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I was also shocked when I read this earlier today, and to my knowledge the SA hasn't issued a statement refuting the story.

The Salvation Army is a church. Is everyone clear about that? They have the right to determine what their members (officers, in this case, I guess) can or cannot do to remain in good standing.

I am not a member of the Salvation Army. I am Catholic. The Catholic Church also has standards that some do not agree with.

I will continue to contribute to both churches. Both do good work for people who have been left behind by the rest of society. Their missions are not quite the same.

P.S.: I have to acknowledge that I have something of a chip on my shoulder about people who run down charities without offering an alternative. Not you, Russell, but the original source of this report.

- Jim

Catholic priests can't marry Catholic women or anyone else without being cast out bell, book, and candle; and Catholic women can't be priests.

We can find fault with any organization, can't we?

- Jim

I think it goes to the core mission of a church to make sure that its clergy are dedicated to their jobs and do not have conflicting loyalties.

I didn't sign up to be a clergyman. I made my own choices. But the requirements of the office were made clear to those who wanted it.

A Catholic priest who changes his mind about celibacy is free to become an Episcopalian or anything else, and the same is true of a Salvation Army officer.

- Jim

Many churches have similar rules. The Roman Catholic church won't recognize any marriage outside the church (even a civil ceremony between two Catholics).

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.)

seamusTX wrote:The Salvation Army is a church. Is everyone clear about that?

This bears repeating, especially this time of year when they're soliciting church donations outside secular stores.

Do you have a complaint to bring against the Salvation Army?

Do you know a charity more deserving of our contributions?

- Jim

seamusTX wrote:Do you know a charity more deserving of our contributions?

I wouldn't presume to know which charity is most deserving of your contributions. However, I know several charities more deserving of my contributions, in accordance with my beliefs. Further discussion would likely violate Forum Rule 11 so I'll stop there.

subsonic wrote:

seamusTX wrote:The Salvation Army is a church. Is everyone clear about that?

This bears repeating, especially this time of year when they're soliciting church donations outside secular stores.

They then take those donations and provide charity without regard to the recipient's religion.

seamusTX wrote:Do you have a complaint to bring against the Salvation Army?

Do you know a charity more deserving of our contributions?

- Jim

Based on what I've seen, they are a dedicated group of people. Many people know them as a charity that gives toys to children at Christmas, but they do so much more. They are active in disaster response, and have recently sought to fight the sex slave industry. I would bet that they do more to ease the suffering of others in Jesus's name than most others. I do not necessarily agree with their marriage guidelines, but it's not a show-stopper for me. They will still get my donations and respect.

Russell wrote:
Catholic priests make a choice to become priests. They understand the religious underlying of their choices.

There is no religious reasoning behind this rule. Yes, I know, I know, the guy definitely must have known about this rule before he became an officer. However, with the advancements in technologies with satellite phones, high-speed video communications via satellite, and all the other goodies we now have as a people, why force somebody to make a choice between doing what they love and cherish, and being with somebody they love and cherish?

Check out the history of the church, friend, and you'll find that the rules you're talking about have no spiritual bible-based reason. Catholic priests DID marry at one time. The rules on celibacy were invented by man for socio-economic and political reasons. That's largely why they're under fire to be changed as the world changes. The catholic church faces difficulty recruiting people to the priesthood. Greek Orthodox Catholic priests do marry.

KBCraig wrote: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. Although I recognize the SA's right to have whatever rules they want, if it were the case of a SA officer wanting to marry someone from another Protestant denomination, then I would say that the rule is foolish. If the bride were Catholic rather than Protestant, there might be some issues of deciding under which doctrine the children would be raised, etc., but the potential problems are not insurmountable, as long as both parties to the marriage believe that Jesus is who he said he was, and they are both saved Christians. For either scenario to work though, they would both have to either commit to the SA lifestyle, or both leave the SA. However, if it were the case that he wanted to marry outside of Christianity entirely and be yoked with a Zoroastrian or a Hindu, then I would say that the rule might be dissatisfying to him, but it is biblically based.

2 Corinthians 6:14,15 (NIV)

14 Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? 15 What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?

BTW, my guess is that the ideal Hindu marriage is between two Hindus, and the ideal Zoroastrian marriage is between two Zoroastrians, so I'm not trying to slam either of those religions (although I have strong theological disagreements with both).

In any case, it is not mine to judge. My mother in law is all atwitter over this story, but she's an old gossip and she loves to be endlessly fascinated by stuff like this. Personally, I think it is boring.