The Salvation Armys Western Corporation is set to offer
healthcare benefits to the domestic partners of its employees – many of
whom are homosexual.
The action has been announced despite the Salvation Armys
long-standing policy against homosexuality.
The Salvation Armys Western Corporation is set to offer
healthcare benefits to the domestic partners of its employees – many of
whom are homosexual.
The action has been announced despite the Salvation Armys
long-standing policy against homosexuality.
The Western Corporation is based in Long Beach, Calif., and
is one of four Salvation Army nonprofit corporations in the nation.
It previously had severed ties with the San Francisco government
rather than
comply with the citys Equal Benefits Ordinance, which forced city contractors
to offer benefits to domestic partners of employees.
The Salvation Army had been the last major holdout on the 1997
ordinance, forgoing a $3.5 million contract with the city to provide drug rehabilitation
and meal programs, as well as a homeless shelter.
However, a Western Corporation official said changes in society
now has dictated a change in healthcare benefits offered by the organization.
“Our decision is a reflection of the concern we hold for
the health of our employees and those closest to them and is made on the basis
of strong ethical and moral reasoning that reflects the dramatic changes in
family structure in recent years,” said Col. Phillip Needham, chief secretary
for the Western Corporation group.
An American Family Association spokesperson expressed deep
disappointment with the decision, saying the Army had “capitulated upon
what amounts to an essential point of Christian doctrine. …
“This is driven by the gay-activist movement,” said
Scott Lively, American Family Association director for California. “It
has no other purpose but to legitimize homosexuality in American society.”
About 1 percent to 2 percent of the 10,000 employees in the
corporation are expected to take advantage of the benefits.
Lt. Col. Richard Love admitted that losing funding in San Francisco
was a factor
in the decision.
However, he said the Western Corporation has not changed its view on homo-sexuality.
“Our position on homosexuality, stated simply, is that we do not condemn
a person because he or she has a homosexual orientation, but we do hold that
same-sex relations are contrary to Gods intention for the sexual life
of human beings,” the groups Web site states. (BP)