The Salvation Army is one of the largest charitable organizations in the world. It is an evangelical part of the universal Christian Church whose message is based on the bible. They are known for their many thrift stores and their red kettle drive during the Christmas season, amongst other various charitable works. However, the Salvation Army has been the topic of controversy surrounding alleged discrimination against gays.
On their US website, the Salvation Army states, "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."
While the Salvation Army states that they do not discriminate based on sexual orientation and oppose the abuse of people based on their sexual orientation, they strongly oppose same-sex marriages and relationship. The international Salvation Army website states that scripture opposes homosexual practices by direct comments and by clearly implied disapproval, and that the bible treats such practices as abnormal, and "sees homosexual acts as a symptom of a deeper refusal to accept the organizing scheme of God for the created order." The site also states that same-sex relationships which are genitally expressed are unacceptable and "attempts to establish or promote such relationships as viable alternatives to heterosexually-based family life do not conform to God's will for society."
The Salvation Army goes on to say, "The Army regards the origins of a homosexual orientation as a mystery and does not regard a homosexual disposition as blameworthy in itself or rectifiable at will. Nevertheless, while we are not responsible for what we are, we are accountable for what we do; and homosexual conduct, like heterosexual conduct, is controllable and may be morally evaluated therefore in the light of scriptural teaching."
So even though "Salvationists are opposed to the victimization of persons on the grounds of sexual orientation and recognize the social and emotional stress and the loneliness borne by many who are homosexual," they treat homosexuality as an infliction and expect that homosexuals live a celibate life without physical relationships. It's no wonder national LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) groups are calling for a boycott of the Salvation Army.
The Salvation Army has a history of actively discriminating against gays, lobbying against pro-gay legislation and trying to gain a firm commitment from the White House to issue a regulation that would annul local antidiscrimination laws. According to the New York Times, "Salvation Army spokesman, David A. Fuscus, said the group was not trying to get permission to discriminate against hiring gays and lesbians for the majority of its roughly 55,000 jobs and merely wanted a federal regulation that made clear that the charity did not have to ordain sexually active gay ministers and did not have to provide medical benefits to the same-sex partners of employees."
The Salvation Army has tried to kill pro-gay legislations, attempted to obtain permission to ignore local antidiscrimination laws, pushed for amendments disallowing promotion of homosexuality and teaching acceptance for homosexuality, urged the White House to deny funding to any cities or states with LGBT non-discrimination laws, and threatened to close New York City soup kitchens after the city declared that all vendors and charities must adhere to civil rights law. Their have also been numerous reports of the Salvation Army refusing help to same-sex couples, demanding they break-up before assistance is offered.
While the Salvation Army fervently opposes allegations that they are against gays, there is quite a bit of backing evidence to the contrary. LGBT groups and supporters of gay rights urge people to redirect donations to another non-profit charity that does not actively discriminate against the gay community. Goodwill, the Red Cross, Doctors Without Borders, Habitat for Humanity, and Big Brother are all examples of charities to contribute to instead.
Though I strongly support charity and giving to the less fortunate, it is hard to support an organization that condones treating people with inequality. Claiming to not discriminate against gays while clearly proclaiming that homosexuals should not practice homosexuality and should embrace celibacy is completely contradictory. Accepting, or tolerating, homosexuals as long as they don't act on it is not acceptance at all, and is just as bad as abuse.
If you believe in human rights and equality, and wish to support that, I recommended bypassing the Salvation Army bell ringers this year in favor of a charity that is not prejudiced against homosexuals, and wishes to help people regardless of their sexual orientation and practices. If you want to make more of a stance, try dropping a pro-gay pamphlet in the Salvation Army collection bins this year instead.
