Salvation Army To Close Soup Kitchens If Gay Workers Dont Get Equal Rights

[Lee]

(New York City) The Salvation Army is threatening to close soup kitchens for tens of thousands of New York's homeless and walk away from other projects if the city enacts legislation requiring firms that do business with New York to offer health benefits to the partners of gay staffers.

The evangelical faith is prepared to give up the $70 million a year in city funding it receives and pull out of New York entirely the New York Post reports.

With soup kitchens, shelters, foster care programs, and HIV services the Salvation Army is one of the largest private aid groups in New York serving some 5 million people annually.

The Salvation Army has several multiyear contracts with the city totaling $250 million. Six city contracts worth $12.8 million are to expire June 30, by which time the bill may be law.

New York City council overwhelmingly approved the legislation earlier this month, and it is sitting on the desk of mayor Michael Bloomberg. (story) Bloomberg is opposed to the bill, even though his own company offers partner benefits. Even if they mayor vetoes the legislation, the support in council is considered sufficient to override it.

Quoting "Salvation Army insiders" the Post said the organization will refuse to comply with the proposed law because it goes against one of the organization's core beliefs - that same-sex marriage is immoral.

"The Army will not change its policy," said one official, who declined to be named.

"You cannot change theological views. Those are so deeply embedded, they form the root of the faith itself."

http://www.365gay.com/newscon04/05/052404salArm.htm

Crazy stuff :eek:

Regards,

Lee

[Jasun]

Um Lee... change the thread title to "If gay workers DO get Equal Rights."

[basschick]

so basically the salvation army is blackmailing the city of new york. if the city isn't willing to give in to their demands, they will leave thousands of homeless people starving.

what a lovely christian ethic, i'm sure. to make thousands of powerless people starve in order to impose a religious belief.

you know what? i've always refused to support the salvation army because they only help people so they can proselytize at them. it has never seemed that nice to me, since they get paid millions by the local governments, and yet they are still allowed to force their beliefs on the people they are supposed to help.

and today, i'm glad i gave my contributions and spare change elsewhere. i don't remember the part in the bible where jesus refused to help people because they were gay - do you?

[Jason]

what a crock! litterally....how willing do you think the salvation army would be to be weilding the firey sword of self-righteous indignation if ray crock's (the founder of mcdonalds) widow hadn't died earlier this year leaving them $1.1 BILLION in her will?????

my response to the salvation army has to go along with my response to the red cross....fuck them.

sorry, just not really feeling up to eloquent, persuasive debate today. i'm in a much more raw emotional mood aparently

[Lee]

Originally posted by Jasun
Um Lee... change the thread title to "If gay workers DO get Equal Rights."

Um i know LOL

Realized after i posted that it had the wrong word there LOL

Regards,

Lee

[AusCoding Allan]

That sucks, the Salvation Army does some great work here in Australia, their annual doorknock appeal raised just under $5 millon this year to go towards their works in the community, I'm not sure on what their attitude is over here but they tend to do some pretty good work. Hopefully it is a localised group of people causing problems and not a worldwide issue.

Cheers,

Allan

[jonjayw]

Originally posted by ozmalegalleries
. . . Hopefully it is a localised group of people causing problems and not a worldwide issue.

Sorry, Allan . . . it's not local, it's an Army's belief from the top!! Be open about your sexuality and try to get a job (even a voluneer one) with them.

[basschick]

sorry, it's their "christian" policy.

funny - i don't recall christ having this attitude in the bible. didn't he love and accept everybody?

Originally posted by ozmalegalleries
That sucks, the Salvation Army does some great work here in Australia, their annual doorknock appeal raised just under $5 millon this year to go towards their works in the community, I'm not sure on what their attitude is over here but they tend to do some pretty good work. Hopefully it is a localised group of people causing problems and not a worldwide issue.

Cheers,

Allan

[AusCoding Allan]

Interesting, maybe I'll just tell them that I'm gay (I know it's lying) but it would be interesting to see what their reaction would be next time they're running one of their volunteer programs.

Cheers,

Allan