Two weeks ago I wrote about how the Salvation Army in Victoria proudly published on their website their complete endorsement of the diabolical “Safe Schools” program. It was utterly shocking, and caused widespread angst, consternation and criticism – and rightly so – from countless ordinary Salvos and concerned Christians worldwide.
That piece can be found here: https://billmuehlenberg.com/2016/11/16/compromised-christianity-treachery-betrayal/
In the past 14 days TSA received heaps of flak from folks in Australia and overseas, so much so that the National Salvo leadership was forced to step in and order a review of the whole sad episode. As a result, TSA has gone from complete (Victorian) support of this wretched program to qualified (National) support.
That is a small but welcome step. Of course the Victorian Salvo leadership should never have gone down this path in the first place. Just what were they thinking? A filthy and perverted pro-homosexual indoctrination program created by an avowed Marxist is something they could wholeheartedly support and endorse? Seriously?
So we are indeed grateful that so many ordinary believers let their concerns be known to the Salvos, and that they saw the need to take a somewhat new direction on all this. That is good news and that is clearly an answer to probably millions of prayers.
The new statement is far from satisfactory, but at least it is a step in the right direction, and we can hope that things continue to improve from hereon in. Here in full is the new national statement which circumvents the older Victorian one:
Salvation Army Announces National Position On Safe Schools
The Salvation Army is a Christian movement dedicated to sharing the love of Jesus. We purposefully work to reveal this love to everyone by building loving communities combined with the provision of spiritual, emotional and material support. Our compassionate participation has evolved over 136 years of service in all spheres of the Australian community, especially to people who are vulnerable, suffering and underprivileged and we are humbled that our efforts are so widely welcomed, encouraged and supported.
This non-discriminatory commitment to love and serve others is highlighted in our international mission statement which says we are: ‘to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination’. We believe that God loves everyone. We call on all Salvationists and community members to show this same love to others.
We have zero tolerance for bullying and as such, there is no situation where it is acceptable. Every person regardless of race, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, age or religion has the right to feel safe so they can achieve their full God-given potential. We emphasize that the alarming high rate of bullying and suicide among LGBTIQ school students evokes deep concern within The Salvation Army.
There are many accounts of marginalised students benefiting from aspects of the Safe Schools programs which have resulted in a safer, more caring culture forming in those schools. In this regard, we recognise the program’s intent to address bullying. Whilst acknowledging such positive outcomes, The Salvation Army cannot unconditionally support the Safe Schools programs in Australia in their current form. We believe there needs to be consideration and refinement to the scope and form of implementation.
We believe the availability of support services for every vulnerable student including those identifying as LGBTIQ is vital. We also believe the provision of a government approved anti-bullying program needs to consider all high risk student groups. To this end, The Salvation Army is open to working with State and Federal Governments and other agencies to develop a program that more comprehensively addresses the issues associated with bullying within schools.
We call on all Salvationists and the community at large to treat each other with respect and grace. Jesus said that after loving God, the second most important commandment is to love our neighbour as we love ourself. Everyone has the right to always feel safe and to be treated with respect and grace.
For further information or to make comment, please email the National Secretary for Communications at – nsc@aus.salvationarmy.org
As mentioned, this is a good start, although there are probably more questions raised than answered here. All we are told is that TSA “cannot unconditionally support” the SS program and “there needs to be consideration and refinement to the scope and form of implementation”.
What exactly that means is of course anyone’s guess. What sort of “consideration and refinement” are we talking about here? A few bits of tinkering around the edges, or something much more fundamental? Given that the entire program is about Marxist social engineering and the total promotion of all things homosexual and transgender, along with the complete assault on gender and sexuality as God designed it, cosmetic changes certainly will not suffice.
One could also assess the new statement in terms of the whole counsel of God. In the 400-word statement, the word ‘love’ is mentioned 9 times. We also have plenty of words from the progressive lexicon such as discrimination, compassion, tolerance, sexual orientation, and the like.
But how many times do we find biblical words and concepts like the following mentioned: holiness, righteousness, purity, sin, justice, marriage, the sin of homosexuality, and so on? Not once. All in all this reads like something that the Labor left or the Greens might have written, rather than something William and Catherine Booth might have penned.
One can understand seeking to be very careful in what one says publically, especially when government funding is involved. However Christian organisations should never shy away from proclaiming biblical truth in all its fullness. But the fact that this retraction of sorts has occurred is something I and many others can applaud as a first step.
It remains to be seen however how all this will pan out. As mentioned, if just a few cosmetic changes are run with, then we are back to square one. But if a substantial and deep-rooted set of changes is proffered, then we will be moving in the right direction indeed.
For what it is worth, my suggestion would be that they not support the SS program at all, and instead develop a genuine anti-bullying program which covers everyone, and is not just a cheap excuse for homosexual propaganda and proselytising.
In the meantime, please keep praying for the Salvo leadership, and please keep letting them know what you think. Well done to all of you who prayed, and all of you who raised your voices and expressed your deep concerns. You are champs.
17 Replies to “Salvo Back-Down on “Safe Schools” – A Small But Welcome Start”
Wishy washy has you luke-warm.
Thanks, Bill. Heartening news, but why were ‘the Salvos’ so quick to accept the ‘Safe Schools’ propaganda as fact and so readily endorse it?
Yes good question Stephen.
I believe the Booths would be horrified to see that TSA now has one foot in each camp. To me this is the antithesis of everything The Army originally represented. Does this mean they lose Government funding? Personally I feel this is too little, too late. They’ve already, sadly, lost my respect, being a far cry from their original evangelistic ministry and care for the poor. These days, once an organization adjusts its agenda to ensure government funding, the gospel is inevitably watered down.
Yes quite so Ann. Considering what they said in their 2014 Annual Report, it looks like government funding means a whole lot to them:
Funding from federal and state governments is critical to the operation of Salvation Army services and programmes across the Australia Southern Territory. The Salvation Army will continue to seek funding support from all levels of government in order to continue to deliver services and provide positive outcomes for those that seek its support.
Compromise always can creep in when a group becomes dependent on government funding instead of trusting in God’s provision.
Yes and again you highlight the importance of not using the terms that the Marxists ideologues try to force onto people. They know well that if you use their words then they are able to manipulate your thinking. Yes using the words God has given us also helps to control our thinking but in a way our creator knows works to produce morality and just outcomes.
It is refreshing to hear someone say it as it is!! Some of the commentaries that are put forward from supposed representatives of the Christian church are lukewarm to alarming to say the least.
Just goes to prove they can claim to be a Church but that doesn’t make them the Church that Jesus is building.
Keep it straight up the line Bill we need that!!
Sounds to me that TSA is using genuine Australian bulldust. Bulldust is vacuous powder, the dust of the country side blown about that fills a whole in the road. Same colour as the road but no substance, deceptive. Heavy vehicles can break an axle. Light ones can roll. Repentance like what Paul commended the Corinthian church for is what is required. Do they obey God? or Nero? To the Law and to the Testimony should be every Salvationists cry. Out with “Safe” Schools Coalition. Trust God not the government for the necessary finance to give practical love to all. What did Jesus do in the Temple! Twice. So would William and Catherine Booth.
As a member of the Salvation Army I find it incredible that the Salvation Army has been very silent on the Same Sex Marriage issue and now this. I am in the process of writing a letter to Australia’s leader as well as the General in London regarding the Salvation Army’s recent support for the “Safe Schools” program. It didn’t surprise me. Apostasy abounds and compromise is very evident. The first doctrine of the Salvation Army states: ” We believe that the scriptures of the Old and New Testament were given by the inspiration of God and they only constitute the divine rule of Christian faith and practice” Well, no scripture has been used to come up with their decision. I am fearful to what’s coming next. Frightening that we have leaders like this but the scriptures tell us these things will happen. Even so Lord, Come.
Many thanks for that Neil. Yes that first doctrine of TSA certainly is fully at odds with all the political correctness and worldliness we see creeping in.
As soon as they use this statement: “Every person regardless of race, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, age or religion has the right to feel safe so they can achieve their full God-given potential.” They are saying they believe God gets it wrong sometimes.
They have fallen for the lie that God does “make” some people “gay”, and that God sometimes gets peoples gender wrong, when He knits them together in their mothers womb. I believe TSA Victorian Council need to resign their officer commissions after this monumental blunder.
Can i make a humble suggestion.
Please contact The Salvation army directly and seek some understanding directly from our leadership before any statement is made.
It would be more helpful for the body of Christ to support and try to understand one another, rather than condemn each other.
I sure hope Bill, that you have made direct contact with our leadership before you made the statements. Whilst its good to rattle the age form time to time, its better for the whole body if we support each other somehow. We ( TSA) are not perfect and neiothe risnayoen for that matter, i personally applaud TSA leadership for the courage to go back and revisit this sorry episode. I am an Officer in TSA and I want to encourage each one, to go to our primary source before a secondary source is quoted. And that would mean direct dialogue with our leaders.
Thanks Gary. I have spoken with plenty of Salvos, including leaders in TSA. And sorry, but you appear to be rather confused here. As everyone can see, I of course quoted no secondary sources at all. The two documents I directly replied to were the exact, explicit public statements made by the Salvos. I quoted in full, and provided a link to, the original Victorian statement in my original article, and here I of course quoted in full, and provided a link to, the National statement. So you are quite off base here.
And if we want to be biblical here – and I certainly do – then the Scriptural principle is crystal clear: public sin warrants public rebuke while private sin warrants private rebuke. Pretending the two VERY public and proud statements issued on this – first by the Victorian Salvos and then by the National Salvos – were somehow a private matter that should illicit no public discussion is ludicrous in the extreme. For more on these core biblical principle, see here:
Hi Bill, since making similar comments on a facebook site “You know you’re a salvo when…..” I have been blocked from it. I have also been blocked from another site “Aussie Salvo Bands”. I haven’t commented on this site for a long time. I believe that different administrators are responsible for both sites. Conspiracy? Anyhow, the battle is well and truly on in these last “Last days” Very interesting indeed.
I find it preposterous in this day and age that a small group of Salvo officers took the high moral ground in making a statement on the Safe Schools Program, treating their members like “peasants”!
Autocracy in mind control is a thing of the past. People Power will not put up with this nonsense anymore!
Thank you Bill for addressing this, and to the Christian community that stood up too! Your courage and straight talk has had an effect!
The salvos have been in spiritual decline for quite a while, so it shouldn’t surprise anyone!
AND: When you give to the Salvos, remember that NOT all of the money goes to where they say, Just a small portion. I have PROOF!
Wishy washy has you luke-warm.
Thanks, Bill. Heartening news, but why were ‘the Salvos’ so quick to accept the ‘Safe Schools’ propaganda as fact and so readily endorse it?
Yes good question Stephen.
I believe the Booths would be horrified to see that TSA now has one foot in each camp. To me this is the antithesis of everything The Army originally represented. Does this mean they lose Government funding? Personally I feel this is too little, too late. They’ve already, sadly, lost my respect, being a far cry from their original evangelistic ministry and care for the poor. These days, once an organization adjusts its agenda to ensure government funding, the gospel is inevitably watered down.
Yes quite so Ann. Considering what they said in their 2014 Annual Report, it looks like government funding means a whole lot to them:
http://www.salvationarmy.org.au/en/Who-We-Are/Publications-reports-submissions/Reports–Submissions/2014/Annual-Report-2014/Our-Partners/
Compromise always can creep in when a group becomes dependent on government funding instead of trusting in God’s provision.
Yes and again you highlight the importance of not using the terms that the Marxists ideologues try to force onto people. They know well that if you use their words then they are able to manipulate your thinking. Yes using the words God has given us also helps to control our thinking but in a way our creator knows works to produce morality and just outcomes.
It is refreshing to hear someone say it as it is!! Some of the commentaries that are put forward from supposed representatives of the Christian church are lukewarm to alarming to say the least.
Just goes to prove they can claim to be a Church but that doesn’t make them the Church that Jesus is building.
Keep it straight up the line Bill we need that!!
Sounds to me that TSA is using genuine Australian bulldust. Bulldust is vacuous powder, the dust of the country side blown about that fills a whole in the road. Same colour as the road but no substance, deceptive. Heavy vehicles can break an axle. Light ones can roll. Repentance like what Paul commended the Corinthian church for is what is required. Do they obey God? or Nero? To the Law and to the Testimony should be every Salvationists cry. Out with “Safe” Schools Coalition. Trust God not the government for the necessary finance to give practical love to all. What did Jesus do in the Temple! Twice. So would William and Catherine Booth.
As a member of the Salvation Army I find it incredible that the Salvation Army has been very silent on the Same Sex Marriage issue and now this. I am in the process of writing a letter to Australia’s leader as well as the General in London regarding the Salvation Army’s recent support for the “Safe Schools” program. It didn’t surprise me. Apostasy abounds and compromise is very evident. The first doctrine of the Salvation Army states: ” We believe that the scriptures of the Old and New Testament were given by the inspiration of God and they only constitute the divine rule of Christian faith and practice” Well, no scripture has been used to come up with their decision. I am fearful to what’s coming next. Frightening that we have leaders like this but the scriptures tell us these things will happen. Even so Lord, Come.
Many thanks for that Neil. Yes that first doctrine of TSA certainly is fully at odds with all the political correctness and worldliness we see creeping in.
As soon as they use this statement: “Every person regardless of race, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, age or religion has the right to feel safe so they can achieve their full God-given potential.” They are saying they believe God gets it wrong sometimes.
They have fallen for the lie that God does “make” some people “gay”, and that God sometimes gets peoples gender wrong, when He knits them together in their mothers womb. I believe TSA Victorian Council need to resign their officer commissions after this monumental blunder.
Can i make a humble suggestion.
Please contact The Salvation army directly and seek some understanding directly from our leadership before any statement is made.
It would be more helpful for the body of Christ to support and try to understand one another, rather than condemn each other.
I sure hope Bill, that you have made direct contact with our leadership before you made the statements. Whilst its good to rattle the age form time to time, its better for the whole body if we support each other somehow. We ( TSA) are not perfect and neiothe risnayoen for that matter, i personally applaud TSA leadership for the courage to go back and revisit this sorry episode. I am an Officer in TSA and I want to encourage each one, to go to our primary source before a secondary source is quoted. And that would mean direct dialogue with our leaders.
Thanks Gary. I have spoken with plenty of Salvos, including leaders in TSA. And sorry, but you appear to be rather confused here. As everyone can see, I of course quoted no secondary sources at all. The two documents I directly replied to were the exact, explicit public statements made by the Salvos. I quoted in full, and provided a link to, the original Victorian statement in my original article, and here I of course quoted in full, and provided a link to, the National statement. So you are quite off base here.
And if we want to be biblical here – and I certainly do – then the Scriptural principle is crystal clear: public sin warrants public rebuke while private sin warrants private rebuke. Pretending the two VERY public and proud statements issued on this – first by the Victorian Salvos and then by the National Salvos – were somehow a private matter that should illicit no public discussion is ludicrous in the extreme. For more on these core biblical principle, see here:
https://billmuehlenberg.com/2013/08/16/on-public-rebuke/
Hi Bill, since making similar comments on a facebook site “You know you’re a salvo when…..” I have been blocked from it. I have also been blocked from another site “Aussie Salvo Bands”. I haven’t commented on this site for a long time. I believe that different administrators are responsible for both sites. Conspiracy? Anyhow, the battle is well and truly on in these last “Last days” Very interesting indeed.
I find it preposterous in this day and age that a small group of Salvo officers took the high moral ground in making a statement on the Safe Schools Program, treating their members like “peasants”!
Autocracy in mind control is a thing of the past. People Power will not put up with this nonsense anymore!
Thank you Bill for addressing this, and to the Christian community that stood up too! Your courage and straight talk has had an effect!
The salvos have been in spiritual decline for quite a while, so it shouldn’t surprise anyone!
AND: When you give to the Salvos, remember that NOT all of the money goes to where they say, Just a small portion. I have PROOF!