Salvation Army May Not Proselytize
The NYCLU New York Civil Liberties Union has reached a settlement with the Salvation Army!
The lawsuit was filed in 2004 after the Salvation Army required workers in government funded programs to sign a document that said they will “Preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”
“This agreement protects the religious freedom of all New Yorkers who rely on faith-based organizations for crucial government-funded social services,” NYCLU Executive Director Donna Lieberman said. “Our taxpayer money shouldn’t support religious indoctrination of anyone – particularly children. And no one should be subject to proselytizing because they need foster care, adoption, child care or HIV services. This settlement ensures that religious organizations may not preach to people who receive government-funded social services or discriminate against them based on their religious beliefs.”
DUH! We have to go to court to get this basic right? It’s bad enough that churches demand a 10% fee for your soul, but the Salvation Army wants to hold your job ransom. If you don’t agree with them – bam – you’re unemployed! Make sure you never put money in their little buckets at christmas time. Give it to a good cause instead.
It’s good that the courts have worked in this case. The sad thing is that it took 6 years. This is why we cannot give any government money to religious organizations. They cannot resist the temptation to impose their beliefs on others. They always have and always will.
