SallyAnn buying Transformed Disciples (to Yoel)
David Court (hoover1@NETCOM.CA)
Tue, 17 Jun 1997 22:13:58 -0400 (EDT)
>Helen Willis wrote:
>>
>> CARR-2
>> My last paragraph was a little tongue in cheek but many, many people
>> have converted to Christianity after having received charity from
>> Christian missionaries. The Salvation Army was created to exploit this
>> very thing. (I assume the Sally Ann exists in America too). Very
>> recently, the Jesus Army was created and works on similar lines.
>>
>> SCOURT
>> Hate to jump into the Carr/Kirby debate uninvited, but-The Salvation Army?
>> Come on! The Salvation Army was created to exploit the inclination of poor
>> people to convert when they receive charity from Christians?
>>
>> Grace
>> SteveC
>> It's Jesus or hell.
>> http://www.stardate.bc.ca/wlsalvo/
>>
>> Helen:
>> Hello, Steve, long time no hear. For those on the list who haven't heard
>> from Steve Court before, he's David's brother and a Sally Ann officer.
>> Steve, when I was a lost and drunken sod on the streets of San Francisco,
>> NY city, and numerous other places, it seemed to me that the Sally Anns
>> pushed Jesus down other folks' throats a lot harder than the Catholics, Glide
>> Memorial, the Church of Man, or the People's Temple. The Hari Krishnas
>> dropped hints that they would like it if you paid for their free food, but
>> they didn't ask you to either attend a service or pray with them. They, also
>> had the best food, at least, if you are a vegetarian, which I am.
>> I think that there may be something of God in the instinctive acts of
>> kindness that some folks give to suffering creatures just because they feel
>> for them in their suffering, but Christians poison this holy gentleness by
>> claiming some kind of monopoly on it and then useing it for proselytizing
>> purposes.
>> Helen Willis
>> hhiwater@bright.net
>
>(Ian 6/16) Well, Steve and David ought to be able to tell you about the
>Salvatipon
>Army. I understand they are fourth generation SA soldiers.
>
>(DAVE 6/16) Ian: We are (on our paternal side) and 3rd generation on our
>maternal side - I no longer belong to the Salvation Army so Steve would be
>the one to ask more about it currently than me (of course I was brought up
>as a member, or "soldier", so I'm certainly not ignorant about it). Steve's
>a good guy, and serves God through the Salvation Army with faithfulness,
>sincerity and enthusiasm - I'm very proud of my "little" brother (the
>younger the brother the bigger they get :))
>
yoel-
What is an SA soldier?
(DAVE 6/17) Yoel: Steve might be a better person to give you the answer,
but in the Salvation Army, military terminology is given to not only the
members, but all aspects of the organization - the idea being that it is an
"army" fighting the salvation "war" - that is predominantly what the
Salvation Army is (the churches are "corps", holidays are "furloughs",
giving an offering is "firing a cartridge" etc).
A "soldier" is a member of the SA, having gone through soldiership and
discipleship "classes" and making the commintment to God through belief in
Jesus Christ. The clergy within the Salvation Army are given "ranks" - my
brother is a "Lieutenant" and shortly will become a "Captain" (based on
years service until I think a certain level - Colonel I believe but he would
know that for sure). All officers are soldiers, but not all soldiers are
officers. The top ranking officer in the Salvation Army is the "General",
who bases himself out of London. The current one is General Paul Rader from
California who succeeded the first woman General, Eva Burrows from Australia.
In our family, my maternal grandparents were Colonels, and spent more than
50 years in the "field". My mom was an officer for a couple of years before
she married my dad and left that role - they still remain active soldiers in
the SA. My paternal grandparents were offciers for a couple of years in the
1930's before leaving because of health reasons - they remained active
soldiers as well until they died. Our paternal greatgrandparents were part
of the SA in its infancy in England. My brother Steve is an officer and my
other brother Rick is an active soldier. Only I no longer belong (in our
family).
I can send you the 10 doctrines of the Salvation Army and its Mission
Statement if you are interested.
Hope this helps a little in defining what you asked.
Dave.
"The Salvation Army is one of the few Christian organizations in Europe that
enjoys the respect of the secular culture. Though the culture may reject
the religious convictions of the Army, they are aware that when a crisis
occurs and people are in pain, the Salvation Army is there. That kind of
reputation is what the Church is supposed to have and will have when it
takes its priestly task seriously in a community."
- Sproul