JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, S.C Members of Joint Base Charleston community joined together for the National Prayer Luncheon at the Charleston Club May 23.
The National Prayer Luncheon is an annual event that celebrates religious diversity and fellowship.
“This luncheon is an opportunity for followers of every faith to come together and connect on a spiritual level,” said Col. Walter Bean, 628th Air Base Wing Chaplain Corps senior chaplain.
Retired U.S. Army Lt. Col. Dave Grossman a former U.S. Military Academy psychology professor and author, was the guest speaker for the luncheon.
Attendees received a brief history of the National Prayer Luncheon and were able to listen to readings from the Tanakh, Qur'an and New Testament before Grossman was introduced.
“This event featured readings from the three major religious traditions which have played such a major part in our national heritage,” said Bean. “Our leaders have emphasized the very special notion of religious tolerance.”
Grossman spoke about the psychology of violence and its role in society. He used secondhand anecdotes from historical events such as WWII and 9/11 to demonstrate how emotions can mentally and physically effect people.
“The one emotion that quenches fear the same as water quenches fire, is love,” said Grossman. “It’s the one emotion that supersedes the instinct of self-preservation.”
Grossman used the word resiliency when talking about dealing with the threats of violence. He also used an analogy pertaining to motherhood and how mothers in the animal kingdom will sacrifice themselves for their young and how we as humans will sacrifice effort, time, and even our lives for the ones we love.
“The speech was a very eloquent,” said Bean. “The life of sacrifice we in the military is for the love of others and Grossman talked about ways we can prepare to get through adverse situations.”