Just hours after the LGBT advocacy group “Truth Wins Out” published an interview in which a senior Salvation Army official in Australia said the belief that gays must die is part of the Salvation Army’s “Christian doctrine,” the organization on Saturday issued an apology to the LGBT community.
Major Andrew Craibe, Territorial Media Relations Director for the Southern Territory in Victoria, made the incendiary comments in an interview with LGBT journalists Serena Ryan and Pete Dillon for the Australian radio show “Salt and Pepper.”
Andrew Craibe
Ryan noted that the Salvation Army handbook cites Romans 1:18-32, a passage claiming that “God’s decree” is that homosexuals deserve death, and asked Craibe if the Salvation Army took that passage literally. Craibe replied in the affirmative, and continued to do so throughout the interview.
RYAN: . . . that says, according to the Salvation Army, that [they] deserve death. How do you respond to that, as part of your doctrine?
CRAIBE: Well, that’s a part of our belief system.
RYAN (cutting in): So we should die.
CRAIBE: You know, we have an alignment to the Scriptures, but that’s our belief.
RYAN: Wow. So we should die.
Recording of interview at Truth Wins Out →
In response, Major Bruce Harmer, Salvation Army Communications and Public Relations Secretary for the Eastern Territory, issued a statement and said that Craibe’s responses to Ryan and Dillon were a “miscommunication” that resulted in a misrepresentation of the group’s official teaching.
The statement read, in part:
“The Salvation Army sincerely apologizes to all members of the GLBT community and to all our clients, employees, volunteers and those who are part of our faith communities for the offense caused by this miscommunication.”
Harmer added that the Salvation Army is committed to building “a more healthy relationship with the GLBT community.”
“The Salvation Army was wise to distance itself from Major Craibe’s disturbing remarks and apologize promptly for them,” said John Becker, Director of Communications for Truth Wins Out.
“However, it’s clear from Major Harmer’s statement that the group still believes ‘homosexual behavior’ is sinful. The Salvation Army and the LGBT community cannot possibly have a healthy relationship while these offensive beliefs remain in place,” said Becker.
“In Major Harmer’s statement, the Salvation Army promises to treat each person with dignity, respect, and non-discrimination,’” added Wayne Besen, TWO’s Executive Director. “But this pledge means very little unless it is accompanied by a reversal of the Salvation Army’s discriminatory, anti-gay teachings.”
Since 1986, The Salvation Army has taken an active role in at least five major assaults on LGBT equality.
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What a nut job
Its bc of people like that that we cant be happy and have equality. How sad!
i hope he’s hit by the kharma bus
folks dont realize that salvation army is NOT a non profit organization, its a christian, bigoted entity, with deep-seeded hatred for LGBT . DO NOT donate to this fucked up entity.
what a douchebag
Wow…such haters!!!
But didn’t really mean it.
Goodwill is worse-much worse. While they do not discriminate,I keep hearing frequent stories from goodwill workers about how Goodwill STILL throws 80% of perfectly good donations into the Goodwill dumpster and compacts that stuff,destroying it. I heard that Salvation army never throws donations away,plus they are working hard to accept the LGBT community. I stopped donating to Goodwill all together. Even though i’m gay,I’d rather donate to Salvation Army. Goodwill is just way TOO wasteful.
What a dumbass, ingorant idiot
As g gay member of The Salvation Army, I can tell you from personal experience that The Salvation Army has not, and does not now condone violence against the GLBT community.
The Salvation Army’s official statement [from Australia] is here:
http://salvos.org.au/about-us/media-centre/documents/ResponseJOYFMqusFINAL_000.pdf
that should be: “has not now, nor has it ever condoned violence against the GLBT community”
@Huruka I know for a fact Salvation Army does the same thing. My mom worked there.
omg so sad! :(
I’m with George Carlin re stuff like this.
It’ll be a cold day in h— before they get another penny from me.
I think if I hear the word “miscommunication” one more time to justify someone’s completely unjustifiable statement, I may begin to throw large, heavy objects.
Typical.
People like this do not define or
control our happiness or self respect. We do.
sad and hypocritical, considering how many lgbt people who have either worked for the army or benefitted from their charity.
Isn’t it a shameful sign of the past several years that people feel they can do or say anything and then say they are sorry or didn’t mean it or were the victims of misinformation being disseminated and that’s supposed to make it all better and exonerate them from being bigoted f**kwads? Huh-uh, doesn’t work that way.
Read a few articles about how the Salvation Army in the US donates to anti LGBT groups. Want to give money or items to something? Good Will is the way to go. And this only reaffirms that with me.
they’ll have to make due with somebody eles money because I’m not giving them a thin dime.
I would accept their apologizes after Salvation Army kick that jerk out of the institution, just like a trash bag !
Why I never give them money at Christmas time.
And the donation money in Australia drops badly
Horrifying !
I have been boycotting them for years. No homophobic organization gets one penny of my money — and I tell them precisely why.
I call them salvation from hell full of hate. Jesus teaching is all about love not haye
Haterid will only consume their evil hearts towards innocent ppl like LGBT.
they no more of money
Oh yeah, let them try and kill my son. I will not stand by and allow another genocide. And I don’t think the LGBTQ Nation would go quietly to their deaths . This could only happen if good men and women allow this triumph of evil. And BTW, the Salvation Army will NEVER get another penny from me.
This is the reason…, I will NEVER ! NEVER ! honor nor have ANY respect for the Salvation Army ! Regardless of what Country or State they practice in…! In My opion, THEY ARE the most Vial and Hateful organization…! Next to Nazi Germany SS Officers of Hitler !
I think the only way to get rid of all gay people from this day forward would be to exterminate of us straight people. After all we are the ones who give birth to these beautiful children. My “gay” son is one of the finest people I know. I feel privileged that he is my son.
Glad the 1 near my house closed months ago! will not ever spend $ on them again!
and a Happy Pride Month to you, too Sir!
Yep they Will not be getting anymore donations from me…like someone said there are other places to donate!!!
Ridiculos, estupidos e mofados!!!! Nunca gostei de alguem badalando sino na porta do mercado!!! Nao mais dinheiro ou concideracao por pobre de espirito!
Shall we gather to stone him for wearing clothes made of two different materials? Maybe he has a child we can sell?
Dude,some people deserve to die,i just hope his kid in few years will turn to him and tell him they are gay.i wanna see him quoting that “LGBT people must die” to his own kids.
Let’s dismantle the Salvation Army.
how is it that pedophiles rapists murderers ect get a second chance on life and the lgbt community hardly gets one chance…
You misunderstand the Scriptures. God does not want anyone to perish. Everyone including LGBT gets a second chance too. If the rapist, pedophiles don’t turn from their sin they won’t get a second chance, but if they do, and you do too, you will. God’s grace is for those who turn away from their sins and that’s all sin! I pray you know the Truth and the Truth will set you free.
Is it just me or are these lovely people starting to sound like other groups in history, talking about rounding up and imprisoning specific people for a trait or belief or behavior that they don’t like and think people should be punished for making them uncomfortable and not blindly following their orders on how everyone should live and be? I think its time for us to turn the uber-conservative way of thinking back on them. Outlaw divorce, harsh punishment for deadbeat dads, start taxing all religious organization and so on. They want to play this game so can we and they should worry because they are way more messed up than just being gay…