Monday, May 12, 2008

The Salvation Army in Ft. Worth, Texas























The Salvation Army

"William Booth began The Salvation Army in July 1865. Preaching to a small congregation in the slums of London, his spirit was as militant as that of a professional soldier while battling an almost overwhelming army. Thieves, prostitutes, gamblers, and drunkards were among Booth's first converts to Christianity. His congregation were desperately poor. He preached hope and salvation. His aim was to lead them to Christ and link them to a church for continued spiritual guidance.
Even though Booth's followers were converted, churches did not accept them because of what they had been. However, Booth gave their lives direction in both a spiritual and practical manner and put them to work to save others who were like themselves. They, too preached and sang in the streets as a living testimony to the power of God. "
" His fervor led to disagreement with church leaders in London, who preferred traditional methods."
"He set up a tent in a Quaker graveyard, and his services became an instant success."

"In 1878, Booth was reading a printer's proof of the organization's annual report when he noticed the statement, "the Christian Mission under the (sic) Superintendent's of the Rev. William Booth is a volunteer army." He crossed out the words "volunteer army" and penned in "Salvation Army." From those words came the basis of the foundation deed of The Salvation Army which was adopted in August of that same year."

" So Booth continued giving his new converts spiritual direction, challenging them to save others like themselves."
" he attracted followers who were dedicated to fight for the souls of men and women."

"Each territory operates under the broad general policies established by International Headquarters. National policies are established by the Commissioners' Conference, composed of the four territorial commanders and presided over by the National Commander. This structure permits local leadership to respond to conditions and needs in each community, while maintaining unity on overall policies."
"Advisory organizations provide valuable assistance and advice. Local community leaders volunteer their efforts to help the Army in maintaining good business and professional relations."

As of today, in Ft. Worth, although the Salvation Army does many good deeds and actually helps many people, they have veered slightly off course from the very foundation on which Booth founded the org. Why? Because you are doing nothing but enabling and promoting an attitude of expectation and entitlement when you hand out a free piece of bread to people who don't have to do one thing but stick out their hand for a freebie. The Salvation Army along with the Presbyterian Night Shelter, is like bread crumbs because the chronic street homeless people with stay w/in pecking distance of the building so that their freebies will be close. This makes the neighborhood full of drunks, druggies, x-cons who are living a crime filled life because no one will hire them, and a few mentally ill who have been released from hospital, jail or are trying to get away from a filthy, unmanaged group home.

Solution? Stop the Free Handouts. Everyone has to do something to get something, nothing is for free. Stop feeding people outside of the building, only feed inside your walls and only free feed once per week as opposed to 7 days per week. Otherwise you are enabling the addicts and criminals to continue their way of life.

Note: most of the people in the pictures have cigarettes and cell phones living for free on your tax paid lands, having no respect for that land and trashing it all to hell. You allow it by not speaking up for more respect for your land.

CFW taking comments regarding homelessness until May 16, 2008 at mach10@fortworthgov.org Please send in your comments today.

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