Dear P-Marlowe,
"'When asked if he was a Christian, Clark said he was a Catholic'
"I guess that means no."
Perhaps that was the interpretation of the Salvation Army fellow speaking to the Catholic employee.
However, that likely isn't what the Catholic employee meant by his words.
If someone asked me whether I'm a Christian, I might answer with as short an answer as, "I'm a Catholic."
The long version (which I'd be intending fully with the short answer) would be, "Of course I'm a Christian, I'm a Catholic."
An even longer version might be, "Of course I'm a Christian, after all, I'm a Catholic, a member of the True Church of Christ, the Church with the fullness of faith of Jesus Christ, apart from which there is no salvation."
It's quite possible that the Salvation Army guy didn't pick up these meanings, and it would have been incumbent on the Catholic employee to make them clearer as the conversation went on.
However, I suspect that perhaps the Salvation Army fellow might have taken the answer, "I'm a Catholic," as a "No, I'm not a Christian," because the Salvation Army fellow's theology might exclude Catholicism as a legitimate expression of Christianity.
That all being said, I don't think that the Catholic employee's case should even be considered.
If the Salvation Army prefers to promote evangelical Protestants ahead of Catholics, I just don't have any problem with that whatsoever.
sitetest
There is a tacit implication there that perhaps you think that only Catholics are Christians or that everyone who claims to be a Catholic is therefore a Christian.
Is Nancy Pelosi a "Christian"? She is a Catholic in good standing, is she not? Is everyone who claims the title of "Catholic" a Christian?
A Christian is someone who follows the teachings of Christ. Do all Catholics follow the teachings of Christ? Are all Catholics saved?
Again, sitetest, you just failed the interview. Someone else will be getting the promotion.
Permit me, if I might, to shed a little light on some misconceptions that you and some others may have as to the position of the SA on the Catholic church. Those of us who are Salvationists, in other words members of the SA, have been asked by the General, the international leader, to pray for the success of Pope Benedict XVI. I find it rather strange to see the term "anti-Catholic bigot" used at the same time many of us are including him in our prayers. While I am not a theologian, I can assure you that Catholics are considered as brothers-in-Christ. The General went to Rome for the installation of the Pope, not to thumb his nose, but out of respect for him and your church. While our worship forms couldn't be more different, the substantive value issues for which we stand are quite similar, such as abortion, same-sex marriage, gay rights and pre-marital sex. In cities like New York and San Francisco the SA and the Catholic church have stood shoulder-to-shoulder in resisting the liberal agenda being forced upon people of faith. For those who can't see why a Catholic would want to work for the SA, you need to start with the Knights of Columbus. I understand they do a great job of volunteer bell-ringing for the Army at Christmas time