By Allie Martin and Jody Brown
November 9, 2001

(AgapePress) - A divisional commander with The Salvation Army says he is saddened and shocked -- and may have to leave the organization if officials don't reverse an order which grants "domestic partner" benefits to homosexual employees in the Western Territory.

Canning says officials in the Western Territory need to base their decisions on God's Word instead of on the laws of man.

As part of its rationale, the Western Territory says it changed its stance to be in agreement with a City of San Francisco policy that demands groups doing business with it have a domestic partner benefits program. Indeed, an e-mail message being distributed by The Salvation Army states the decision is merely a contractual requirement and not an endorsement of homosexuality.

The message from Major John Jones, The Army's Community Relations and Development Secretary, says the policy change allows local units to retain certain government contracts, applies only to those contracts, and is not a general provision to all employees. "After weighing this issue for sometime," the message reads, "The Salvation Army felt it should not sacrifice its service to the thousands of persons who receive assistance through this funding source in exchange for denying access to benefits to the very few employees who choose to exercise this option."

But the rationale may seem hollow to at least one Salvation Army officer, who asked not to be identified. He says he has received several letters of resignation from corps members and expects as many as ten couples to leave their ministry positions over the issue. He says he expects to lose up to three-quarters of his congregation in the coming weeks.

There is also a report out of Pennsylvania that some holiday volunteers have changed their mind. According to Diane Gramley, director of the American Family Association of Northwestern Pennsylvania, the local chapter of the Christian Motorcyclists Association has decided to boycott The Salvation Army. The group had volunteered to ring bells at Salvation Army collection points during the week preceding Christmas.

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