Subject: IWG Anchorage Response
From: Interfaith Working Group <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 30 Jul 1997 23:42:50 -0400 (EDT)

The following went out on IWG letterhead listing 10 congregations and religious
organizations and 44 clergy from 14 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.

July 30, 1997

Letters to the Editor
Anchorage Daily News
PO Box 149001
Anchorage, AK 99514-9001

Dear Editors:

	In response to a letter of ours published in the
Anchorage Daily News, two other letters have recently
been published which said essentially that we are
unfamiliar with the Bible.  We felt compelled to write
back since we are in fact familiar with the passages
quoted by the writers.  These passages are often
interpreted as general restrictions on same-gender
sexual behavior, but many knowledgeable people believe
that other interpretations are more accurate.  
	We certainly agree with the recommendation that
your readers look at the passages in context and
endeavor to understand exactly what is meant by "lying
with a man as with a woman" (Leviticus), whether same-
gender rape equals same-gender attraction (Genesis),
whether same-gender attraction is always a God-induced
punishment for idol worship (Romans), and how any of
this relates to the modern medical understanding of
sexual orientation.
	The writers responding to our letter seem to be
rejecting the whole notion of homosexuality as a
naturally-occuring phenomenom, just as creationists use
their interpretation of the Bible to argue against
evolution.  They simply cite chapter and verse and
assume that all readers will come to the same
conclusions that they have. It is no more reasonable to
assume that the average reader is actually going to
look up the passages in question than it is to assume
that anyone who disagrees with a particular
interpretation has not read the Bible at all.
	If you are interested in a more thorough
discussion of the topic from a variety of religious
viewpoints, we invite you to visit our web page at:
http://www.libertynet.org/~iwg/.

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.