Subject: IWG Chicago Tribune Letter
From: Interfaith Working Group <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 14 Dec 1996 23:44:28 -0500 (EST)

The following went out on IWG letterhead listing 3 congregations, 5 religious
organizations and 36 clergy from 12 faiths and denominations. If you are in 
the general Philadelphia area and represent a congregation or religious 
organization or are clergy, let us know if you want to be added - all faiths 
are welcome. We will also be happy to help start similar organizations in 
other areas.

December 13, 1996

The Chicago Tribune
435 N. Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611

Dear Editor:

We were disturbed and confused by your use of language
in a recent editorial about same-sex marriage.  You
said that same-sex marriage is "insulting traditional
concepts of matrimony, which are wrapped up in the
religious sanctification of same-sex unions."  Are you
implying that the religious sanctification of same-sex
unions is insulting to the traditional concepts of
matrimony?  By recognizing only those religiously-
sanctified unions that involve mixed-gender couples,
the state insults religious bodies whose concepts of
marriage include same-gender couples.  Furthermore, the
state regularly risks insulting some groups'
traditional concepts of matrimony by recognizing second
marriages, interfaith marriages, interracial marriages,
and non-monogamous marriages.  Civil marriage is a
state-recognized contract of mutual care and support
between two consenting adults and is not bound by the
restrictions of any religious group.

Sincerely,
Barbara Purdom     Christopher Purdom
Interfaith Working Group Coordinators

-- 

Interfaith Working Group                Religious organizations, congregations 
[email-masked]                      and clergy supporting gay rights,
http://www.libertynet.org/~iwg/         reproductive freedom, and the 
215-235-3050                            separation of church and state.