The Debate Over Salvation Army by Gerald A. Honigman
Before we really begin, please allow me to suggest that the reader take the enclosed links seriously. For the sake of limiting the length, I’ve included many important details that are key to understanding this subject matter within those linked articles.
There is currently renewed debate regarding the Salvation Army. Some of this came to light after a popular Christian restaurant chain cut its donations to it.
Dennis Prager, whom I most often agree with, claims that since the Left hates the Salvation Army, nothing else really matters in any conversation about it. David Horowitz’ (another gentleman with whom I most often concur) FrontPage Magazine first published the piece. Horowitz has published several of my own analyses over the years as well. As a footnote of sorts, I’ve done extensive doctoral studies and am widely published in many of the same subject areas that both of these men frequently comment on themselves…so, I’m not just shooting from the hip.
I first took a liking to the Salvation Army like most other folks did—seeing volunteers ringing bells and collecting charity for the needy during the Christmas season….What’s not to like?
Reinforcing this was one of my favorite shows and later movies, Guys and Dolls. The latter version starred Marlon Brando, Frank Sinatra, Jean Simmons, and Vivian Blaine in the leading roles. Brando’s Sky Masterson takes a bet that he can win over the first lady that he spots—and she turns out to be a Salvation Army drummer…https://www.npr.org/2000/11/25/1114545/guys-and-dolls. What a wonderfully entertaining movie—and with a message as well.
So, I’ve been a natural fan of the Army for over half century now, and certainly support its (and other worthy organizations like it) wonderful efforts.
My problem, therefore, stems not from what these folks do, but from what their attitude has too often been towards others who don’t share their own religious beliefs…Jews, in particular.
Jewish Federations in local communities and all over the world, as just one example, do the same charitable work and employ and assist all peoples, regardless of beliefs. And they also do so on a truly massive scale while not subjecting those who differ with Jewish religious beliefs to demeaning and disrespectful experiences.
The issue regarding the Salvation Army is an old one and largely represents the Evangelical divide between Christians who support “Replacement Theology” and those who (at least supposedly) do not—the difference say, between folks like two leading Evangelical stars, Pastors Jeffress and Hagee. See here for the important details: https://ekurd.net/hagee-jeffress-jews-2018-05-21 .
Unfortunately, however, in the Salvation Army’s case, the problem goes deeper, and represents a millennial, recurrent potential catastrophe-in-the-making when people take the antisemitism of such “holy” teachings seriously. As just one of too many examples, the homilies of the early Church Father, “Saint” John Chrysostum, come to mind. Scroll down in this next link to see what I mean:http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Articles/Article.aspx/10797.
Martin Luther’s second treatise on the Jews, like St. John’s earlier, could have been blueprints for the Holocaust…https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/luthers-jewish-problem/.
And thus, unfortunately, it really is not shocking to find out what the Salvation Army’s connections to Nazi Germany also involved…https://clarknow.clarku.edu/2018/03/26/strassler-center-lecture-explores-salvation-army-history-in-nazi-germany/.
It appears that in recent times, the Army—for whatever reasons—has tried to make amends. Only time will tell how sincere these are…https://www.salvationarmy.org/ihq/E564684E02556BD180256F1E00166CB0.
Dexter Van Zile thus asks in The Algemeiner…
“If the Salvation Army truly believes that the Jewish people have a ‘continued place’ in the divine plan of redemption, then why does it declare that ‘Israel has largely forsaken its place within the care and special purposes of God’?
And if the Salvation Army is truly interested in fighting antisemitism, why does the church hold up the Jews as in singular and special need of conversion?
The Salvation Army’s statement raises an important question: Is Christian opposition to antisemitism principled, or merely instrumental? In other words, is Christian opposition to Jew-hatred rooted in a desire to convert them later, or is it rooted in a principled opposition to hatred of all types?”…https://www.algemeiner.com/2016/12/18/despite-its-good-deeds-the-salvation-army-has-a-jewish-problem/
The point is that no organization of humans is beyond critique—and certainly not one which has, consciously or not, helped to pour fuel on the fire of possibly the world’s oldest hatred.
That the Left opposes the Salvation Army does not give it a free pass on its very real and potentially very serious shortcomings. As seen in the links above, the road to Auschwitz was carefully paved over the centuries by such religious teachings.
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