The Salvation Army

George Bernard Shaw's "Major Barbara" (1905)

When you think about it, The Salvation Army is an oxymoron. Armies are usually symbols of war, and salvation--love. But think of the blue uniforms worn by these imperturbable creatures ringing their bells as a parade of materialists imperviously passes them by—tempted by Mephisto to sell their souls for the promise of eternal bliss. Yes, it will be Christmas again even when your days are numbered, perhaps even exhausted. On your way to oblivion, you’ll leave the agora behind and a whole market of souls for sale. As Kurt Weill put it in Threepenny Opera, "Let's all go barmy/join the army/see the world we never saw..."

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