From: Interfaith Working Group Subject: IWG NY Times Magazine - Support for Gay Rights Date: Wed, 11 Feb 1998 23:14:44 -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. February 10, 1998 Magazine The New York Times 229 W. 43rd St. New York, NY 10036 Dear Editors: We were disturbed by Alan Wolfe's comments (February 8) regarding American suburbanites' attitudes about sexual minorities. If he is correct about the level of support for sexual minorities in suburban areas, then we have a long way to go as a society. However, we suspect that he may not have tried very hard to find people who believe that heterosexual relationships are not inherently superior to homosexual relationships. To do so he would only have had to look among the rapidly-growing number of religious institutions from many faith traditions that accept sexual minorities as full and equal members, ordain and hire gay clergy, and/or perform union ceremonies for same-gender couples. Perhaps there is more support for gay rights in the cities, but all of the sixty-five religious organizations, congregations, and clergy affiliated with our organiza-tion are committed to gay rights, and over forty per cent are in suburban, small town, and rural areas of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. If Mr. Wolfe took the time to search out progressive congregations in the suburbs, he would find a number of supporters of gay rights. 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.