From: Interfaith Working Group Subject: IWG NY Post, It's Elementary letter Date: Wed, 1 Oct 1997 22:55:56 -0400 (EDT) The following went out on IWG letterhead listing 10 congregations and religious organizations and 49 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. October 1, 1997 Ray Kerrison The New York Post 1121 Avenue of the Americas New York, NY 10036 Dear Mr. Kerrison: We were disturbed by your September 21 commentary regarding "It's Elementary." Of particular interest to us is your implying that moral or religious commentators, if they were allowed into the schools, would always present a viewpoint contrary to that expressed in the film, and that therefore people of minority orientations, whom you contrast with religious and moral people, have an automatic advantage in a secular school system. There is, however, very little agreement on the issue of same-sex relationships among people of faith. There are at least five positions which are regularly voiced by organizations, congregations and clergy in the Jewish and Christian traditions. You are obviously familiar with the first, that people are created heterosexual and that any deviation is a sin which must be discouraged by religious people. The second view is that same-gender relationships are morally equivalent to mixed-gender relationships (favoring civil and religious marriage for same-gender couples and ordination of sexual minority clergy). The third is that minority orientations are created by God as a challenge which requires celibacy as a response. The fourth is that homosexuality is not inherently sinful, but that God prefers heterosexuality (favoring some slightly less important form of recognition than marriage and restrictions on ordination). And the fifth is that homosexuality is inherently sinful and incompatible with a life of faith, but that the legal rights of sexual minorities must be protected. Most importantly, you have missed the major moral issue of this story, which is that the treatment of sexual minority youth in most school systems is reprehensible, and anything that keeps them from being abused is a good thing. Sincerely, Barbara Purdom Christopher Purdom Interfaith Working Group Coordinators -- Interfaith Working Group Religious organizations, congregations iwg@libertynet.org and clergy supporting gay rights, http://www.libertynet.org/~iwg/ reproductive freedom, and the 215-235-3050 separation of church and state.