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1. Salvation Army
a. DoctrineDoctrines:
1. Belief that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments were given by inspiration of God; and that only they constitute the divine rule of Christian faith and practice.
2. Belief that there is only one God who is infinitely Perfect - the Creator, Preserver and Governor of all things - and who is the only proper object of religious worship.
3. Belief that there are three persons in the Godhead - the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost - undivided in essence and co-equal in power and glory.
4. Belief that in the person of Jesus Christ the divine and human natures are united, so that he is truly and properly God and truly and properly man.
5. Belief that our first parents were created in a state of innocence, but by their disobedience they lost their purity and happiness, and that in consequence of their fall all men have become sinners, totally depraved, and as such are justly exposed to the wrath of God.
6. Belief that the Lord Jesus Christ has, by his suffering and death, made an atonement for the whole world so that whosoever will may be saved.
7. Belief that repentance towards God, faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, and regeneration (being born again) by the Holy Spirit are necessary to salvation.
8. Belief that we are justified by grace through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ and that he that believes has the witness in himself.
9. Belief that continuance in a state of salvation depends upon continued obedient faith in Christ.
10. Belief that it is the privilege of all believers to be wholly sanctified, and that their whole spirit and soul and body may be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Thessalonians 5:23)
11. Belief in the immortality of the soul; in the resurrection of the body; in the general judgment at the end of the world; in the eternal happiness of the righteous; and in the endless punishment of the wicked.
The Salvation Army has always seen itself primarily as a Christian church, but this has been eroded in the public's perceptions over the years. It is now seen externally to be mainly a social services charity and/or thrift shop. Some members of The Salvation Army are keen to re-emphasise their role as a Christian church.
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b. Separation of Church and State
Controversy over Separation of Church and State
The Salvation Army has come under attack for what some people see as discrimination in hiring and for its requirements on how employees should behave. Despite the tax breaks it receives as a registered charity, and its government funding (about 11 percent of total revenues, in the form of grants and payments for services), it has a stated policy of "discrimination" against applicants and employees whose faith or sexual orientation are not acceptable to The Salvation Army. The Army's position is that because it is a church, Section VII of the US Civil Rights Act of 1964 explicitly guarantees its rights to discriminate in hiring.
In a recent case, the New York Federal Court ruled that organization could use religious criteria in its hiring; that ruling is being appealed by the New York Civil Liberties Union. Other issues in the lawsuit by 19 current and former employees are still under consideration by the trial court.
The State of New York has proposed legislation that requires businesses to offer health benefits to same-sex partners of employees. The Salvation Army opposes this policy and has threatened to close its soup kitchens and shelters across New York.
2. State "Non-Military" MilitiasLike a State wide volunteer fire department for major disasters.
State Defense Forces, State Guards, State Military Reserve, or State Militia in the United States are military units that operate under the sole authority of a state government. State Defense Forces are authorized by state and federal law and are under the command of the governor, as commander-in-chief, through the Adjutant General as the state's chief military officer.
State Defense Forces are distinct from the National Guard in that they are not federal entities and cannot be made so. The federal government officially recognized State Defense Forces under 32 USC Sec 109 and provided that State Defense Forces "may not be called, ordered, or drafted into the armed forces" (of the United States), thus preserving their separation from the National Guard.
Only about 25 states currently have active State Defense Forces, plus Puerto Rico, each with different levels of activity, state support, and strength.
SDFs generally operate with emergency management and homeland security missions.
Most states organize their State Defense Force in parallel to their National Guard force, having it report to the governor through the Adjutant General. The Force is not funded by the federal government in any way. In most states, members act on a completely volunteer basis, have to purchase any uniforms after the first, and supply their own arms (if armed).
Coastie's opinion - having been a Red Cross volunteer in several large natural disasters and fires, and having been in the Coast Guard through several hurricanes.
Disasters have "scale" - if we're talking about one cul d'sac or a dozen houses in a flood plain or one apartment house (even with 30-50 families) - a well equipped Police Department or Fire Department "Community Service Branch" with an up-to-date Rolodex can accomplish the same thing as the local Red Cross Chapter or local Salvation Army Center or any of the other Agencies cited in this thread. At the "neighborhood" scale the Red Cross, Salvation Army, or State Defense force don't have any additional value add.
Some where up the scale - above several hundred families dislocated, there is a need for the command, communications, control, accountability, authority, responsibility, etc. of a Red Cross Service Area, a Salvation or a National Guard.
Between several dozen families - and several hundred families- I don't think it make much difference. I would be happy with FEMA's augmented and under the operational control of the local Office of Emergency Services and Fire Department.
My own bias - I prefer the Red Cross to the "Faith Based" organizations and the "Political Agenda" organizations.
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