From: Interfaith Working Group Subject: IWG Milwaukee Reggie White Letter Date: Mon, 6 Apr 1998 00:02:28 -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 5, 1998 Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel Box 371 Milwaukee,WI 53201-0371 Dear Editors: We have been reading with great interest all of the articles, editorials, and letters in your paper regarding Reggie White's unfortunate comments. Certainly Rev. White is entitled to hold and express his opinion. But we hope he eventually comes to realize the great harm that stereotyping does to individuals who do not conform to the stereotypes of their subculture or ethnic group, especially if they have been told that the stereotypes were preordained by God. This is also true of sexual minority youth who are told that God wants everyone to be heterosexual. Certainly Rev. White is not unusual for thinking that homosexuality is a sin, but he is on less firm ground in saying that it is the worst sin in the Bible, or that it is running rampant (failing to recognize that openness and honesty about this is what is "running rampant"). It was good that Rev. White recognized that there are gay people of all races, but he failed to recognize that there are gay people in all faiths as well, and that there are many religious people, gay and straight, who believe homosexuality is not a sin, many of whom would object strongly to the notion that openness about homosexuality reflects a national move away from God. Sincerely, Barbara Purdom Christopher Purdom Interfaith Working Group Coordinators -- Interfaith Working Group Religious organizations, congregations iwg@libertynet.org and clergy supporting gay rights, http://www.libertynet.org/iwg/ reproductive freedom, and the 215-235-3050 separation of church and state.