In addition to what other people have chimed in, the Salvation Army used to (might still? Last article was in 2014) not pay female workers directly. They would make out their paycheck to the worker’s husband. Because women are property.
I’ve personally been affected by Salvation Army practices. See, they used to deliver toys to disadvantaged kids around the holidays but those toys come with strings. Not only did they show up to my house when my parents were clearly not home they literally dangled toys in front of me and my siblings I was babysitting and refused to give them to us unless we said we would accept Jesus.
We were not a Christian family. In fact at the time most of us were part of a different religion (my dad was always agnostic). They cornered a gaggle of known non-Christian minors when they were alone and vulnerable. They manipulated and forced me to say I accepted Jesus so that my siblings could have presents.
The Salvation Army has, throughout it’s history, stuck with the anti-gay stance of it’s Christian roots, and for some reason everybody remembered that this season.
they, additionally, are against labor unions and secular soup kitchens. they claim to want to help people, but they won’t help people unless it feeds their savior complex and control over congregation.
the funny part to me is that jesus reads as an anti-authoritarian. he preaches that it is better to help the hungry than to be dogmatic about orthodoxy. makes the salvation army seem pretty unchristian
The salvation army is a big church and big churches don’t like LGBT. They are typically out in force this time of year with the red buckets in front of a lot of big box stores in the US.
I’m a gay person who has been exposed first-hand to the ugly side of Christianity, so I am speaking from that knowing and experience. I am not a Christian.
The salvation army is a big church and big churches don’t like LGBT.
They said big churches don’t like LGBT. There are big churches that like LGBT, even if most big churches don’t. There is nuance here and I responded to that commenter’s specific words.
I only found out a few years ago how accepting some churches are, specifically meeting people who went to the Episcopal Church. I just felt it relevant to point that out.
even if there are small examples of judeo-christian denominations being tolerant of LGBTQ+ communities, the VAST majority are not and do more than enough harm to cancel out any good being done.
the VAST majority are not and do more than enough harm to cancel out any good being done.
The good ones do exist in the many millions - they don’t deserve hate and I believe they deserve recognition for their inclusivity and activism. That’s all I gotta say.
I’m not “spreading misinformation”, I’m sharing my lived experience. I’m aware that I haven’t personally checked with every single church but my experience is typically that they all say we’re god’s creation and should be respectful, but there’s always that whispered “except them”.
I also have experienced discrimination and bigotry from churches, but I know now there are plenty of inclusive big churches and I wanted people to understand that.
I went through 4 years of high school at a Born Again church because my parents forced me there and every day was hell. They suspected I was gay and being called the f-slur was the least of my issues.
i would direct people to in particular consider coalition building with the united methodist church and evangelical Lutheran christian in america (ELCA). neither group is perfect but they’re both involved in civil rights activism
i only have experience with my local unitarian universalist church who broke away from the organization when the organization was a little to accepting of zionism. it’s kind of a paradox of tolerance thing. but i can’t really speak on where the national organization is when i have no ties to them and the only ones i had got severed. they might be good they might not. it would be inappropriate and irresponsible for me to say. if you’ve been engaged with them or their members and are finding them helpful in these times, then i see no reason not for you to say “these guys are good, others should check them out”
Around December in the US, the Salvation Army(A Christian group with a bigoted history and overpriced secondhand goods stores) set up outside stores, ringing hand bells and asking for donations.
They’re everywhere that allow them. You cannot escape the ringing bells.
I’m so sorry. But, this did lead me to learning something! I had assumed they were US-based, just given their sheer prevalence in some parts of the country.
Nope, it’s the fucking English. Headquarters in London. Just… Goddammit, England.
Context?
In addition to what other people have chimed in, the Salvation Army used to (might still? Last article was in 2014) not pay female workers directly. They would make out their paycheck to the worker’s husband. Because women are property.
I’ve personally been affected by Salvation Army practices. See, they used to deliver toys to disadvantaged kids around the holidays but those toys come with strings. Not only did they show up to my house when my parents were clearly not home they literally dangled toys in front of me and my siblings I was babysitting and refused to give them to us unless we said we would accept Jesus.
We were not a Christian family. In fact at the time most of us were part of a different religion (my dad was always agnostic). They cornered a gaggle of known non-Christian minors when they were alone and vulnerable. They manipulated and forced me to say I accepted Jesus so that my siblings could have presents.
Fuck the Salvation Army.
The Salvation Army has, throughout it’s history, stuck with the anti-gay stance of it’s Christian roots, and for some reason everybody remembered that this season.
they, additionally, are against labor unions and secular soup kitchens. they claim to want to help people, but they won’t help people unless it feeds their savior complex and control over congregation.
the funny part to me is that jesus reads as an anti-authoritarian. he preaches that it is better to help the hungry than to be dogmatic about orthodoxy. makes the salvation army seem pretty unchristian
if this were a socialist country, we would’ve had a better alternative to the salvation army. seriously!
Most years people keep forgetting. There’s a lot going on these days, it’s easy to lose track.
The salvation army is a big church and big churches don’t like LGBT. They are typically out in force this time of year with the red buckets in front of a lot of big box stores in the US.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Salvation_Army
There are similarly big churches to the Salvation Army that are inclusive of LGBTQ+, please don’t spread misinformation.
i think the claim that big churches tend to be homophobic is a valid statement.
white American Christians are a scary bunch.
It’s untrue as a generalization.
I’m a gay person who has been exposed first-hand to the ugly side of Christianity, so I am speaking from that knowing and experience. I am not a Christian.
the statement “all big churches are homophobic” would be a generalisation. “most big churches are homophobic” would not be.
Commenter:
They said big churches don’t like LGBT. There are big churches that like LGBT, even if most big churches don’t. There is nuance here and I responded to that commenter’s specific words.
I only found out a few years ago how accepting some churches are, specifically meeting people who went to the Episcopal Church. I just felt it relevant to point that out.
Salvation army has put trans people out on the street to freeze to death. Churches don’t need advocates.
Did I advocate for the Salvation Army or churches that engage in that sort of behavior? No.
I’m saying there are allies present in Christianity. If you have a problem with that, so be it.
even if there are small examples of judeo-christian denominations being tolerant of LGBTQ+ communities, the VAST majority are not and do more than enough harm to cancel out any good being done.
The good ones do exist in the many millions - they don’t deserve hate and I believe they deserve recognition for their inclusivity and activism. That’s all I gotta say.
I’m not “spreading misinformation”, I’m sharing my lived experience. I’m aware that I haven’t personally checked with every single church but my experience is typically that they all say we’re god’s creation and should be respectful, but there’s always that whispered “except them”.
I also have experienced discrimination and bigotry from churches, but I know now there are plenty of inclusive big churches and I wanted people to understand that.
I went through 4 years of high school at a Born Again church because my parents forced me there and every day was hell. They suspected I was gay and being called the f-slur was the least of my issues.
i would direct people to in particular consider coalition building with the united methodist church and evangelical Lutheran christian in america (ELCA). neither group is perfect but they’re both involved in civil rights activism
Not even a mention of Unitarian Universalist? They seem to be the most open and welcoming of the various sects of Christianity
i only have experience with my local unitarian universalist church who broke away from the organization when the organization was a little to accepting of zionism. it’s kind of a paradox of tolerance thing. but i can’t really speak on where the national organization is when i have no ties to them and the only ones i had got severed. they might be good they might not. it would be inappropriate and irresponsible for me to say. if you’ve been engaged with them or their members and are finding them helpful in these times, then i see no reason not for you to say “these guys are good, others should check them out”
Around December in the US, the Salvation Army(A Christian group with a bigoted history and overpriced secondhand goods stores) set up outside stores, ringing hand bells and asking for donations.
They’re everywhere that allow them. You cannot escape the ringing bells.
Here in Canada too unfortunately
I’m so sorry. But, this did lead me to learning something! I had assumed they were US-based, just given their sheer prevalence in some parts of the country.
Nope, it’s the fucking English. Headquarters in London. Just… Goddammit, England.
- Aqualung by Jethro Tull
In winter the organization Salvation Army will have people stand in public ringing bells to collect donations in buckets as pictured above.
The salvation army is notably homophobic
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Salvation_Army