Hi.

I’m not easily surprised but this surprised me! It's not a long story but they don't all have to be long.

My mom is semi-retired and during the holiday season she works as a bell ringer for the Salvation Army. Last night she called me when she got home from work and told me one of the bell ringers had been caught shoplifting.

It was the girl's first day ringing the bell. She was at a Walgreens location and at break time she went into the store and tried to shoplift. Not sure what she tried to steal but it doesn't really matter.


I was like WTH is wrong with people!?!
Is it just me or is what she did wrong on so many levels?

Of course the store is pressing charges I would love to see this girl go before a judge.

Well, at least she didn't steal the money in the red pot, to pay for what ever it was she tried to steal. I guess she has some morals after all.

That particular charity organization would NOT help me when I was longterm homeless. While I was, I never encountered another poor person who got help from them. I told them I was suicidal, and I asked this (old harpy) on the other end of the phone line "Well, what do you do, then?" And she curtly replied, "We counsel."

Do they actually help anyone? Anyone know, first hand? Just curious.

Originally posted by cavalryscout

I’m not easily surprised but this surprised me!

I certainly don't see why; indeed, I'm somewhat taken aback that you're 'surprised.' And not easily so, huh?

As some of the other responses have pointed out, not all 'bellringers' are volunteers, church-affiliated or otherwise. That's not even getting into the whole kettle of worms that comes from implying the church-affiliated are so far beyond shoplifting.

My primary purpose in responding to this (appropriate adjective) thread is to comment on the organization referenced. The Salvation Army, when founded in the late 19th century and on into the early 20th century, was an absolutely wonderful program imbued with idealism and a true desire to help those in need. Unfortunately, that began changing and the organization, like many, has become one focused on greed and acquisition. (That is not to say some of those original ideals do not still exist in some members and contributors today; however, those directly associated with the organization are few now and have little actual impact on the organization as a whole.)

I really began seeing the Salvation Army in this light quite a few years ago when it came to my attention that they had closed several homeless shelters in lieu of opening halfway houses to accomodate federal inmates being released back into society. I have no problem with the halfway houses and the the benefits they offer to both returning inmates and society; however, I do have a problem with tossing the homeless aside in order to obtain lucrative federal monies and grants in order to benefit the financial standing of the organization and it executives and administrators. Halfway houses should be administered by either the feds or privately contracted business. Apparently, outside donations to be used for the homeless did not offer enough pork for the organization and they both easily and readily tossed out the earlier ideals.

Surprised that a 'bellringer' shoplifted - and without knowing the full circumstances? Can that even compare to the lack of moral integrity expressed by the organization she's temporarily working or volunteering for?

The above, of course, remains my opinion, but I do believe you perhaps should have looked a little further into your thread and the reasons behind before you posted.

If that's true, about them closing homeless shelters to open halfway houses so they could get some federal cash, that does seem a bit....shady.

It's disgusting when people masquerade their greed behind the veil of charity.

A Salvation Army bell-ringer stealing reminds me of all the church going people who I know and used to know throughout my life. The church-goers were ALWAYS the ones in life doing WRONG and "sinning", yet they are "good" and "righteous" "innocent" church people!!

For the love of god, have you heard yourself?, for someone who has supposed to have good christian values, you certainly arn't very forgiving or even understanding for that matter, instead you have come across as judge, jury and executioner in one post. There's no wonder the state of the church here is such a mess.

"Never judge a man until you've walked a mile in his moccasins." ~ Native proverb

Not too many people seem to live by this credo anymore. Most are more than too happy to sit on their high horse and point a finger passing judgement on everyone else around them.

Nobody knows what this girl's story is.

And by the way: Not passing judgement on someone does not equate to condoning their actions. Learn the difference.

This thread is overloaded with logical fallacies from posters.