From: Interfaith Working Group Subject: IWG Inquirer Catholic Bishops Church/State letter Date: Mon, 23 Nov 1998 23:54:56 -0500 (EST) November 21, 1998 The Philadelphia Inquirer PO Box 8263 Phila., PA 19101 Dear Editors: Your coverage of the Roman Catholic Bishops' orders to Catholic elected officials was a perfect illustration of why we have Constitutional guarantees of both religious liberty and church/state separation. The Bishops are free to make whatever demands they want, but the demands have no force of law and the officials can decide whether they want to obey them or not. They are elected to uphold the law, not church doctrine, and regarding their voting record, they ultimately answer to their constituents, and not to the church. Any Archdiocese that both demands that Catholic elected officials vote a certain way, and then issues voter guides telling parishioners whether they complied, is clearly endorsing candidates, which tax-exempt organizations are not permitted to do. Sincerely, Barbara Purdom Christopher Purdom Interfaith Working Group Coordinators The above letter went out on IWG letterhead listing 16 congregations and organizations and 60 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. -- 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.