Salvation Army will fire officer for marrying outside...

[mrvmax]

I would say that this man knew the rules when he hired on, if he didn't like it he shouldn't have worked there. They have the right to have the rules they see fit, like any other company. My company is anti-gun, I can be fired for having a gun anywhere on their property - I am quitting this week and going to work for a gun friendly company. I think the SA gets a bad rap just due to being Christian, that seems to set people off more than anything else today.

[seamusTX]

It's not that simple. Some of the people who criticize the Salvation Army say that they are Christian. I don't see atheists, Jews, or Buddhists complaining about it.

It seems that complaints about various organizations such as the Red Cross boil down to telling others that they should not contribute. I won't try to guess what the motivation is there.

Criticism is also linked to the size and visibility of the organization. This is a practice for amplifying one's publicity: You get more publicity criticizing Coca-Cola or General Motors than some obscure target. There are literally thousands of smaller churches that have unusual rules and even borderline illegal practices, which are not publicly criticized.

- JIm

[mrvmax]

It's not that simple. Some of the people who criticize the Salvation Army say that they are Christian. I don't see atheists, Jews, or Buddhists complaining about it.

It seems that complaints about various organizations such as the Red Cross boil down to telling others that they should not contribute. I won't try to guess what the motivation is there.

Criticism is also linked to the size and visibility of the organization. This is a practice for amplifying one's publicity: You get more publicity criticizing Coca-Cola or General Motors than some obscure target. There are literally thousands of smaller churches that have unusual rules and even borderline illegal practices, which are not publicly criticized.

- JIm

Many say they are Christian and are not. The meaning of Christian from the Bible is a follower of Christ. Many think that because they go to Church they are Christian, they are far from it. I would guess that a majority of professing "Christians" have never even read the entire Bible, I would even guess that a majority have never read the entire New Testament. People say what is convenient and allows them to fit in with the crowd. Christianities worse enemies are not the atheist or agnostic, but the professing Christian. A "professing Christian" who acts totally contrary to Biblical teaching has a far more negative effect on Christianity than any atheist eve will.

[seamusTX]

Many say they are Christian and are not.

Yes, I'm aware of that.

But someone who says or pretends that he is Christian can't very well criticize others for being Christian. At least not without some stunning displays of twisted logic and hypocrisy.

- Jim

[seamusTX]

That's an extreme example. I doubt that the cross or crucifix is anything but fad jewelry to those thugs.

I'm thinking of the hypocrites who publicly confess their faith while secretly committing abominable acts like child molestation.

Or, more commonly, the "pillar of the church" who constantly engages in petty bickering and malicious gossip.

- Jim

[KBCraig]

Officers of the Salvation Army are pastors. I don't know of any evangelical congregation that would tolerate a pastor marrying outside the faith. (By that, I don't mean just another denomination, but a significant departure such as Jewish, Islamic, Unitarian, etc.)

But what doesn't really get mentioned in this Fox News article is whether the gentleman concerned is seeking to marry someone who outside of his denomination but still a Christian, or outside of Christianity entirely.

I know, which is how I worded it as I did.

But to get right to the meat of that matter, I don't know many evangelical protestant congregations that would tolerate a pastor marrying someone from another denomination, if that person had no intent to join the pastor's church.

There might be some, but it would be unusual.

[mrvmax]

That's an extreme example. I doubt that the cross or crucifix is anything but fad jewelry to those thugs.

I'm thinking of the hypocrites who publicly confess their faith while secretly committing abominable acts like child molestation.

Or, more commonly, the "pillar of the church" who constantly engages in petty bickering and malicious gossip.

- Jim

Exactly what I was thinking of, many will claim to be Christian, then engage in an affair, or cheat on their taxes, or steal from work etc. There are many examples.
Just thought of one more - the BTK killer, he went to church, in fact he used their equipment to write the notes. He was no more a Christian than Charles Manson.

[WildBill]

The article referenced in the orginal post said nothing about a church or religion or pastor. I don't know if it was intentional, but they refer to the church and people in secular terms, i.e. "the leader", "officer", "losing his job", "rules", "organization" and "agency". If you changed some of the descriptions and substituted pastor, minister, church, congregation, vows, the story would come across quite different. Substitute "U.S. Army" for "Salvation Army" and see how the story reads.

[seamusTX]

That's an interesting point.

To understand this story, you have to know that the Salvation Army is a church and that its clergy are called officers.

Hasn't everyone seen Major Barbara or Guys and Dolls?

We don't often refer to clergy as having jobs, but in an organized church they do have jobs (as opposed to someone who is the pastor of his own unaffiliated congregation), and usually someone in authority can fire them.

So much for "fair and balanced."

BTW, the U.S. military limits whom its officers can marry. Officers cannot marry enlisted personnel or anyone in their command structure, AFAIK.

- Jim

[WildBill]

That's an interesting point.

BTW, the U.S. military limits whom its officers can marry. Officers cannot marry enlisted personnel or anyone in their command structure, AFAIK.

- Jim

But, I don't think an Army Officer would lose his job for marrying a Marine.

[subsonic]

It's not that simple. Some of the people who criticize the Salvation Army say that they are Christian. I don't see atheists, Jews, or Buddhists complaining about it.

Perhaps that reflects more on your social circle than anything else. I have heard people who aren't Christian state they won't contribute to the Salvation Army because it's an evangelical church. They quite understandably prefer to contribute to charitable organizations that do not include "preach the gospel of Jesus Christ" in their mission statement. I also know people who object to the SA position on homosexuality. The SA has a right to their beliefs and people with different beliefs have the right to withhold their financial support.

[seamusTX]

WildBill, I will leave off discussing whether a Marine would stoop that low.

There probably are other classes of people that U.S. military officers can't marry, such as foreigners. I just don't know. And these rules are in place for practical reasons, not arbitrary or religious ones.

Subsonic, you are probably right about my social circle. Anyone whom I know, who is not a Christian, is polite enough not to stir up controversy.

I'm old, smart, and mean enough to avoid rude people.

- Jim

[Morgan]

Before I get really angry at judgmental folks, may I remind you of the RULES of the forum?


11. Off-topic posts/threads: We have an experimental off-topic forum. Since they tend to cause the most problems for other boards, our "off-topic" sub-forum is not an "anything goes" area. Absolutely no discussions of religion, immigration/border security, abortion, race matters, or any other hot-button political issues. (Gun-related political issues can be discussed in other areas.)

[mrvmax]

Before I get really angry at judgmental folks, may I remind you of the RULES of the forum?


11. Off-topic posts/threads: We have an experimental off-topic forum. Since they tend to cause the most problems for other boards, our "off-topic" sub-forum is not an "anything goes" area. Absolutely no discussions of religion, immigration/border security, abortion, race matters, or any other hot-button political issues. (Gun-related political issues can be discussed in other areas.)

I would like to get Chas or a mods view on this. I didn't think we were discussing religion, we were discussing the issue of SA and marriage and the issue of religion as it applies to this topic came up but there are no discussions of religion. I may/could be wrong.