For some advocates of gay rights,

'tis the season to be vindictive

During the Christmas season,

the Salvation Army bell ringers are part of the American yearly celebration

of the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. These bell ringers symbolize Christian

compassion and care for the downtrodden and the hurting.

The Salvation Army, of course,

is working all year long to provide food, clothing, and shelter to the

homeless and the hopeless. Once a year, however, the Salvation Army makes

its efforts visible for all to see-and Americans give in abundance to

help those in need.

This year's bell ringer effort

is of special importance because of the 9-11 attack upon our nation. The

Salvation Army is supplying much-needed food, clothing, and prayers of

encouragement to the heroes of 9-11 in New York City.

However, as a well-known political

slogan states, "No good deed will go unpunished." This year,

the Salvation Army is under assault by a homosexual activist group known

as Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG).

PFLAG is angered by the Salvation

Army's recent decision to not provide "domestic partner" benefits

to its unmarried employees including homosexuals. The Salvation Army's

western division had made the decision, but just a week later the public

outcry forced its top leadership to overturn this seriously flawed decision.

PFLAG is now engaged in a vindictive

campaign against the Salvation Army. In several states, PFLAG's ill-advised

followers are dropping fake $5 bills into the kettles manned by Salvation

Army bell ringers. The fake money contains a statement of protest against

the Salvationists for their refusal to approve of homosexual relationships.

The Salvation Army, like most Bible-believing churches, views homosexual

acts as a sin and as a sexual perversion.

Instead of lauding the Salvation

Army for its works of compassion, PFLAG's intolerant leaders are trying

to punish this organization because of its moral stand against homosexual

behavior.

Fortunately, the American Family

Association of Michigan and other pro-family groups have volunteered to

redeem each PFLAG fake $5 dollar bill for a real one this Christmas Season.

Every time a vindictive PFLAGer drops a phony bill into the kettle, a

Christian will give the Salvation Army a real $5 dollar bill. This is

money that will help the victims of 9-11, the homeless, and children who

might not have one present were it not for the goodness of Salvation Army

volunteer bell ringers and men and women of good will.

This PFLAG effort exposes the

morally confused hearts of those who would punish the Salvation Army this

Christmas season. The response of AFA of Michigan and other Christian

groups also reveals the hearts of men and women who know what true compassion

is all about as we celebrate the birth of Jesus on Dec. 25. The contrast

between PFLAG and compassionate Christians could not be more obvious.

[Traditional Values Coalition

is an interdenominational public policy organization representing more

than 43,000 churches across the United States. For more information, contact

Emily Davis at 202-547-8570. TVC's Web site is www.traditionalvalues.org .]