Subject: IWG Tampa Tribune church/state/diversity letter
From: Interfaith Working Group <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 16 Dec 1997 09:56:48 -0500 (EST)

The following went out on IWG letterhead listing 12 congregations and
organizations and 53 clergy from 15 religious traditions. 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.

December 15, 1997

Tampa Tribune
PO Box 191
Tampa, FL  33601-4005

Dear Editors:

Lucille Raymond [letter, December 9] will be happy to
know that neither prayer nor religious discussion has
been legally removed from the schools.  Though some
administrators have misinterpreted the law, prayer and 
discussion of religion are legal when voluntary and not
favoring any one religion.  Ms. Raymond is correct that
"Christians are American citizens and should be treated
as such."  However,  in a diverse society it is
important that we respect and accept Christians of all
types, plus members of other religions and people of
all races, national origins, and sexual orientations. 
Teaching people to accept and respect Christians does
not require forced participation in Christian rituals,
just as asking someone to accept and respect
homosexuals does not require them to enter into a
sexual relationship with a person of the same gender. 
Most of us interact daily with people whose beliefs and
practices are different from ours; Ms. Raymond is
bothered by homosexuality, but some religious people
are bothered by heterosexism.  Respect and acceptance
of individuals regardless of their beliefs and
practices is simply common courtesy; it does not mean
that you agree with those beliefs and practices.

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.