Why I Won’t be Giving to Salvation Army at the Tburg Shur Save
The red kettles are out at the Shur-Save just outside of the village limits of Trumansburg, and now that the Big M is closed down, I pass them by quite often. I haven’t put a donation in for the Salvation Army, however, and I won’t be doing so. Here’s why:
1. I already gave to the Salvation Army – and so did you. The Salvation Army receives most of its funds from the federal government. 95 percent of Salvation Army funds in 2005 were from our taxes. So, almost all those good things you hear about the Salvation Army doing can really be credited to the government. The red kettle portion is a pittance.
2. The Salvation Army has done some things that really can’t be called good works. Discrimination against gays and non-Christians has been a serious problem at the Salvation Army. It’s spent a good bit of money on lobbying the federal government for the right to fire people for no other reason than that they won’t sign an oath of compliance with the religious beliefs of the Salvation Army organization. Jewish and Christian employees, including even a Lutheran minister, have been fired by the Salvation Army for refusing to go along with the organization’s demands for proof of religious loyalty.
3. There are better charitable organizations out there that don’t have the Salvation Army’s history of ethical problems. I’m making a donation to OxFam America instead, because OxFam America is a truly independent organization that doesn’t use its power to try to influence people’s religion, and doesn’t accept donations from the US government or from industries related to its work. 87.5 percent of donations to OxFam America go directly to its charitable programs. Only 3.3 percent of donations is used for management costs. (The remainder is used in efforts to gain more memberships and donations.)
4. I find the bell ringing nag in public obnoxious. I don’t need a guilt trip at the grocery store. I need eggs and milk.
I’m confident that the people standing there ringing the bell by the red kettle at the Shur-Save mean well. The catch is that meaning well and doing well are not the same thing. I don’t mean any personal disrespect to the bell ringers, but there are better ways to help people in need than to put a dollar bill in the kettle.
In the spirit of the Christmas season I would like to make a few points. First, in the interest of openness, I am an Officer/Pastor of The Salvation Army.
You should know that some of the “facts” above are not necessarily facts. I wanted to be fair so I clicked on the links but they just led to a series of articles/websites which all made claims about TSA without ever referring to any official or news source. Anyone can say anything about anyone and be quoted enough for people to think it is fact.
I can assure you that Federal money *in no way* provides 95% or even a majority of any Corps’ funding. In my last appointment we provided about 5,000 meals a month for a community of about 35,000. Our annual budget was about $400,000 and our federal funds were less than $20,000!
In some large cities (like NYC) the gov’t *may* provide a large portion of their funds but I am not familiar with that. But all kettle money is used in the area where you see the kettles!
There are many other misleading points (Discrimination against gays and non-Christians applies to Officers/Pastors, not employees, volunteers or ‘clients’) but I urge people to ‘go to the source’ to get information; don’t just rely on one point of view (even when it is amplified by links to like minded websites)even mine.
Do your own research.
I hope this does not seem combative in any way … it is certainly not intended that way. I am just trying to correct incorrect ideas.
Christmas Blessings!
PB
I actually just wanted to thank you for your kind words about Oxfam America! I work with Oxfam America on a couple of projects, and the most recent project we are helping with is a new online catalog that they’ve recently launched called Oxfam America Unwrapped (http://www.oxfamamericaunwrapped.com).
You can make a donation to Oxfam America programs worldwide by purchase really unique gifts on Unwrapped. Gifts include a camel, a cow, peace books for kids, investment in a fair trade coffee cooperative, and dozens of other representative gifts.
Also, if you go to the site, there’s an option to send a free e-card to your friends as a way to spread the word and brighten up someone’s day
Thanks again for your support!
Marina
Fact 1: 95 percent of the budget for Salvation Army came from the federal government in 2005. Source: Washington Post, October 20, 2005, citing U.S. District Judge Sidney H. Stein.
Fact 2: The Salvation Army officially changed its policy so as to declare itself exempt from laws prohibiting discrimination on the basis of religion, and has engaged in religious discrimination against those who declined to “preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ”. The Salvation Army did not deny the complaint, but merely said that it had the right to engage in such discrimination, because it’s a religious organization. Sources: Lawsuit against the Salvation Army in New York, United States District Court, Southern District of New York, February 24, 2004; Americans United for Separation of Church and State, March 10, 2005.
Fact 3: The Salvation Army has fired people, including Jews and even a Lutheran minister, for refusing to document their history of going to Christian churches. Sources: St. Petersburg Times, August 13, 2006; The Jewish Week, November 18, 2005.
Fact 4: The Salvation Army has stated that, unless the Salvation Army were allowed to discriminate against gays in hiring, ”it really begins to chew away at he theological fabric of who we are”. Source: Washington Post, July 10, 2001.
Fact 5: The Salvation Army reached a secret deal with the George W. Bush White House to lobby for the Bush faith-based initiatives in return for a federal exemption from laws against discrimination. Washington Post, July 10, 2001.
Facts. Darn those facts.
Most people assume that the Salvation Army is only interested in doing nice things for people, but the fact is that the organization has a right wing political agenda too. If you’re into that kind of attitude, by all means stick with the Salvation Army. Otherwise, give to Oxfam, not to this kind of bigotry.
OK. I really don’t have time to go into this point by point as I am working about 14 hours a day or more during kettle season.
I looked at the Washington Post article and it says that the 95% figure was from “a children’s services division of the Salvation Army”.
The blog article I responded to seemed to be saying that *all* of TSA income was 95% federal.
That was what I was commenting on. Actually, all the references are to specific segments of TSA but the complaints paint all of TSA as if it were monolithic.
Facts are funny … they can say whatever you want to say if you can take the time to spin it just right.
Seriously tho, Merry Christmas!
Seriously, you need to look at your own organization’s policies and practices.
Have a groovy Saturnalia.
Forgot to mention with respect to your other points.
First, give to whomever you deem worthy. That’s up to you. second, secret deals with Bush are a dime a dozen. Third, the sal army doesn’t have to cave on their religious beliefs. Thye came close when they were dupped into believing that domestic partners are the same as married couples. Thank God, they realized the error of their ways. Somebody has to stand up against the mongers of moral degradation. I imagine if the fed’s really wanted the work to get done they’d invest in the gay groups doing the same work (oops! They already fund those agencies 95%, now, don’t they, with small results for theior dollars). Guess, if you want to shut down the sally’s then take their federal dollars. Taking away 12% of their budget will hurt, but by no means will the sallies go away. In fact we might have Christmas bell ringers in july! Nice thought.
I think Oxfam is terrific for the work their able to do, by the way! I also think the salvation army is terrific. Yeah, they’re not so sharp on promos and they stumble into my town when there’s a tornado or hurricane and do a bang up job of serving people. It’s not fancy. It’s not political or for the cameras or for even for Jesus (or at least not that I have to be a christian, too)…they just serve people. are those federal dollars? I don’t know and frankly I don’t care at that point. I just know people are being helped and that means much in today’s world of high overhead and political correctness!
sorry to go on so much! Happy New Year!
Was Ulysses an early general of The Salvation Army? Is someone looking for him and why has he disappeared?
If he’s lost perhaps The Salvation Army’s Family tracing/Missing Persons can find him or if he’s had a disaster they can help him through emergency services…for my dollar locally you can’t touch the Army.
Jesus Christ’s rise from death is described in 1Cor:15. 1Cor:15 demonstrates how we will be changed when Jesus comes back to take His people to the place He has prepared for them.
Brandon, you’re aware that many people living in Trumansburg aren’t Christians, right? Are we all supposed to move away, or be damned or something, when your messiah comes back? Are you saying Trumansburg is the new Jerusalem? You need to add some context to your comment.