services it provides without raising administrative costs greatly. I have also found from speaking with the people we help that receiving assistance is great, but receiving assistance along with a spark to change their lives is much more meaningful. I have heard several of our clients say that when they become more successful in life with the help of our programs, they want to become donors. They also state that the emotional support of the ministers is an important aspect in overcoming adversity and poverty. Some people do choose to attend free classes or receive food, clothing, rental assistance, etc. without attending services. There is no pressure.
We would never require anyone to be a Christian to receive services. The Army was founded on this principal. It says right in our mission statement that we meet human needs without discrimination.
As far as discriminating against employees, many MANY businesses and organizations do not offer domestic partner benefits. That does not mean they would fire someone for being gay. I spoke with many people before accepting this position and told them I would not take the job if a gay friend who gave me a recommendation would not be hired here. I was assured I would have been hired even if my sexual orientation were homosexual, and since working here, I have seen no evidence of discrimination.
Now it’s a different story when we are talking about hiring ministers. However you will find that The Salvation Army has a very nuanced official statement on homosexuality. It is much more enlightened than many other evangelical churches.
I will copy it here.
Finally, The Salvation Army does not hide the fact that it is a church. Salvation is right there in the name. If you disagree with donating to a church group, that is fine. We will miss your contribution. Just be aware that the construct of the church does allow us to do a lot more good with a dollar than most non-church non-profits are capable of doing. In general, we have a much higher rate of money going directly to services than most other large non-profits. (85 cents on a dollar here in Columbus.)
Official statement of The Salvation Army on:
homosexuality
The Salvation Army holds a positive view of human sexuality. Where a man and a woman love each other, sexual intimacy is understood as a gift of God to be enjoyed within the context of heterosexual marriage. However, in the Christian view, sexual intimacy is not essential to a healthy, full, and rich life. Apart from marriage, the scriptural standard is celibacy.
Sexual attraction to the same sex is a matter of profound complexity. Whatever the causes may be, attempts to deny its reality or to marginalize those of a same-sex orientation have not been helpful. The Salvation Army does not consider same-sex orientation blameworthy in itself. Homosexual conduct, like heterosexual conduct, requires individual responsibility and must be guided by the light of scriptural teaching.
Scripture forbids sexual intimacy between members of the same sex. The Salvation Army believes, therefore, that Christians whose sexual orientation is primarily or exclusively same-sex are called upon to embrace celibacy as a way of life. There is no scriptural support for same-sex unions as equal to, or as an alternative to, heterosexual marriage.
Likewise, there is no scriptural support for demeaning or mistreating anyone for reason of his or her sexual orientation. The Salvation Army opposes any such abuse.
In keeping with these convictions, the services of The Salvation Army are available to all who qualify, without regard to sexual orientation. The fellowship of Salvation Army worship is open to all sincere seekers of faith in Christ, and membership in The Salvation Army church body is open to all who confess Christ as Savior and who accept and abide by The Salvation Army’s doctrine and discipline.
Scriptures: Genesis 2:23-24; Leviticus 18:22; Mark 2:16-17; Romans 1:26-27; Romans 5:8; I Corinthians 6:9-11; I Corinthians 13; Galatians 6:1-2; I Thessalonians 4:1-8; I Thessalonians 5:14-15; I Timothy 1:15-16; Jude 7
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Quoting the Bible will hardly do the trick for me. The Bible is full of atrocities of the worst kind. Discrimination, hatred and bigotry jump at me on every single page of this book.
Of course you don’t feel discriminated against… you are not homosexual, right? You have been assured that you would have been hired if you were gay? Well, you can choose to believe that of course.
The words of the Salvation Army are nothing more than a bunch of BS wrapped up into cotton candy as to make us believe how very open minded they are.
I will agree with you that the church does help people… so do many other secular organizations. However it is hardly possible to compare a church organization with say atheist donations. Obviously the church as an organization will have quite different numbers than an individual or small group of atheists/secularists doing good. The Salvation Army exists all over the world, hence their great numbers and success.
The religious aspect makes it more successful? Well, I can see why. Promise Heaven… threaten with Hell… working with fear has always been a success.
Finally, I am quite aware of the fact that the Salvation Army does good things. And it’s great that they continue to do so. It’s just that their beliefs and practices have a very bitter after taste to me, so I choose to give somewhere else…
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@ Alice
That all sounds….. nice. But you know, you don’t need a fantasy personage to believe in order for human beings to do such nice things for each other. The very fact that they do it at all, proves that its possible.
Its not the nicey-nice things I hate about religionists. Its all that other crap. You know, the lying, the holier-than-thou attitude, the belief in the impossibilities of nature as proven by science, while at the same time taking advantage of that same science to meet its own ridiculous ends. Using the tools of the Devil, as it were.
Oh yeah, and the justification for murdering people. Now that’s not nice either.
So keep your religion and go ahead and dole out the help. And stay out of people’s business about who their bed-partners are. That’s in the bible too…….
As in: :Judge not lest ye be judged,” and “Let he who is without sin cast the first stone……”
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@Alice:
I would just like to state that in reply to Homosexuals not being fired, I would like to point out that it is completely legal for gays, lesbians, transgendered, bisexual, etc. people to be fired without any other reason. I am from Holland, MI and I have witnessed this lack of protection for those who identify as other than Heterosexual.
I know that saying that all Salvation Army locations will do so, or won’t do so, and I think it is wrong of you to generalize on that statement as well. You’ve not been to or worked at all of the Salvation Army HQ/stores- and neither have I. I do know that here, it has happened.
I agree with the main post, that I am not donating to you, I never have. I am an Atheist Lesbian, and I put my money where I know it will go to help, hire, and enjoy the company of any one from any background.
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Also, I agree with MissPDX about quoting the bible.
I have found in my experience that I could use the SAME passage from the bible to prove my point in the same ways that you used it to prove yours.
especially considering that bibles are all different, even if they are based on the same general idea.
I know in one version that i’ve seen, it clearly states in Leviticus that Insects have Four Legs.
The bible, no matter how good it’s intentions, are full of fallacy and contradiction.
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Lee, you might enjoy this article:
http://atheisthomeschool.blogspot.com/2007/11/talking-about-discrimination-and-other.html
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Uhm… post… not article
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I am a former employee of the Salvation Army worked there for many years !! If you only knew what happens to the money that you donate you’d definitely change your mind!!! What actual percentage do you think reaches those in need ??
I have seen with my own eyes the excesses the Army officers receive , the freedom with the money the are given and the abuses!!!
If and when you decide to say something the army is often quick to dismiss any claims you have against their own so you always have to be careful what you say !
I now know firsthand that being Christian definitely doesnt mean you have to be honest and good and the Salvation Army is no different !!
If only the public knew , so that when giving to charities you can make a informed decision !!
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I give to Heifer International throughout the year. I urge all to stop feeding the cesspool of Christmas shopping and give to the ones that NEED IT!
Your sons, daughters, and grandkids don’t need an ipod or a Wii.
Be a Human Secularist and help someone in need.
You’ll feel better about yourself and help restore faith in your fellow humans.
I started doing this a few years ago and NEVER regretted it.
Save yourself, free yourself!
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I’ve been homeless. Not really by choice, but I decided that I’d at least try to travel and hitch hike around the country. And all that I’ve ever gotten from SA is… lice.
Lice, and religious propaganda. I’d much rather dive into a dumpster for dinner, and sleep out of sight off the side of the interstate.
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I was homeless in Washington D.C. for several months due to countless bad choices. I attended many charities and I can’t speak for every SA but the one I went to in D.C after lunch and games we were told bible study and church was next. No one said “Would you like to join us?” What they did say is “Church is next.” Now obligated I went and suffered through what I believe is nonsense for a hot meal. Yes I was thankful but didn’t go back.
I did receive amazing help from the Catholic Charities. They had shelters, soup kitchens, places to get clothes, counseling, and medical. All of the buildings were on one small street except for the shelter. I cannot say enough good things about those people except their idea in god just seems silly to me. I never felt pushed or obligate to do anything except come back. These people really enjoyed helping others.
I didn’t see or hear of any atheist places to eat or sleep. Maybe we need some atheist charities.
Until we have one that makes a difference like the Catholics do I (CRINGE) support them and recommend them as worthy of your hard earned money.
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Wow, I had no idea that the world had become so bent on finding the fault in good things. I pity you for thinking the way you do. Maybe before you wrote an angry, biased article you should have done a little research.
News Flash: The Salvation Army is a CHURCH. “Heart to God, Hand to Man.” That’s their slogan! I find it hard to believe that you would sit down and write an article about how horrible it is that a regular church is collecting money. No you wouldn’t, because you would have understood that they really are just a church trying to do some good. That is what the Salvation Army is. They are a church doing what they can with what they have.
Secondly, The Salvation Army does by no means “fire you if they find out that you are not Christian or that you are a Homosexual.” If you want me to prove this as accurate, walk into any corps building, Kroc center, summer camp, or ARC owned by The Salvation Army. Look around a bit, and you’ll find out that a great number of the employees are not Christian.
I won’t describe to you every single inaccuracy you have written about (somewhere around 23), but I will repeat my request to you.
Next time you want to write or say something because you find someone doing something good for the world, look into it and find something truly unjust instead of just pouring out inaccuracies for people to be mislead by.
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Jessie Rock,
the angry person is you, not me. I did in fact do my research. I talked to people who have been fired by SA, I have several comments on here confirming what I wrote, and I stand by what I wrote.
As for anger… read my article again… critical and angry are not the same.
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I don’t give to the SA, either. It’s not just that it doesn’t offer domestic partnership benefits, it’s that it USED TO and then DECIDED NOT TO because of pressure from conservatives. I have absolutely no problem walking by their red buckets and telling anyone who asks why I don’t give a donation exactly why I choose not to (and it is surprising how many people have the nerve to ask!). My contributions go to Amnesty International or the WWF.
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Jessie Rock you are obviously a Salvationist therefore no wonder your so defensive. The article has many truths and is based on people who formerly worked for The Salvation Army. I am also one person who worked for this organization and will strongly agree with MissPDX that these issues are prevalent. As a Salvationist maybe its time you stopped and asked the employees and former officers who left the organization because of the corruption what there thoughts are I bet you would be so surprised there are many of us out there that know the SA not only does good but also does wrong . Like I said before I have seen the wrong doing of a many of officers & employees.
Just because your a christian organization doesnt make you exempt from doing wrong !!!!
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Hi, Although I support your choice to give your money elsewhere, I must say as someone who was a prison chaplain for 20 years that anytime I needed help for a victims family, or the family of an inmate, or someone about to be released all it took was one phone call to our local Salvation Army and they always came though for me with help, with no questions asked concerning religious faith or sexual preference.
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Sister Margaret, I’m convinced that almost all charities do good things. And I’m sure that the Salvation Army does too… and that not all of their “chapters” force their religious beliefs on you. The fact is however that the Salvation Army in general has a reputation doing just that, forcing their religious beliefs on those that need help, discrimination against gays etc. And therefore my support goes to a charity that I know will not only use my donation wisely but also is openly accepting of all people.
You will always find exceptions to the rule, wherever you go. There will always be the Boy Scout troops who won’t discriminate against you for not believing in a deity. But that still makes the Boy Scouts in general a religious group of people who choose to discriminate. You know?
Thank you for your comment.
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It’s sad how Christian organizations and Christians always preach toleration but then they are discriminative to homosexuals. Lets say homosexuality is a sin, so is lying. So Christians have no right to discriminate against anyone, but many do. The preaching of Jesus made plenty of sense and he never treated people differently, only his followers did.
And about that article in the link about atheistic homeschoolers, he has a few things messed up. When God created man and women they were sinless. They were Good. Man chose to sin and by personal choice chose to become not Good. Only through personal choice can you ever do anything wrong or bad. SO technically, God did create all things Good, he just gave them the choice of whether they wanted to stay Good or go bad. We all decided to stray once in a while.
I for one believe in God and in Jesus, but would not call my beliefs Christian because Christians have completely gone askew from Jesus’s teachings. And I also will not give to the salvation army.
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I’m not sure if I should speak my mind like the title is telling me too…
But lets start!
Your an idiot…
My parents are ministers of the Salvation Army, and I am always around seeing what happens around the place.
First off, the Salvation Army DOES NOT discriminate against homosexuals. When you come in to recieve food, or items we do not ask are you gay? It does not matter to us if your a homosexual.
The NYC buidling was sold since the Salvation Army ran out of funds. You think the 5 dollars a year you use to give to the kettles helped to run anything? Its NYC! the cost to run that bulding was in the multi millions. Lets see if you can do the math now…
Multi Millions – 5 dollars = Multi Millions
something just doesn’t add up right…
And now for the you have to be christan to work for the Salvation Army…
Most of the people I’ve seen work for the Salvation Army (not counting officers or are ministers, which its difficult to be a minister without being christan..) do not attend our church or any other church. Could it be that the people you know who got fired were just to stupid to be able to work and they just blamed it, saying the Salvation Army is racist? Or could it be that the 5 dollars you gave didn’t quite pay their salery.
Ok last part, if you get food or go to the shelter, you need to go to Sunday Church..
FALSE! most people who went to our shelter and go to our soup kitchen which runs 5 days a week, yes we can still get along without your 5 dollars, do not attend our church. Yes we may say “hey come to our Sunday church!” but we do not have a gun to force you to do it… why not try to advertise our church while you recieve our funds…
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Dear Josh,
I see no reason to read answers of people who insult me. Therefore you might as well not have written… I did not read it. The internet does seem to be an invitation to be rude, while being completely anonymous. But it also makes your opinion less credible. Work on your tone. Maybe then we’ll talk.
Have a nice day.
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Okay – I will answer you in part – without verbal attack – so will you listen to the other side with an open mind?
The Salvation Army has a two-fold program. One: Church. Two: Social Services. Whe the church was first founded by William Booth, he saw a need — people who were hurting — people who needed shelter, food. So what did this Christian man do when many non-christians walked by? He said – go and help them. His son who was the business guy basically said, father we don’t have the money to help. William said – just do it.
And from that point on since 1865, The Salvation Army has been – just doing it. There are people who need a hand-up…and The Salvation Army is there. With absolutely no strings attached. When an individual comes through a Salvation Army door, they are not asked – what is your race, what is your religion, what sexual preference are you. They are asked – how can we help you. Period!
The reason The Salvation Army does service to others is because of their love for God. This is why each Salvation Army unit has a minister (officer) who is in charge. He/she runs the spiritual end WITHOUT your dollars. Absolutely no dollars donated to The Salvation Army are placed in church services. Countless audits can prove this over and over again. Church services are funded through the tithes and offerings of those who attend. Period.
Your donation goes TOTALLY to help others.
I have seen first-hand the employment process of The Salvation Army. In all of the paperwork for employment, there is ABSOLUTELY NO question about sexual preference. In my many interviews with The Salvation Army, the question was NEVER asked. In the same way, there is ABSOULTELY NO question about religious preference or lack there of. And in the many interviews, there is ABSOLUTELY NO question about “are you a christian?”. The Salvation Army follows the same rules as the business down the street — no discrimination based on race, sex, religion, etc.
I would suggest you go and visit a local Salvation Army and see for yourself. Don’t make a judgment without first walking in their shoes. It is not an easy job – there are so many who are hurting, who are hungry, who are homeless — who need help. You could join The Salvation Army in these efforts just by volunteering. And yes, volunteers are not asked their sexual preference or religion either!
I would suggest you be open to the minister (officer) at your local Salvation Army unit. Tell them how you feel and ask them direct questions. Ask them for a tour. Ask them if you can volunteer so you can see first-hand how things work.
Having an open mind just may help to show you what I have seen for myself — The Salvation Army is just trying to do it. There’s a need and they us ANY AND ALL help to meet that need.
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Mae,
thank you for your reply. I do understand that you are passionate about the Salvation Army, and I will admit that their general motto to “just do” is admirable and a wonderful thing.
We need lots and lots of people who just do.
However I cannot and will not dismiss other first hand opinions I have heard. I guess it is generalization that needs to be avoided, and I can see how you, having experienced a different Salvation Army than those other people I talked to, feel that I have been mis-informed.
I guess, as with any organization there are the good and the bad within the Salvation Army. That is no offense to you or to anyone you know, it’s just an objective statement, as obviously have had very different experiences with this organization.
As for the “non-Christians simply walking by” in 1865… have you recently looked into what life was like for an atheist in those times? If you even dared to speak up about your non-belief you had to fear being haunted and in some cases even executed. I won’t even talk of belonging to different religions like Judaism. We all know what has been done to Jews for centuries. Non-Christians were not bad people, they were simply helping in their own small ways while finding ways to hide the fact that they didn’t believe in a superior being.
Having said all that, I appreciate your arguments, and I will try my best not to generalize about the Salvation Army.
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I would suggest a book about Salvation Army history in case you have not read it – In Darkest England and a Way Out. I will even go as far as offering to send you a copy of one I was given to read. Just email me if you are interested.
Please know I was not judging the “non-christians” of 1865: Because the “christians” were as bad! William Booth had a three-fold mission: Soup, Soap and Salvation. He was a minister. He wanted to preach the gospel, but he said you cannot do that when someone is homeless – or when someone is hungry. He said to meet their needs and then if they want to listen – talk about the gospel. William Booth and the early Salvation Army worked hard to follow that purpose, but he did not want to start a “new church”. He had all expectations of saving souls and sending them back to the main line churches. What happened? The majority didn’t want them because they were “sinners”. So that’s how The Salvation Army became a church to meet that need too.
I am 100% in agreement – if anyone has been directly discriminated by The Salvation Army – they should file suit. The Salvation Army is bound by the same laws as all other businesses/organizations.
But I would encourage people as you said – not to generalize. There is so many who need help — and The Salvation Army can’t do it alone
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anon reply on March 15th, 2009 1:51 am:
mae -
officers are often some of the most abused people within the army. (i know from firsthand experience). unfortunately, they are usually forced to sign agreements that they will not seek legal recourse if they should leave the work. (even if they have been fired for political reasons.) trust me, most officers and ex-employees cannot match the legal team of the SA.
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Name: John Doe
Date of Birth: 1/1/1970
Address: Corner of 22nd Street
Phone Number: (111) 325-4124
Religion: atheist
Sexual Preference: Gay
SORRY WE WON’T HELP YOU BECAUSE YOU DO NOT MEET OUR EXPECTATIONS
APPLICATION DENIED
Of coarse there are bad officers, but as a whole, the Salvation Army is near the top of the list of organizations that help people (above red cross
, I have stories about the red cross…)
But if you ever see an officer be racist to anyone based on anything, call up the closest headquarters, tell them what happened and the headquarters will do a full investagation of the racist officers. (I also have stories about things about this too)
But saying the Salvation as a whole is bad, which you did “The Salvation Army has a history of trying to discriminate based on religion and sexual preferences.” is a completly a false statement and you should do some research before you write these false accusations online
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Oh my, Josh, you do sound bitter. Go through my article again, if you will. I did do the research. I did talk to people who have had experiences first hand. You can choose not to believe me. This doesn’t change the fact that I actually spent many hours on the practices of the Salvation Army.
Also, if you’d care to go back to what I wrote to Mae, you’ll have your questions answered.
Now go take a chill pill.
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MissPDX,
I would like to respond to this article. It appears you have had a bad experience with The Salvation Army. I’m sorry to hear that. That being said 98 % of this article is false. Your research (if you did any) apparently came from some unreliable sources. The Salvation Army does not force you to go to their Church services if they help you. They help millions of people a year, and if that was the case The Salvation Army would be the Largest Denomination in the world. Secondly, The Salvation Army does not discriminate against race, or sexual orientation. What you are referring to is the fact that The Salvation Army does not insure other that live in the same household as the employee. Most homosexuals are not married and therefore their significant other does not get insured. It would be the same thing if I worked for the Salvation Army and my girlfriend was living with me. She would not be insured either. Next time you might want to do a little more resaerch before writing such things. The only way you will truly find out for yourself is to get involved with the Salvation Amry and see what they require and don’t. I am speaking from personal experience. I hope this helps!
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wow, I’m amazed at how people speak of the salvation Army!! I currently work at the Salvation Army, not just that but I am a member of the church and I must say that the Salvation Army helps people without expecting anything in return!! of course many of Us will take the opportunity to speak about God, as a matter of fact we welcome the needy with arms wide open to give them whatever they need!! We love everyone, because God loved us first:) and we give without expecting anything back!
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it’s a hoot to watch officers’ kids and current employees or corps members defend what is essentially a business, not a church.
while the army claims to be a church, how would ANYONE know that when you so rarely see them in the community, in popular culture… anywhere outside of the corps?? i haven’t seen an army officer in uniform anywhere in my city for years (and i know some of them personally) now – and there are four corps within the city limits! where are they!?
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The only reasons you have given us not to give to the Salvation Army is ;
One they are human and at times mess-up,
and two thy Are Christen and you do not like (or agree with Christen principles)!
Your point is clear that in order for you to donate to them you want them to deny the teaching of Jesus. If they do that then the Bible is clear that Christ will deny them! You want them to accept homosexuals for who they are (and they do) but you can’t accept Christians for who they are (SINERS).
Also do you not think that Christ will and has provided the Salvation Army much more then YOU can ever provide?
This organization has help mankind in may different ways that you cannot began to image and all you can point out is the fact that they are calling SIN what it is, but yet they still continue to love sinners (like me). You want them to deny the biblical teaching that say that the homosexual lifestyle is a sinful one. Because they can’t (They would not be able to call themselves the SALVATION Army) you do not support them. Well I hope they don’t let that stop them from helping those in needs. WHO EVER NEEDS IT! That could be you one day
With that all said you can keep your money…. I think there in better hands then yours!
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Anon,
I think you need to look up the biblical meaning of the word “Church”. You would find that the word means “a body of believers”. That is what the Salvation Army is!
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MISSPDX- I work for the Salvation Army- and I’m deeply sorry for the fact that friends of yours were fired for not being Christian. The Salvation Army is a man made organization that aims to serve God by serving others. Because it is man made we have our flaws and we make our big mistakes and I am sorry that you and people you know were hurt by that.
I am going to be entering the Salvation Army Officer School (Seminary) in the fall and I am fully aware of the problems when it comes to the apparent discrimination of homoesexuals. I am especially sensitive to this because my mother is a homosexual and I definitely pay close attention to these issues. I can say that I was very dissapointed in the SA’s response to Dr. Dobson and others. They crumbled when the pressure was put on and that was a shame. I must say that I do view marriage as something God ordains as something to take place between a man and a woman- and nothing else- however, I do see it as a necessity to offer things such as health benefits and what not to families no matter what their sexual orientation. The Army should have stood its ground! It really should have!
One last thing- If LIfe ever puts you in the pits- and knocks you down so low you don’t think you can get up- Its a promise that the Salvation Army will pick you up and help you get back on your feet again!
Steve
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