Salvation Army exposed for supporting abortions of babies with "abnormalities"

In a season of giving, donors need to be informed about charitable organizations that they might assume are pro-life but who in reality are not. One such group is the Salvation Army, known for its Christmas bell ringers and distinctive red kettles. According to the American Life League Charity Watchlist, the Christian charity does not denounce abortion but has detailed a surprisingly wide swath of justifications for abortion.

Katie Brown, American Life League’s national director, explained that the Charity Watchlist is a resource for those who wish to know the life positions and practices of the nonprofits they consider supporting. The list employs a simple stoplight green-yellow-red color coding to allow donors to know if they “go ahead” and donate to a nonprofit without reservations, “proceed with caution” after being fully informed of the potential risks, or “stop” any support of an organization that endorses abortion.

The Salvation Army’s positional statement on abortion begins with an overtly pro-life statement. But as one reads the complete message, more and more exceptions surface, raising serious concerns for those donors who do not wish to support abortion in any context. This alarming dichotomy has earned the organization a Charity Watchlist designation of red.

The Salvation Army, which describes its ministry as based on the Bible and motivated by the love of God, states its acceptance of abortion if the:

• pregnancy would allegedly cause the mother harm (though abortion is never medically necessary)
• baby has a “fetal abnormality”
• baby in his mother’s womb was conceived by rape or incest

Brown asks, “What is the definition of ‘harm’ and what about the child’s safety? Why is an ‘abnormality’ a death sentence for the baby? And why would the details of a child’s creation necessitate ending his or her life?” She added, “The Salvation Army states that it believes that ‘human life is sacred’ and there is a ‘responsibility to care for others, and especially to protect and promote the welfare of vulnerable people, including unborn children.’ The hypocrisy of the Salvation Army’s stated beliefs is highlighted in its disconnect with the organization’s tolerance of abortion.”

“The Salvation Army’s policy on abortion is one glaring example of why we urge caution for life advocates who are selecting recipients for their charitable gifts,” explained Brown. “American Life League wants pro-life donors to know exactly what they are supporting with their dollars. When you drop your coins into the cheery red kettles, you need to know that the organization behind that Christmas bell ringer brings bad news for babies.”