The Salvation Army - Naughty or Nice?

SFChronicle ^ | December 14th 2009

[Steelfish]

The Salvation Army - Naughty or Nice?

Phil Bronstein

December 14, 2009

The Salvation Army, the country's biggest charity, is taking it full on the chin from a social media network mobilized against the organization's position on homosexuality and other social sins. Twitter, Facebook and gay Web sites are lit up with protest and calls for donor boycotts.

The Army's official same-sex statement suggests it's unlikely those cheery volunteers ringing bells over red kettles will be donning gay apparel anytime soon.

While homosexuals are not "blameworthy," the statement says, "Scripture forbids sexual intimacy between members of the same sex." The Army is an unabashedly evangelical, religious entity, after all, and has also resisted domestic partner benefits for its employees.

Last month, there was another stink about the Army's Houston division demanding to see Social Security cards of needy parents before providing toys for their kids. Angry protesters claimed this was discrimination against cardless illegal immigrants.

Before we take the predictable San Francisco, to-the-barricades view on all this, let's consider the Catholic concept of "proportionalism." This means (roughly, my interpretation) that bad conduct can be acceptable if a much greater good is being accomplished.

[Blood of Tyrants]

Just for that, I’m dropping another twenty in the pot.

[sionnsar]

After weighing the moral dilemma, I'll be dropping some dough in that bucket myself.

Good for him. Next time for me a larger denomination bill.

[Blood of Tyrants]

"The first hand that reaches to pull you from the rubble of our next earthquake," Shea O'Neill wrote on the SFAppeal Web site last week, "will be the anti-gay hand of the Salvation Army."

If I were buried in rubble, I wouldn't care if the hand was Christian, atheist, gay, or straight.

[G Larry]

>http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/usn/www_usn_2.nsf<

Time for some major on-line donations!

[pfflier]

For checking the social security cards to prevent abuse by illegal aliens, I put them in my will. Seriously, the Salvation Army is my favorite charity.

The comment about the first helping hand after an earthquake being the Salvation Army is right on.

The Red Cross will drive up in their van, with the logo prominently displayed, and wait for the TV cameras to arrive.

[mcenedo]

Just for that, I’m dropping another twenty in the pot.

ditto

[balls]

The Salvation Army always comes through. They are the best!

[Smokin' Joe]

Yep.

[mcenedo]

obtw

It raises about $2 billion a year and spends an impressive 89 percent of that on services - food, shelter, foster care and HIV programs.

89% - like to see the stats on the "nicer" charities, like the United Way and any others.

[DirtyDawg]

I will definitely up my contribution

[tophat9000]

I always give to the Salvation Army because of the story's my mother told me of how they help her and her family when she was a child... glad to see the are standing fast

[tuckrdout]

Me too!

[tuckrdout]

They are. I am proud to say my mother and my grandmother both worked for them.

They give without asking for payment in return, unlike the red cross, which I use to work for........

[CaptainK]

According to my mother-in-law when her Dad served in WWI the Red Cross charged the soldiers for coffee and donuts. The Salvation army gave them away for free. So she only donates to the Army.

[Montanabound]

Like liberals ever give to the Salvation Army anyway.

[divine_moment_of_facts]

Like liberals ever give to the Salvation Army anyway.

Liberals think of no one but themselves.. They don't care about all the good the Salvation Army does.. They just care about their little gay agenda.

[balls]

Thank you and your mother and granmother.

[terycarl]

I’ll kick in 25.00 that they otherwise would not have recieved!!!

[Alex Kida]

I needed a reminder to give to my favorite and only charity.
I give to them every year.