I had a good friend in Cambodia whom died a few years ago. He was diagnosed with an illness and told he had 6 months to live. He approached a Christian organisation for a little advice. He was told he was not a religious man, so help was refused.

violet wrote: ↑Tue Nov 28, 2017 9:39 pm

Cruisemonkey wrote: ↑Tue Nov 28, 2017 7:25 pm My grandfather was in the trenches of WW1. He was not religious, but always had a great admiration for the Salvation Army because of how they helped the soldiers.

Someone biologically close to me told me the salvation army turned them away when they desperately needed help and were close to suicide. One person’s viewpoint but it is enough to have me at least not accept positive comments about the organisation without question.

I wasn't there so I won't call bullshit, but I'd wager a large sum that there's extenuating circumstances to your family member's experience of the Sallys. I'd be very hard pushed to believe this of an actual Salvation Army Officer, as it's just so opposite to everything they (organisationally and personally) stand for, and practice. You sure your family member is not colouring the story a little?

rozzieoz wrote: ↑Wed Nov 29, 2017 6:45 am When I was conned and almost homeless, the Salvation Army were amazing! They gave me food hampers, voucher for a butcher, voucher for petrol and new clothes, so I could go to job interviews.
I went for an interview, got a job and started climbing out the hole.
Salvos were wonderful to me.

And this has been every single experience I've ever heard people tell of the SA. We fostered two high-needs kids (siblings) that had spent time in an SA facility - it was their only good experience in life to date, before coming to us.

As a Communications Officer for the State Emergency Service I was deployed to Exmouth, WA which had just been destroyed by Tropical Cyclone Vance as part of the initial entry team, to establish a communications network and commence the body count (miraculously zero). The town residents and emergency services workers kept it together and battled through huge odds, and came in to base on the first night to find the SA officers had arrived in the second wave, set up with their care tent, tea and biscuits etc, waiting to care for the emergency responders. At that point even the tough guys felt allowed to shed a tear and need some love. Got nothing but praise for the SA.

vladimir wrote: ↑Wed Nov 29, 2017 6:51 am Yeah, I'd donate to the Salvation Army, great organisation, and I'm no fan of organised religion.

I can promise you that organised religion is no fan of yours, either. Nor do they like me much.

confirmation bias, cognitive dissonance & anecdotal evidence ahoy!

good people help other people.
you don't need to pretend its religion.
if you help because you're told, conditioned & awaiting reward (heaven) you're not actually good.

the SA use donations to lobby/campaign against equality laws based on their iron age fallacy.
theocracy dreamers & rather cult like once you are involved.

StroppyChops wrote: ↑Wed Nov 29, 2017 3:59 pm

vladimir wrote: ↑Wed Nov 29, 2017 6:51 am Yeah, I'd donate to the Salvation Army, great organisation, and I'm no fan of organised religion.

I can promise you that organised religion is no fan of yours, either. Nor do they like me much.

That's the nicest thing anyone's said to me in ages...up for a beer sometime? I'm buying. Christmas?

AndyKK wrote: ↑Wed Nov 29, 2017 2:42 pm I had a good friend in Cambodia whom died a few years ago. He was diagnosed with an illness and told he had 6 months to live. He approached a Christian organisation for a little advice. He was told he was not a religious man, so help was refused.

If the organisation involved was not the SA, what is your point?

Religion stinks, I know.

vladimir wrote: ↑Wed Nov 29, 2017 6:29 pm

StroppyChops wrote: ↑Wed Nov 29, 2017 3:59 pm

vladimir wrote: ↑Wed Nov 29, 2017 6:51 am Yeah, I'd donate to the Salvation Army, great organisation, and I'm no fan of organised religion.

I can promise you that organised religion is no fan of yours, either. Nor do they like me much.

That's the nicest thing anyone's said to me in ages...up for a beer sometime? I'm buying. Christmas?

Absolutely. Probably just after Christmas though, slammed with markets until then.

Edit: Actually, we should try and organise a drinkies event for CEO posters and ers around the TTP area...

Will there be T-shirts?

StroppyChops wrote: ↑Wed Nov 29, 2017 7:48 pm

vladimir wrote: ↑Wed Nov 29, 2017 6:29 pm

StroppyChops wrote: ↑Wed Nov 29, 2017 3:59 pm

vladimir wrote: ↑Wed Nov 29, 2017 6:51 am Yeah, I'd donate to the Salvation Army, great organisation, and I'm no fan of organised religion.

I can promise you that organised religion is no fan of yours, either. Nor do they like me much.

That's the nicest thing anyone's said to me in ages...up for a beer sometime? I'm buying. Christmas?

Absolutely. Probably just after Christmas though, slammed with markets until then.

Edit: Actually, we should try and organise a drinkies event for CEO posters and ers around the TTP area...

Did you ever find a place in close proximity with pool/snooker tables?

Username Taken wrote: ↑Wed Nov 29, 2017 9:19 pm

StroppyChops wrote: ↑Wed Nov 29, 2017 7:48 pm

vladimir wrote: ↑Wed Nov 29, 2017 6:29 pm

StroppyChops wrote: ↑Wed Nov 29, 2017 3:59 pm

vladimir wrote: ↑Wed Nov 29, 2017 6:51 am Yeah, I'd donate to the Salvation Army, great organisation, and I'm no fan of organised religion.

I can promise you that organised religion is no fan of yours, either. Nor do they like me much.

That's the nicest thing anyone's said to me in ages...up for a beer sometime? I'm buying. Christmas?

Absolutely. Probably just after Christmas though, slammed with markets until then.

Edit: Actually, we should try and organise a drinkies event for CEO posters and ers around the TTP area...

Did you ever find a place in close proximity with pool/snooker tables?

No, sadly. I thought there was one around the corner from you, closer to the pagoda, but I can't find it. You?