More than 85 attendees from the College and community participated in an engaging discussion with author Ariel Gluchlick regarding his book “Dying for Heaven” – about why sometimes the best qualities of religion are also the most dangerous. It explores suicide bombings, terrorist acts and counterterrorism; and discusses how religious feelings and goals lead to self-destructive behavior.
The free community event was sponsored by JSRCC’s Multicultural Enrichment Council (MEC) for the purpose of encouraging cultural diversity throughout the Reynolds campuses and communities.
The College also offered several recent events intended to build additi
onal interfaith understanding. Robert Chala, a facilitator who specializes in assisting college campuses shape a vision and action plan for building interfaith cooperation, led an Interfaith Youth Core workshop for students. Chala recently completed an intensive assessment of Arab and Muslim Civic Engagement efforts in greater Los Angeles, highlighting the successful role that interfaith cooperation is playing in advancing a vibrant civic sector. He also helped lead the California Fund for Youth Organizing, a network that strengthens the capacity and cooperation of diverse youth social change leaders at the state, regional and local level. Born in Beirut, Lebanon in the midst of civil war, he comes from a Maronite Catholic and Greek Orthodox tradition and is a practicing Buddhist. The MEC also presented the movie “Arranged,” about two women – one an Orthodox Jew and the other a Muslim of Syrian origin – both having their marriages arranged through their respective religious and traditional customs. The film was followed by a discussion led by Dr. Ghazala Hashmi, a JSRCC faculty member, who discussed how her happy marriage of more than 20 years was arranged.
