Subject: IWG Philadelphia Inquirer Letter
From: Interfaith Working Group <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 26 May 1997 12:13:06 -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 25, 1997

The Philadelphia Inquirer
PO Box 8263
Phila., PA 19101

Dear Editors:

	The recent Associated Press story about the
Christian Coalition's support for the Istook Amendment,
which would overturn the religious sections of the
First Amendment, failed to note the broad religious
support for our existing constitutional protections. 
Two quotes in particular caught our attention. 
	The first was from Carol Shields of People For the
American Way, who discussed the harm to religious
minorities that would result from passage of the new
amendment.  This significantly understates the problem. 
In the United States we are all religious minorities. 
Most people are affiliated with religions that refer to
themselves as "Christian," but there are major
disagreements between the different branches on
theological issues that would be seriously exacerbated
should government agencies start sanctioning group
prayers during official business. To realize how
quickly official religious observance can cause a
public nightmare, one need only look back to the mid-
nineteenth century riots in Philadelphia over which
version of the Bible should be used in the public
schools, or the more recent case in Mississippi, in
which a Lutheran family was accused of devil worship
because they objected to Baptist-specific prayers over
the school public address system.
	The second quote was from Rep. Istook himself, who
said that he did not intend for his amendment to lead
to the regular reading of prayers by teachers.  It is
frightening that a man whose primary legislative claim
to fame is the constant introduction of constitutional
amendments does not understand that the law is
interpreted on the basis of what it actually says.  The
current system protects every child from coerced
participation in the religion of their teachers if they
choose to be so protected.  Mr. Istook's proposed
ammendment actively prevents that protection from being
afforded.  
	Americans enjoy far more religious freedom than
people in countries which do not recognize the role
that church-state separation plays in assuring the
citizens religious liberty.  We join people of many
faiths across the country in praying that this delicate
balance will be preserved.

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.