From Zocalo & Skirball
To fully grasp just how profoundly people are influenced by their beliefs, turn no further than two disparate but intriguing author appearances that will be free and open to the public tonight, with reservations required, of course. In downtown at 7:30, the sophisticated, cosmopolitan and global-thinking Ian Buruma will make his case that democracy cannot work unless at least some of the passions that religion inflames can get tamped down. With his latest work, 'Taming the Gods,' the Dutch native and Asia expert, who previously has explored the public murders in the Netherlands of a prominent conservative politician and a filmmaking provocateur and descendant of painter Vincent Van Gogh, has turned deeper attention to religious fervor and governing on three continents. Meantime, over in Brentwood at 7:30, rock star Moby will speak out on his passion and crusade to get Americans to slash their consumption of beef and to reduce their reliance on industrially processed foods. Its part of his smarter for the environment advocacy that he and more than a dozen other contributors have laid out in 'Gristle.'
Photos: Buruma, l, Moby
In downtown, an examination of religion, inflamed passions, democracy
In Brentwood, advocacy for the abandoment of excessive eating of meat
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