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GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. — The Grand Valley Interfaith Network interviewed religious leaders, political candidates and everyday people of different faiths on camera for a video titled “Who is Speaking for God?” to be shown Thursday at Mesa State College.
The interviewees discussed the relationship between their faith and their vote.
A rabbi, a pastor, a sikh, two politicians and various lay people are among the 20-plus who responded to GVIN’s request for an interview.
“We tried to get people from the right and from the left, and everywhere in-between,” said organizer Karen Sjoberg.
The video is the brainchild of John Mok-Lamé, pastor of Sojourners Church. The idea came about during a brainstorming at one of GIVN’s monthly meetings. GIVN members are comprised of various faith-based communities, including 12 churches as well as organizations such as Grand Valley Peace and Justice and Catholic Outreach. Several people worked on the project, including Palisade High School student Jaron Curtsinger, who edited the film.
Terry Tormey, videographer and editor for Marketing Masters, volunteered his time videotaping the interviews.
“I was interested to see if there was a commonality” between differences, Mok-Lamé said. “While people may share values, where those values take them are very different places sometimes. We wanted to explore that.”
Sjoberg and Mok-Lamé asked participants three questions: 1) What is the relationship between your faith and your politics, or your vote? 2) How will your faith/values impact your vote this election? and 3) Given a list of values, participants were asked if any of them resonated with them, and if so, which one in particular?
“We are producing a thought-provoking video to help bring the community together to find common ground in the upcoming election,” Mok-Lamé said.
“The project’s purpose is to get people of different faiths and political perspectives to listen to one another,” Sjoberg said. “When you hear where people are coming from it helps you understand why they think the way they do.”
The video will be shown in the Ziegel Room in the Student Union at 7 p.m. There will be refreshments and a facilitated group discussion following the video.
The video will also be posted after Oct. 16 on YouTube, as well as the group’s Facebook page, Who Speaks for God, Grand Junction.
One of the people interviewed is originally from Canada, where he said this issue is not a dominant theme as it is in American politics.
The project was inspired by a Front Range group called We Believe Colorado, whose mission includes “affirming the right and duty of all to have an equitable voice in politics and that election-year discussions be characterized by open, respectful and compassionate dialog.”
They want to change the political debate to better reflect the moral and religious principles that most people hold in common, Sjoberg said.
Reach Sharon Sullivan at ssullivan@gjfreepress.com.
The interviewees discussed the relationship between their faith and their vote.
A rabbi, a pastor, a sikh, two politicians and various lay people are among the 20-plus who responded to GVIN’s request for an interview.
“We tried to get people from the right and from the left, and everywhere in-between,” said organizer Karen Sjoberg.
The video is the brainchild of John Mok-Lamé, pastor of Sojourners Church. The idea came about during a brainstorming at one of GIVN’s monthly meetings. GIVN members are comprised of various faith-based communities, including 12 churches as well as organizations such as Grand Valley Peace and Justice and Catholic Outreach. Several people worked on the project, including Palisade High School student Jaron Curtsinger, who edited the film.
Terry Tormey, videographer and editor for Marketing Masters, volunteered his time videotaping the interviews.
“I was interested to see if there was a commonality” between differences, Mok-Lamé said. “While people may share values, where those values take them are very different places sometimes. We wanted to explore that.”
Sjoberg and Mok-Lamé asked participants three questions: 1) What is the relationship between your faith and your politics, or your vote? 2) How will your faith/values impact your vote this election? and 3) Given a list of values, participants were asked if any of them resonated with them, and if so, which one in particular?
“We are producing a thought-provoking video to help bring the community together to find common ground in the upcoming election,” Mok-Lamé said.
“The project’s purpose is to get people of different faiths and political perspectives to listen to one another,” Sjoberg said. “When you hear where people are coming from it helps you understand why they think the way they do.”
The video will be shown in the Ziegel Room in the Student Union at 7 p.m. There will be refreshments and a facilitated group discussion following the video.
The video will also be posted after Oct. 16 on YouTube, as well as the group’s Facebook page, Who Speaks for God, Grand Junction.
One of the people interviewed is originally from Canada, where he said this issue is not a dominant theme as it is in American politics.
The project was inspired by a Front Range group called We Believe Colorado, whose mission includes “affirming the right and duty of all to have an equitable voice in politics and that election-year discussions be characterized by open, respectful and compassionate dialog.”
They want to change the political debate to better reflect the moral and religious principles that most people hold in common, Sjoberg said.
Reach Sharon Sullivan at ssullivan@gjfreepress.com.
