April 13, 2004

Skagit Valley Herald
Box 578
Mount Vernon, WA  98273

Dear Editors:

In response to Euming Suewing, the April 6 letter writer 
who asked for an explanation of Leviticus 18:22, Leviticus 
20:13, and Romans 1:24, 26, 27 in relation to marriage:  
Even if you take those particular passages in English, 
without cultural context or human influence, as the literal 
word of God (which many Christians do not), none of the 
cited passages make any reference to marriage whatsoever. 

Suewing is apparently making a great number of unstated 
assumptions about the nature of marriage, sexuality, gender, 
and sexual orientation, basing an interpretation of the passages 
on those assumptions, and then asking us to take that interpretation 
as God’s word.  This being a religiously free country we can all 
believe what we want and to claim to speak for whatever deity we want, 
but no matter how much theological debate we engage in over these 
particular passages, everyone, regardless of gender or belief system, 
is entitled to equal protection under the law.  


Sincerely,
Barbara Lamond Purdom			
Christopher Purdom
Interfaith Working Group Coordinators