Date: Wed, 09 Feb 2000 00:45:45 -0500 From: Interfaith Working Group Subject: IWG Wall Street Journal Marriage Discriminaton February 5, 2000 Wall Street Journal 200 Liberty Street New York, NY 10281 Dear Editors: In her February 2 letter Ruth Charlesworth refers to marriage as “a social institution that...many both religious and non-religious, hold sacred.” Like marriage, sacred is a word with multiple definitions, most of which include some mention of religion. Marriage is not, however, a monolithic entity; civil marriage and religious marriage are two different, frequently-confused institutions. There are many different forms of religious marriage. Some religious definitions of marriage do not include any mention of gender, and religious communities that do not discriminate against same-gender couples are no less likely to hold those relationships sacred. Sincerely, Barbara Lamond Purdom Christopher Purdom Interfaith Working Group Coordinators The above letter was sent on IWG letterhead listing 19 congregations and religious organizations and 64 clergy from 16 religious traditions. For sexual orientation, gender identity, reproductive freedom, church/state separation, diversity, and radical religious right links go to http://www.iwgonline.org/links/ -- Interfaith Working Group PO Box 11706 Philadelphia, PA 19101 http://www.iwgonline.org/ iwg@iwgonline.org voice: 215-235-3050 fax: 215-232-0829