Subject: IWG LA Times/Cal Thomas letter
From: Interfaith Working Group <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 8 Dec 1996 22:58:23 -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 8, 1996

Los Angeles Times
Times Mirror Square
Los Angeles, CA 90053

Dear Editors:

Cal Thomas is extremely confused.  Whether God is the
author of Christian and Jewish religious marriage is a
theological debate unrelated to the granting of civil
marriage licenses.

There is no religious test required in order to get a
marriage license, and while some states make it
difficult to get married without benefit of clergy, it
is not impossible.  Clergy from religions not based on
Judaism or Christianity, both theistic and non-
theistic, have the authority to perform marriages. 
Furthermore, within the Christian and Jewish traditions
are the Presbyterian Church (USA) and the Central
Conference of American Rabbis, who both say that
official religious marriage is for mixed-gender couples
only, but who, unlike Mr. Thomas,  respect the
separation of church and state.  There are also groups
such as the Reconstructionist Rabbinical Association,
the Metropolitan Community Church, the Unitarian
Universalist Association, and many Quaker congregations
who support religious same-sex marriages.

The Constitutional protections that allow members of
Mr. Thomas's religion to practice their faith as they
see fit are supposed to apply equally to everyone else
as well.  Unfortunately Mr. Thomas expects the
government to hold up his faith as the best example and
to maintain a system in which the most benefits go to
those who think and act like him.

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.