From: Interfaith Working Group Subject: IWG Richmond VA/The Great Debate Date: Mon, 16 Mar 1998 00:05:43 -0500 (EST) The following went out on IWG letterhead listing 12 congregations and organizations and 53 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. March 14, 1998 Richmond Times Dispatch Box 85333 Richmond, VA 23293 Dear Editor: One might get the mistaken impression from Carol J. Todd's letter of March 10 that either Christians who do not believe in the inherent sinfulness of homosexuality haven't bothered to read the Bible; or that everybody who reads the Bible agrees about everything in it. Sexual orientation is only one of many issues on which honest, thoughtful, religious people have major disagreements. Part of that disagreement among Christians is because we have different understandings of the meaning and importance of various parts of scripture. Just because Ms. Todd can find scripture that indicates to her that ordination should be limited to those whose sexual activity is limited to heterosexual marriage, does not mean that everyone else agrees with that interpretation of those passages or finds that they carry the most weight in discerning what they believe to be God's will. Sincerely, Barbara Purdom Christopher Purdom Interfaith Working Group Coordinators -- 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.