Date: Mon, 10 Jan 2000 23:42:28 -0500 From: Interfaith Working Group Subject: IWG Fresno Bee Vermont letter January 9, 2000 Fresno Bee 1626 E Street Fresno, CA 93789 Dear Editors: Thank you for your December 29 pro-marriage editorial. We especially appreciated your statement that "no person or church can be ordered to condone same-sex marriage if it defies deeply held convictions; the state, however, ought not to be swayed by such convictions to continue to deny equal rights to citizens solely because of their sexual orientation." We believe it is important to note there are currently forms of marriage that are recognized by the state and not by some religious institutions, such as interfaith marriages and marriages after divorce, and that there are religious institutions that currently marry same-sex couples. We also agree that civil and religious marriage need to be disentangled, both legally and in the popular conscience. Civil marriage creates a nationally-recognized legal relationship between two otherwise unrelated consenting adults of different genders, regardless of their races or religions, and regardless of society's racial and religious sensibilities and prejudices. The issue at hand is only whether gender discrimination should be removed from the civil definition. Sincerely, Barbara Lamond Purdom Christopher Purdom Interfaith Working Group Coordinators The above letter was sent on IWG letterhead listing 18 congregations and religious organizations and 63 clergy from 16 religious traditions. Visit our Religious Support for Equal Marriage Rights page: http://www.iwgonline.org/marriage/ -- Interfaith Working Group PO Box 11706 Philadelphia, PA 19101 http://www.iwgonline.org/ iwg@iwgonline.org voice: 215-235-3050 fax: 215-232-0829