Subject: IWG Church/State and Religious Violence
From: Interfaith Working Group <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 6 Sep 1998 23:17:02 -0400 (EDT)

September 5, 1998

Leader-Telegram
Box 570
Eau Claire, WI 54702

Dear Editors:

We were very disturbed by Kirk Bergquist's letter of
August 30.  He has appararantly failed to notice there
are a great many different religions coexisting
peacefully in the United States.  With a few
exceptions, we have escaped the religious violence that
plagues the rest of the world.   It is irresponsible of
him to suggest (and possibly more irresponsible of your
paper to publish his suggestion) that it is acceptable
to kill people who do not meet one's religious standard
of behavior.    All of us will fail to live up to
someone's standard.  This is precisely why we have a
Constitution that guarantees the rights of all without
interference from any one religion.

Sincerely,
Barbara Purdom     Christopher Purdom
Interfaith Working Group Coordinators

The above letter went out on IWG letterhead listing 16 congregations and
organizations and 59 clergy from 16 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.

-- 

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.