Subject: IWG Detroit letter: Exodus, Religious Diversity
From: Interfaith Working Group <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 18 Apr 1998 23:50:13 -0400 (EDT)

The following went out on IWG letterhead listing 12 congregations and
organizations and 56 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.

April 17, 1998

Detroit Free Press
321 W. Lafayette Blvd.
Detroit,  MI  48231

Dear Editors:

In the April 13 article about Exodus-related
ministries, Tom Cole was quoted as saying, "The church
in general has handled the issue of homosexuality so
poorly in the past.  Some churches were going to gay
rallies and holding up banners that said 'God hates
fags.'  We see this as very disconcerting and very
painful."  As far as we know there is only one
congregation in the whole country, Rev. Fred Phelps'
Westboro Baptist church in Kansas, whose congregation
travels all over the country holding up that particular
sign (and others).  
	There are far more congregations that go to pride
parades and other "gay rallies" in order to fully
participate and demonstrate their support for gay
people and their rights, a possibility not mentioned by
Mr. Cole, or by anyone else in the article, including
those who expressed opposition to Exodus.  American
religious institutions have responded to sexual
minorities in a variety of ways, from highly visible
support to highly visible condemnation, with the great
majority falling somewhere in between (or studiously
ignoring the issue).  Why would an organization
position itself as being merely better than the worst
alternative?

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.