Date: Sat, 21 Aug 1999 20:23:11 -0700 (PDT)
Subject: IWG Tennessee Scouts Letter
From: iwg@iwgonline.org


August 21, 1999

The Tennessean
1100 Broadway
Nashville, TN 37203

Dear Editors:

Ray Waddle completely failed to mention that there are many religious
organizations that sponsor Boy Scout troops and also object to the
Scouts'
current discriminatory practices  ("Churches may cut ties to Scouts if
gays
allowed", August 18).   A friend-of-the-court brief was filed in New
Jersey on
James Dale's behalf by the Diocesan Council of the Episcopal Diocese of
Newark; the Friends Committee on National Legislation; the Jewish
Reconstructionist Federation; the Union of American Hebrew Congregations
and
the Unitarian Universalist Association.  The brief references affidavits
and
certifications from Lutheran and Presbyterian pastors, and Roman
Catholic and
United Methodist bishops.  It was precisely this disagreement among
religious
sponsors of Boy Scout troops that led the court to conclude that the
phrase
"morally straight" is ambiguous, and that the Scouts cannot claim they
only
associate with those who believe homosexuality is inherently morally
wrong.

Sincerely,
Barbara Purdom     Christopher Purdom
Interfaith Working Group Coordinators

The above letter went out on IWG letterhead listing 17 congregations and
organizations and 65 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
http://www.iwgonline.org
iwg@iwgonline.org
voice: 215-235-3050
fax: 215-232-0829