Subject: IWG Idaho Statesman Letter
From: Interfaith Working Group <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 27 Mar 1997 23:33:38 -0500 (EST)

The following went out on IWG letterhead listing 9 congregations and religious
organizations and 38 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.

March 26, 1997

Idaho Statesman
PO Box 40
Boise, ID  83707

Dear Editor:

After reading Urey J. Simmons' letter we searched in
vain for a translation of the Bible which used the
phrase "gay men" in Chapter 19 of the  Book of Judges. 
The concept of a person being homosexual did not exist
at that time.  The Bible is a very large book with many
interpretations, and it is especially easy to prove a
point about a modern social controversy if translators
with a preset agenda are going to use modern language
to further that agenda.  In doing so, one risks
obscuring other possible meanings in the original text,
such as a condemnation of the still very real problem
of ostensibly heterosexual men raping other men to
demonstrate their superiority and subjugate their
victims.

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.