If you’re in the Los Angeles area, tickets are still available for tonight’s discussion on “Religion, Politics, and the End of the World.” It is framed as a debate between our friend Sam Harris, and former New York Times Middle East bureau chief and Harvard Divinity School graduate Chris Hedges, but we’re hopeful the result will more closely resemble informed discussion.

The salient and vital fact to remember is that after the events of 9/11, it is clear that belief means something, and if we don’t understand what and why people believe what they believe, it will come back to haunt us. In a world full of differing and opposing opinions about how one finds meaning in life, the only certainty is that we must seek to at least understand, if not respect, the beliefs and opinions of others. Hopefully tonights dialogue will help.