The Salvation Army removed two links to “ex-gay” organizations from its website on Tuesday. The move came after the LGBT advocacy organization Truth Wins Out criticized the charity group for the endorsements.
Harvest USA and Pure Life Ministries were both listed as sexual addiction resources. Both faith-based counseling organizations practice “reparative therapy,” which aims to turn gay people straight through prayer.
The Salvation Army’s director of communications Jennifer Byrd blamed the whole thing on computer glitch — oh, those pesky computer machines! — saying the links were from an archived page that was accidentally republished when the organization relaunched its website back in October.
“We apologize for our oversight and any confusion this may have caused,” she said in the letter. “The Salvation Army does not consider homosexual orientation a sin. Please know that we serve anyone who comes to our doors without discrimination.”
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This is quite a reversal from statements made by the organization the past, which, until recently, has been vocally opposed to all things LGBT.
“Harvest USA and Pure Life Ministries are two destructive organizations dedicated to demonizing LGBT people,” said Truth Wins Out associate director Evan Hurst said in a statement released earlier today. “The Salvation Army did the right thing today by removing these ‘ex-gay’ groups from its website before they could harm more innocent victims.”
Truth Wins Out executive director Wayne Besen added:
“We thank the Salvation Army for acting swiftly and decisively in addressing our concerns about links to ‘ex-gay’ organizations. This is a step in the right direction and congruent with their antidiscrimination campaign. We hope this action leads to further progress in gaining the full confidence and trust of the LGBT community.”
The Salvation Army’s relationship with the LGBT community has been tense and at times downright ornery over the years. Though it has been working to repair its homophobic image, the Christian organization has a long history of lobbying against LGBT rights.
We think it’s great the charity group is making a concerted effort to be more inclusive, but we still won’t be dropping any coins in their little red buckets any time soon.
DShucking
I don’t even understand why they apologized. They’re still the Salvation Army.
Joetx
“The Salvation Army does not consider homosexual orientation a sin.”
Neither does the Catholic Church. But I’d bet that, like the Catholic Church, the so-called “Salvation Army” believes that acting up your homosexuality (i.e., gay relationships, gay sex, etc.) is a sin.
The “Salvation Army” can go f itself.
I stopped giving to the “Salvation Army” the second I learned of its anti-gay agenda.
Cam
They are lying, they meant to have the links up there, they got caught for it and now are backtracking it’s as simple as that.
Caleb in SC
Why are they even relevant now? They are going the way of the dinosaur . . . and the GOP.
Billysees
@Cam:
You may be right.
2eo
The salvation army have three dedicated on site web development officers at their main office. There is no possible way it got through Quality Control without being explicitly approved by those with the power to decide what the site says.
It was meant to be there, condoned and absolutely wanted. There was no accident, it was impossible for it to be an accident, they don’t use a test server so a second unfinished version was NOT uploaded by mistake either as has happened with other sites.
the other Greg
If you have any “ex-gay” clothing, donate it to Goodwill!
SFHarry
I’m 50. I can’t relate to anyone in this film clip or what they are going through – thank god(just an expression, not implying there actually is one). If being 50 means holding on to your 20s and 30s I feel sorry for them. It is nice to be able to change as you age. I don’t want to do the things I did when I was 20 and don’t expect 20 year olds to want to do what I want to do as a 50 year old. It is nice to be able to live in the age you actually are. I definitely won’t be seeing this.
DShucking
IIIIIII’m 50!
Deepdow
Another fucking bloated charity org which eats up donations for old white man paychecks. What else is new? They have that big ‘ole art deco building on 14th in NYC that I’ve never see anyone go in or out..oh, but for sure I’ve seen homeless people sleeping up near the front. Mhm, of course.
krystalkleer
yea what a shocker…http://getoffmydress.blogspot.com/2013/11/the-black-plague.html
Billysees
Actually, ’tis the season to advertise oneself, even though you may be well known.
With those links they had up, they’re saying to the conservatives…..hey guys….we’re still conservative.
When a flag is raised, all they have to do is apologize.
It’s a typical maneuver by media savvy people and organizations.
@Cam:
Cam is quite correct on this one.
” They are lying, they meant to have the links up there, they got caught for it and now are backtracking it’s as simple as that. “
iMort
Removing the links is still progress.
getbackjoe94
@Joetx: I did too. I never really carried much change in my pocket to begin with, but when I found out about their beliefs, I stopped dropping what little change I did have in there.
MK Ultra
I think we’re all familiar with religious right doublespeak. Statements like “The Salvation Army doesn’t consider homosexual orientation a sin” usually end with, “but acting on it is”.
It’s safe to say that the omission of the latter part wasn’t by accident.
Such a statement is useless. Just semantics. Wordplay.
At its core, it’s still as anti-gay as anything any hate-group would say.
Billysees
@MK Ultra:
” At its core, it’s still as anti-gay as anything any hate-group would say. ”
I think that’s correct.
But we need to be as truth minded about them as we are about ourselves by acknowledging the good they do for many.
It seems that so many things in this world are always a “mixed bag”.
MK Ultra
@Billysees: I agree.
If only they would give us the dignity and respect of being as truth minded about us.
Unfortunately their political advertising about us is anything but truth minded. And while Salvation Army may be a mixed bag, there are other organizations who aren’t so “mixed” on the subject of human rights and dignity. They will be getting my gay $$$ this year.
Billysees
@MK Ultra:
Your comment here makes much sense.
” If only they would give us the dignity and respect of being as truth minded about us. ” is probably asking too much from this very ultra conservative organization at this time.
Hopefully, they will consider that a more respectful attitude towards LGBT folks is “better” than how they feel now. You’ll see that change by the elimination of gay-negative comments and references. It can happen but by how much, we’ll have to see.
You’re right again — ” there are other organizations who aren’t so “mixed” on the subject of human rights and dignity. ”
I think you meant to say that “They will [not] be getting my gay $$$ this year.”
Billysees
@Billysees:
Stumbled onto this email from Queerty and re-read what I had replied and realized that my response was incorrect.
Scratch that last sentence that said ” I think you meant to say that “They will [not] be getting my gay $$$ this year.”