20 – Kentucky Fried Christmas

Why Not to Support the Salvation Army This Season

Despite The Salvation Army’s claims on LGBTQ Support stating “We want to serve [people] regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, or gender orientation,” the Salvation Army has demonstrated clear anti-LGBTQ practices for over 35 years:

• 1986: The Salvation Army campaigns against the Homosexual Law Reform Act in New Zealand. The act decriminalized sex between adult men.
• 1998: The Salvation Army turns down $3.5 million in contracts with the city of San Francisco because the city would require them to treat same-sex couples similarly to opposite-sex couples. As a result, programs for homeless and elderly people were shut down.
• 2000: The charity opposes repealing Section 28 in Scotland, a law prohibiting teaching homosexuality as acceptable. Their statement claimed that accepting homosexuality will encourage children to become gay.
• 2001: The Salvation Army attempts to create an exemption for religious charities receiving federal funding. Charities would be exempt from local ordinances on anti-gay discrimination.
• 2012: The Salvation Army fires a case worker after discovering she was bisexual. Salvation Army spokesperson reaffirmed this decision stating “A relationship between same-sex individuals is a personal choice that people have the right to make. But from a church viewpoint, we see that going against the will of God.”

The church has publicly stated homosexuality is unacceptable. “Scripture opposes homosexual practices by direct comment and also by clearly implied disapproval. The Bible treats such practices as self-evidently abnormal. … Attempts to establish or promote such relationships as viable alternatives to heterosexually-based family life do not conform to God’s will for society.”

Despite recent claims by the church that they’ve changed, there is little evidence they have. Zinnia Jones, an Orlando-based transgender activist says it best: “The Salvation Army continues to maintain anti-gay theological stances, and continues to discriminate against its own employees and their partners. They also neglect to mention that the organization historically “abides” by anti-discrimination laws by way of shutting down services in areas where such laws apply. The Salvation Army has given no indication that it intends to change any of these anti-LGBT policies.” Read More