Officials of several religious organizations, including the
Presbyterian, Lutheran and Episcopal churches, sent an open
letter to Congress yesterday opposing the proposed
constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.  ''Although
we have differing opinions on rights for same-sex couples, we
believe the Federal Marriage Amendment reflects a fundamental
disregard for individual civil rights and ignores differences
among our nation's many religious traditions,'' the letter said.
The United Church of Christ and the Unitarian Universalist
Association, which recognize same-sex marriages, also signed the
letter. So did representatives of the Anti-Defamation League,
the Union for Reform Judaism, the liberal Alliance of Baptists
and the Quakers.  The Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of
Americans United for Separation of Church and State, helped
orchestrate the letter. As United Church of Christ minister, he
said, ''I am disturbed that even though I can perform a
religious ritual to unite a same-gender coupl