Pop star Darren Hayes blasts Salvation Army for stance on gay unions

[~ Melbourne Aus Guy]

Pop star Darren Hayes blasts Salvation Army for stance on gay unions




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Gay star voices his anger

THE LUNCH BREAK: The Salvation Army is facing a backlash after its online anti-*******uality and gay marriage stance sparked a social media...



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Church leaders scaremongering- Greens

The Greens have accused church leaders of scaremongering congregations against same-*** marriage.


VOICING HIS ANGER: Darren Hayes with Delta Goodrem on The Voice. Source: Supplied



THE Salvation Army is facing a backlash after its online anti-*******uality and gay marriage stance sparked a social media boycott campaign.

Gay pop star Darren Hayes - the face of '90s hit machine Savage Garden, Logan's most famous musical export and a current mentor on The Voice - has called for the boycott.
The Salvos responded last night by pointing out they helped Australia's most marginalised and needy, including gay and transgender people.
The Federal Government will release its report on gay marriage today.
After spotting the Salvos' online statement on *******uality, Hayes tweeted to his 60,748 followers: "Important for gay people to know the true position of the Salvation Army when considering who to donate to. Sad."



Hayes - who married his boyfriend Richard Cullen in London in 2006 after divorcing his "childhood sweetheart" Colby Taylor, who he had married in Brisbane in 1994 - said asking people to control their ***uality was like asking someone to change their eye colour.
The virtual spat came as parishioners across the country were being urged yesterday to call their federal MPs and tell them to vote no to gay marriage.
In Queensland, however, the Catholic and Anglican churches were more reserved. Neither church read a letter to their parishioners.
Instead, Catholic Archbishop Mark Coleridge placed a call to Premier Campbell Newman and his parliamentary colleagues asking them to repeal civil union legislation. It follows Mr Newman's decision last week to amend legislation so it no longer includes provision for a state-sanctioned ceremony.
Couples can instead hold a private ceremony.
The move helped appease the Australian Christian Lobby and was met with a mixed reaction from gay rights activists, but Archbishop Coleridge said the church was not satisfied with the compromise.
Salvation Army spokesman Major Bruce Harmer said most of Australia's faith-based charities would be excluded from receiving donations if judged purely on Hayes' criteria.
"Look at how an organisation treats and deals with members of the community who are marginalised, vulnerable, experiencing disadvantage or oppression," he said.
"On that measure, TSA is one of the most compassionate and non-discriminatory in the way it works with people who are marginalised in our community, including many who are gay, lesbian, bi***ual and transgender."
He said gay people could be officers of the church if they vowed to be celibate, as with unmarried hetero***uals.
Major Harmer said a statement on its website, which described *******uality as "unacceptable" to God and that it should be "restrained" with willpower, was its current position.

[~ Melbourne Aus Guy]

I might be gay , But I think that to have debate you will always have some one who agrees and some who disagree with you

does not mean you should boycott that organization unless there doing something illegal or un ethical


In fact when the bushfires ripped through the victorian woodland destroying home and leaving people homeless
i was in the Salvation Army factory helping move donated goods


they are a wonderful organization

[Aquilla]

....they are a wonderful organization.

Civil rights are not achieved by taking away the rights of others, it does not matter one jot if religious organisations want to choose who to marry or not! because once legalised by 'the state' someone some where will conduct the same s.ex marriages when that happens they will soon fall into line and follow suit as they have done throughout history when scientific or social change has occurred. Yes I agree they really are a great organisation!



Edit: Added related article



Australian Salvation Army apologises for officials anti-gay comment

The Australian Salvation Army has apologised after a senior official said that gay people should be put to death.

Stacey Cosens
PinkPaper

24 June 2012


The Australian Salvation Army has apologised after a senior official said that gay people should be put to death.Major Andrew Craibe was asked by an Australian LGBT radio station if the organisation believed LGBT people should die.

Major Craibe said: “You know, we have an alignment to the Scriptures, but that’s our belief.”
He added: “I qualify by way of, that’s where my belief system is structured, you know? It’s what it comes to, that salvation story, and that we can be redeemed from that. That’s my belief.”

Major Bruce Harmer, the Salvation Army’s Communications and Public Relations Secretary for its Eastern Territory, said in a statement: “The Salvation Army sincerely apologizes to all members of the [LGBT] community and to all our clients, employees, volunteers and those who are part of our faith communities for the offence caused by this miscommunication.
“The Scripture in question, viewed in its broader context, is not referring to physical death, nor is it specifically targeted at hom.os.exual behaviour.”

He added: “The leadership of The Salvation Army continues to reflect on Christian and Biblical tradition, and especially on the themes of justice and mercy, to further deepen the understandings of our own members and build a more healthy relationship with the [LGBT] community.

“We pledge to continue to offer services to all Australians and to treat each person with dignity, respect and non-discrimination.”