CALGARY Salvation Army throws out donations "incompatible with Christian beliefs"

[Camikaze]

Well, apparently this is all just a big misunderstanding of some sort, but I agree that you should know as much about the organizations to which you donate as you can.

My charitable donations go to secular organizations; I'd prefer to avoid an agency acting on its own agenda and imposing its own morality, rather than just providing donations to needy recipients.

CBC also ran a story on this issue; it appears to be a policy of the Calgary branch of Sally Ann, not a national policy: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/calgary/story/2010/12/09/calgary-salvation-army-harry-potter-toys.html

So yeah, it is still a policy, just not at a national or international level. So the point remains that yes, you should know as much about an organisation you donate too as possible. I mean, if you're just handing in a few toys, it's understandable to not know all that much, but for bigger donations at least, reading through some information first would be advisable.

I don't think that completely missing religious based organisations is necessary. You just need to be careful which ones you donate to. But church based organisations largely do not have disagreeable agendas (i.e. charitable agendas tainted by theology).

 

[shadowplay]

TLDR version: The Salvation Army (Sally Anne in Canada) throws donated Harry Potter and Twilight toys into the trash rather than giving them to needy children, but passes toy M-16s and other guns on to 10-year olds.

http://www.torontosun.com/news/canad.../16478011.html

EDIT: The CBC ran another story on this issue, which clarifies that this is a local policy of the Calgary branch of Sally Anne: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/calgary/sto...tter-toys.html (I updated the thread title accordingly.)

The CBC version of the story also states that the toys the Calgary branch chooses not to use are donated to other charities that can distribute them as they wish. Doesn't sound like throwing it in the trash to me.

 

[SuperJay]

I don't think that completely missing religious based organisations is necessary. You just need to be careful which ones you donate to. But church based organisations largely do not have disagreeable agendas (i.e. charitable agendas tainted by theology).

In the case of the Salvation Army, I have bigger problems with it than Twilight or Harry Potter toys. The whole anti-LGBT rights stance (in the U.S. at least) and their desire to discriminate against gays stops me from making any donations via their organizations.

Certainly secular organizations could just as prone to corruption or mismanagement as religious ones; my feeling is that by donating solely through secular organizations, there's one less factor that can potentially interfere with my donations reaching the needy people they're intended to help. A secular organization isn't likely to decide that X toy or other item doesn't conform to Y passage in a religious book (a book which doesn't correspond to my own faith). In the case of financial donations, I'm more comfortable knowing that my money isn't funding programs that are also vehicles for proselytizing about specific beliefs.

And of course there are church-based organizations with perfectly agreeable methods. I used to to charitable work through my church - we helped build and renovate houses for low-income families. Faith-based charities aren't automatically bad, but I see too much contradiction in organizations like the Salvation Army to donate through them.

 

[MagisterCultuum]

This is entirely just. Harry Potter and Twilight are awful books, and no child, much less an adult, ought to read them.

Harry Potter is overrated, but not awful.

 

[ParkCungHee]

Harry Potter is overrated, but not awful.

Are we counting the later books?

 

[Askthepizzaguy]

Magic is just plain wrong and amoral. We shouldn't be teaching that nonsense to our kids. I think they should get rid of all books and toys which encourage the belief in magic and satan and so forth.

Starting with the Bible.

Spoiler :

/satire

 

[negZero]

So when did a toy M16 become compatible with Christian beliefs?

 

[Incodcito]

TLDR version: The Salvation Army (Sally Anne in Canada) throws donated Harry Potter and Twilight toys into the trash rather than giving them to needy children, but passes toy M-16s and other guns on to 10-year olds.

http://www.torontosun.com/news/canada/2010/12/08/16478011.html

EDIT: The CBC ran another story on this issue, which clarifies that this is a local policy of the Calgary branch of Sally Anne: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/calgary/story/2010/12/09/calgary-salvation-army-harry-potter-toys.html (I updated the thread title accordingly.)

Just when I think I am too critical of religious folk, I see this.

 

[Camikaze]

In the case of the Salvation Army, I have bigger problems with it than Twilight or Harry Potter toys. The whole anti-LGBT rights stance (in the U.S. at least) and their desire to discriminate against gays stops me from making any donations via their organizations.

I would definitely agree with this. I've made mental notes never to donate to certain organisations for similar reasons. However, that is the theologically tainted agenda I'm referring to, that a lot of religious based organisations are free of.

Certainly secular organizations could just as prone to corruption or mismanagement as religious ones; my feeling is that by donating solely through secular organizations, there's one less factor that can potentially interfere with my donations reaching the needy people they're intended to help. A secular organization isn't likely to decide that X toy or other item doesn't conform to Y passage in a religious book (a book which doesn't correspond to my own faith). In the case of financial donations, I'm more comfortable knowing that my money isn't funding programs that are also vehicles for proselytizing about specific beliefs.

And of course there are church-based organizations with perfectly agreeable methods. I used to to charitable work through my church - we helped build and renovate houses for low-income families. Faith-based charities aren't automatically bad, but I see too much contradiction in organizations like the Salvation Army to donate through them.

Look, that's completely fair enough. I'm just saying that there should be no issue with donating to a religious based organisation unless they do actually have a disagreeable agenda. But I guess if you are simply eliminating that possible factor and still donating just as much to just as worthy causes, no harm is done.

 

[Tani Coyote]

I understand they try to use "we're a church!" as an excuse for crap, but the fact they throw donations out rather than returning them or giving them to someone else mustn't go unpunished.

Revoke their charitable status. The state can always use more tax revenue!

 

[Incodcito]

So when did a toy M16 become incompatible with Christian beliefs?

Me detects a sophist trap.

 

[shadowplay]

I understand they try to use "we're a church!" as an excuse for crap, but the fact they throw donations out rather than returning them or giving them to someone else mustn't go unpunished.

Revoke their charitable status. The state can always use more tax revenue!

*Cough*:

Goodyear noted that anything the charity does not hand out is sent to other agencies that may choose to give them away.

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/calgary/st...ion-army-harry-potter-toys.html#ixzz17ezq7Lgh

 

[JollyRoger]

That "other agency" being the city dump.

 

[shadowplay]

That "other agency" being the city dump.

Scallywag!

 

[choxorn]

I support the banning of Twilight-related things, as they can harm young children. And old children. And anyone else.

 

[negZero]

Me detects a sophist trap.

Is it still a trap when you put giant neon sign saying "TRAP" nearby?

 

[Askthepizzaguy]

Is it still a trap when you put giant neon sign saying "TRAP" nearby?

Yes, then it becomes a trap specifically designed for the illiterate or those with no common sense, and there are a lot of those kinds of people.

 

[negZero]

Yes, then it becomes a trap specifically designed for the illiterate or those with no common sense, and there are a lot of those kinds of people.

Thats not a trap, thats a service to humanity.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

Yes, then it becomes a trap specifically designed for the illiterate or those with no common sense, and there are a lot of those kinds of people.

Or those who don't always believe giant neon signs and decide to try for themselves

 

[Askthepizzaguy]

Thats not a trap, thats a service to humanity.

This thread can now be merged with the social darwinism thread.