Salvation Army Responds to Criticism of New Domestic Partner Policy

Salvation Army USA | November 6, 2001 | John Jones

[DeaconBenjamin]

Dear Freeper:

Thank you for your response to the recent news reports, and for allowing The Salvation Army this opportunity to provide some explanation.

The Salvation Army has issued a policy which allows local units to retain certain government contracts where the contract requires extending access to health benefits to a legally domiciled partner of an employee. This relates only to these contracts and is not a general provision to all employees. After weighing this issue for sometime, The Salvation Army felt it should not sacrifice its service to the thousands of persons who receive assistance through this funding source in exchange for denying access to benefits to the very few employees who choose to exercise this option.

This is not an endorsement of the homosexual lifestyle, but rather a contract requirement that enables The Salvation Army to continue valuable programs and services to the many people already being served, As supported by scripture, The Salvation Army does not support the homosexual lifestyle, but we must still sensitively minister to them as creatures of God, as we do all people.

May I ask that you give prayerful consideration to this issue and for The Salvation Army. Please do not judge the Army on this one decision, whether perceived to be right or wrong. The Army has provided tremendous service and will continue to do so. We trust we will merit your continued support for the millions who seek our services each year.

Sincerely,

John R. Jones, Major Community Relations & Development Secretary

[joebuck]

WWJD?

[Egg]

As "General" Booth said, when asked about the wisdom of accepted tainted money, "I will wash it in the grateful tears of the widow, and present it a holy offering unto God."

  The money came from 'tainted sources', but Booth's organization was blameless. This decision changes that.

[goodieD]

My husband's family and ancestors have been officers in the Salvation Army since its inception. Many of them are quitting the church over this. You can redefine the meaning of the word "family" all you want, but you can't redefine the Bible in order to fill your coffers. You either believe or you don't.

[Gimlet]

This is why govt (i.e.OUR) money) for faith based organizations is WRONG.

[Mahone]

WWJD

WDJD is a better question.

[185JHP]

"Designating" United Way contributions doesn't work - all they do is reduce the amount that agency would get from undesignated contributions by the amount of your designated contribution - they're sneaky bustards (no offense to the FReeper with that name).

[manumission]

bump

[byTheirCreator]

This is not an endorsement of the homosexual lifestyle, but rather a contract requirement that enables The Salvation Army to continue valuable programs and services to the many people already being served, As supported by scripture

The "contract requirement" is costing you your position of serving people "As supported by scripture".
You may be feeding people, but the food is now tainted.

[byTheirCreator]

They are a great organization and just trying to do the right thing.

There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, the end thereof is death.

[BlueLancer]

I've been an extremely vocal and vociferous advocate in favor of the Salvation Army on FreeRepublic, encouraging all to donate to the Salvation Army as opposed to the Red Cross or United Way. It appears now that I may have been wrong.

I have copied and printed the first few paragraphs of the original article:

"The Salvation Army announced yesterday it would reverse its policy and offer domestic partners benefits to its workers, a move that will again allow the religious-based social service agency to compete for taxpayer money from San Francisco.
The Salvation Army severed ties with San Francisco city government in 1998 rather than comply with the city's landmark Equal Benefits Ordinance. The law requires city contractors to offer their employees with domestic partners -- gay or straight -- the same benefits as their married co-workers.
At the time, Salvation Army officials said the law conflicted with the organization's pro-family, Christian beliefs. Now, they say, the thinking is different. "I don't think there's been a theological shift," said Lt. Col. Bettie Love of the Salvation Army's Golden State Division. "I think there's been a new awareness of our world."
The new awareness hinges on an expanded definition of family. Before, the Salvation Army would allow workers to add only spouses and children to the benefits package. The new policy allows the benefits to be extended to any one adult in the household. That could be a domestic partner, a spouse, a roommate or another family member. "

I will be making multiple copies of this and it is one of those that I will be placing into each of the SA kettles that I will pass this year. I will not harass the ringers; it isn't their fault and they can't do anything about it. However, I agree with the earlier poster ... if many notes protesting this abandonment of principles are placed into the kettles, maybe the higher-ups will get the point.

Until then, I guess, I will donate locally to the church and the local Boy Scout troop.

[BlueLancer]

BTTT

[Brownie74]

Thanks for the ping!!

[Revelation 911]

, "I will donate locally to the church"

Nothing derogatory meant, and pardon me for asking - but which denomination ?

[Texas Yellow Rose]

	"I will donate locally to the church and the local Boy Scout troop." Me Too! SUPPORT BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA LOCALLY "Character Counts...Please Contribute Directly to the Scouts Today!!" CLICK ABOVE TO FIND YOUR AREA
Visit: Freeper Tips and Helps for posting photos, links and other HTML goodies. You can also bookmark the thread at:  http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/fr/562247/posts

[brityank]

... WE start a list of charity organizations who take NO money from government, AND who don't cave to homosexual's......I'll offer to keep it, if y'all will contribute names... -- goodnesswins

... if many notes protesting this abandonment of principles ...
... , I will donate locally to the church ... -- BlueLancer

Indianapolis Baptist Temple may well be the only member of that list, although it seems the shackels are not only reliant on the acceptance of the sheckels.

[k2blader]

Posted the San Fran Chronicle article on a local on-line message board as well. Thanks for helping get the word out.

If I may suggest a couple great optional charities:

The Jesus Film Project

Campus Crusade for Christ

[AppyPappy]

The Salvation Army does not support the homosexual lifestyle

This will be the next requirement. You cave on one and they all come down.

[rstevens]

Its not just San Francisco, its the 13 Western States. Soon pressure will be applied to the Eastern and Mid West Divisions, hence all of the SA. Just like the United way, it was left up to the districts, then they all fell in line.

Since the bell ringers are mostly, if not all, Christian volunteers I wonder if those volunteers will continue to ring the bells? I know I won't and further, I will no longer make any donations to them.

[Egg]

Since the bell ringers are mostly, if not all, Christian volunteers I wonder if those volunteers will continue to ring the bells?

  I heard a spokesman the other day (before the controversial press release) say that they hire temps to do the job when they don't get enough volunteers. Either way, they'll have their kettles ready this year. Pray that the S.A. changes their policy and takes a stand against homosexuality, or that they have a drastic decline in donations this year which make the dirty S.F. money pale in comparison.