Subject: IWG Colorado Springs Letter
From: Interfaith Working Group <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 6 May 1997 23:16:07 -0400 (EDT)

The following went out on IWG letterhead listing 10 congregations and religious
organizations and 39 clergy from 13 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.

May 6, 1997

Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph
PO Box 1779
Colorado Springs, CO  80901

Dear Editors:

In his May 4 letter, Will Perkins says that the moral
foundation of America is clearly Judeo-Christian, and
then describes what he calls "Judeo-Christian beliefs." 
There is no religion called "Judeo-Christianity." There
are many different denominations in the Jewish and
Christian traditions, and while most of them do put
some limits on sexual behavior, there is little common
ground in the limits themselves or in their theological
basis.  For some Christians and Jews, gender and the
appearance of propriety are very important factors in
determining sexual morality; for some it is the
possibility of procreation, and for others the most
important factor is intent, and the mutuality and
equality of the experience.   Some denominations accept
same-gender relationships; some do not accept marriages
of divorced people; some do not consider sexual
activity to be necessarily restricted to marriage; and
others do not accept sexual activity that cannot
potentially result in procreation.

It is hardly "ironic," as Mr. Perkins suggests, for
someone from a Jewish or Christian background to
disagree with him regarding the morality of same-gender
relationships, nor are laws written to reflect the
moral view of one religious tradition, especially one
that Mr. Perkins seems to have invented himself. 

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.