Date: Tue, 14 Dec 1999 23:13:21 -0500 From: Interfaith Working Group Subject: IWG Inquirer Hawaii Decision/FRC response December 11, 1999 The Philadelphia Inquirer PO Box 8263 Philadelphia, PA 19101 Dear Editors: We were confused by Robert Knight’s comments in response to the Hawaii Supreme Court’s unfortunate decision to uphold gender discrimination in marriage. Civil marriage is a legal human construct, which can be changed by popular vote, legislatures, or the courts. Mr. Knight is perfectly free to define religious marriage any way he wants, just as he is free to believe that human beings have only been around for six-thousand years. A removal of gender restrictions on civil marriage will in no way change any religious definitions, just as some religious traditions already support gender-non-specific marriages between two people, despite the inequity of the law. Sincerely, Barbara Lamond Purdom Christopher Purdom Interfaith Working Group Coordinators The above letter was sent on IWG letterhead listing 17 congregations and religious organizations and 62 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