Subject: IWG Orlando Religious Liberty
From: Interfaith Working Group <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 19 Aug 1998 23:39:14 -0400 (EDT)

August 18, 1998

Orlando Sentinel
633 N. Orange Ave.
Orlando, FL  32801

Dear Editors:

Dawn Meeks' letter of August 12 ignores the reality
of religious diversity in this country, especially
the diversity of views about sin and truth.  If we
were to classify every issue which any person of
faith considers a sin as non-political there would
be almost no topic left that would be deemed
appropriate for our elected officials to debate.  We
would certainly have nothing resembling religious
liberty.  

We should decide public policy questions on their
own merits and omit from the political arena
attempts to debate sin and truth.  Every person of
faith has the right to determine their own truth (or
to follow their religion's teachings) about issues
like sexual orientation, and to choose, within the
limits of the law, how to react to people who are
different from them.  Many people of faith, for
example, have decided to let sexual minorities know
that they and their families of choice are as loved
and accepted as anybody else.

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.