Subject: IWG Inquirer letter
From: Interfaith Working Group <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 5 Jun 1997 22:45:51 -0400 (EDT)

The following went out on IWG letterhead listing 10 congregations and religious
organizations and 41 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.

June 5, 1997

The Philadelphia Inquirer
PO Box 8263
Phila., PA 19101

Dear Editors:

Thank you for Jennifer Weiner's extensive coverage of
conflicts over how to address issues of sexual
orientation in the schools.  Unfortunately the
inclusion of William Devlin and Concerned Women for
America as both the only religious voices and the only
voices of opposition did give the incorrect impression
that debates over homosexuality are between the
religious and the areligious.  Many people from Jewish
and Christian traditions support the work being done by
GLSTN, as well as the formation of organizations like
Central's Gay, Lesbian, Straight, Bisexual Alliance.

Furthermore. while Mr. Devlin raises an interesting
point about a lack of material promoting abstinence,
that is a problem easily solved without attempting to
remove other, perfectly reasonable materials from the
schools simply because he views them as recruitment
materials.  Abstinence materials with a religious slant
could also be viewing as "recruiting."

Given the wide range of religious opinions on this
topic, we need to include the whole spectrum of
religious debate in our social deliberations or make
sure that our social policies are not based primarily
on religious belief. 

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.