Established in 1894 as a political group Jonathan Club segued into a purely social club shortly after. The Club originally afforded an outlet through which members hosted political candidates, participated in political rallies and gathered for social activities. In 1895, Jonathan Club members determined that the social bond, and not the political one, was what interconnected its members. Jonathan Club was chartered as a “purely social club” by the State of California on September 23, 1895.
Many notable Club members (also known as Jonathans) have shaped the destiny of Southern California. Their leadership and innovations reverberate to today. Henry Edward Huntington, a notable Jonathan whose imprint on commutes and socio-economic plans dating back to the early 1900s continues to influence all of us to this day. Jonathans Edward Dickson and Ernest Moore conceived the idea of UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles) over lunch in the fall of 1917. Never underestimate the power of lunch at the Club!
Jonathan Breakfast Club of Los Angeles
Volume 83 - Number 19, October 20, 2015
RECAP OF LAST MEETING - October 13
Kelvin Chin, Founder of Overcoming the Fear of Death Foundation
"Overcoming the Fear of Death"
This being the month of Halloween, Kelvin's discussion about death was timely. Kelvin emphasized that his talk was not intended to be morbid; rather, he believes that by facing death, head-on, we can increase our productivity, and our happiness. Kelvin is not alone in this belief. In fact, Kelvin explained that death is a common topic of discussion in many cultures, and it has been for centuries.
Death is inevitable, Kelvin noted, so we should embrace it, learn about it, and be comfortable in our beliefs about the after-life -- or lack thereof, depending on your belief system. To that end, Kelvin started the "Overcoming the Fear of Death Foundation" last year. The mission of his foundation is to reduce the level of fear about death. His foundation is non-partisan and secular.
Kelvin classified death belief systems into four different general categories: (1) the belief that the mind and body die at the same time, and there is no after-life, (2) the belief that the body dies, but the mind continues, there is some after-life, and there is some fear of the after-life, (3) the belief that the body dies, the mind continues, there is some after-life, and there is no fear of the after-life, and (4) the belief that the body dies, the mind continues, and the mind can make choices to come back to life. In this context, the term "mind" means spirit or soul.
Kelvin's talk also included a discussion of deja vu and anecdotes of events that, to some observers, may evidence some sort of an after-life -- or, as Kelvin put it, experiences that "make you scratch your head."
Whether or not you believe in an after-life, Kelvin encourages each of us not to fear death. By doing so, we will embrace life.