Subject: IWG Omaha Itchy Ears Response
From: Interfaith Working Group <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 10 Oct 1997 23:31:32 -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  10, 1997

Omaha World-Herald
World-Herald Square
Omaha, NE  68102

Dear Editors:

We've never been accused of having itchy ears before
(Al Fransen, September 29).  The itchy ears passage (2
Timothy 4:1-5) was certainly an interesting choice,
and appropriate in so far as we have gathered a
steadily growing group of religious organizations and
clergy from fourteen faiths and denominations who
support gay rights, reproductive freedom, and the
separation of church and state.  

A huge number of Christian denominations and
interdenominational organiza-tions have split, joined,
been created from scratch and faded out in the last
2,000 years.  Ever since this country was founded by
Jews, Quakers, Baptists, Catholics, Congregationalists,
Anabaptists, Lutherans, Presbyterians, Episcopalians,
and Puritans, there have been many schisms, unions and
newly created sects in American religion.  The
American tradition of believing what you want to
believe and worshipping as you see fit should hardly
be a new or disturbing concept to Mr. Fransen.   

Most of us did not choose our religions because we
were already pro-gay, but instead feel that a pro-gay
position is mandated by our religious beliefs.

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.