From: Interfaith Working Group Subject: IWG Daily News Ten Commandments Letter Date: Sat, 31 Jul 1999 23:21:43 +2000 (EDT) July 31, 1999 Philadelphia Daily News PO Box 7788 Phila., PA 19101 Dear Editors: Recent letters to the editor debating interpretation, translation and numbering of the Ten Commandments are ample proof that Congress should stay out of the religion business. Just imagine how bad the debate would get if we actually reached the point of trying to decide on an official version for the Philadelphia public schools. Actually we've had this debate in Philadelphia before: In 1844 it was over which version of the Bible should be used in the schools; in the subsequent riots, twenty people were killed, and two churches, a convent, a religious school, and hundreds of homes were burned to the ground. Sincerely, Barbara Purdom Christopher Purdom Interfaith Working Group Coordinators Note to the editor. Mention of the 1844 riots can be found at the following web sites: Notre Dame Archives: http://cawley.archives.nd.edu/guide/81.htm Institute for First Amendment Studies: http://www.berkshire.net/~ifas/fw/9606/violence.html American Athiests: http://www.atheists.org/schoolhouse/street.html Pages 357-358 of Philadelphia: A 300-year History (Russell Weigley, editor, W.W. Norton & Co., 1982.) also deal with the 1844 riots and reference several books from early this century and last dedicated solely to this event. -- Interfaith Working Group Religious organizations, congregations http://www.libertynet.org/iwg and clergy supporting gay rights, iwg@libertynet.org reproductive freedom, and the voice: 215-235-3050 fax: 232-0829 separation of church and state. Support our work: wear an IWG shirt! http://www.libertynet.org/iwg/clothes.html