Links To Go (April 8, 2015)

Surprise! Two major newspaper stories that seek to understand the religious freedom side in Indiana, Arkansas

Give the Post and the Times credit — at least in these instances — for attempting to provide a complete picture of the Indiana and Arkansas debates and help readers truly understand both sides.


Millennials are the ‘don’t judge generation’ on sexual morality

But, a new survey finds, the reasoning behind these millennial beliefs might surprise older adults who are more rooted in religious doctrines. Most young adults hold views on moral issues that are a long way from what some major religions preach on issues such as abortion and contraception.
For most millennials — including one in three who don’t identify with any particular religion — it’s all about personal circumstances, said Robert Jones, CEO of Public Religion Research Institute.


Let Us Be Done With Proving Everything, Shall We?

Those who demand bomb-proof, unassailable, “beyond any shadow of a doubt” proof only prove one thing – how fearful and shallow their faith truly is. God did not allow the Israelites to know where Moses was buried lest his grave become a shrine. God did not allow Noah’s ark to survive lest it become an idol. God did not allow the ark of the covenant to survive for the exact same reason, as with the cross, the tomb, and anything else related to critical events in the Bible. Those relics are just raindrops in the overwhelming ocean of world history. We do not know nor can we calculate the day of Jesus birth, death, resurrection (beyond the “first day of the week”), or ascension, and we certainly cannot figure out the day of his return. Those who claim to be able to do so are charlatans – or are the mistaken minions of such charlatans. They either have an agenda to push, or a book to sell. Be very careful of such spiritual snake-oil salesmen.


Don’t be a bachelor: Why married men work harder, smarter and make more money

Our research, featured in a recent report, “For Richer, For Poorer: How Family Structures Economic Success in America,” indicates that men who are married work about 400 hours more per year than their single peers with equivalent backgrounds. They also work more strategically: one Harvard study found that married men were much less likely than their single peers to quit their current job unless they had lined up another job.
This translates into a substantial marriage premium for men. On average, young married men, aged 28-30, make $15,900 more than their single peers, and married men aged 44-46 make $18,800 more than their single peers.


Soccer’s versatile beauty

One look at the syllabus dispels any notion that “The Global Game” is merely a chance to argue about whether Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo is the best player in the world. Class participation is key, as are weekly response papers to the hefty assigned readings, and a midterm and final exam. Course materials are not in the least restricted to sport, instead leaping from the French philosopher Michel Foucault to the cultural anthropologist Richard Shweder to the Russian literary critic Mikhail Bakhtin.


The Lyin’ King

Some of the most striking similarities between The Lion King and Kimba the White Lion:

  • The main characters’ names are remarkably similar: Simba and Kimba.
  • Both are orphaned as cubs and destined to become rulers.
  • Each lost their father in treacherous circumstances.
  • In The Lion King, Scar enlists the aid of three hyenas (Shenzi, Banzai, and Ed). In Kimba the White Lion, Claw enlists the aid of two hyenas (Tib and Tab).
  • One of Simba’s friends is a hysterical yet comical bird (named Zazu). One of Kimba’s friends is a hysterical yet comical bird (named Pauley).
  • In The Lion King, Simba turns to a wise but eccentric baboon (named Rakifi) for guidance. In Kimba the White Lion, Kimba turns to a wise but eccentric baboon (named Dan’l Baboon) for guidance.
  • Simba has a cute girlfriend cub named Nala. Kimba has a cute girlfriend cub named Kitty.
  • Simba’s chief nemesis is Scar, an evil lion with a scar over his left eye. Kimba’s primary nemesis is Claw, an evil one-eyed lion with a scar over his blind left eye.
  • Kimba and Simba each speak to the spirit of their father, who appears in the clouds.
  • The image of Simba standing on Pride Rock in The Lion King is almost identical to an image of Kimba as a grown lion, standing on a jutting rock surveying his kingdom in Kimba the White Lion.

Of Course Burger King Is Paying for the Wedding of a Groom Named Burger and Bride Named King

The “Burger-King” wedding isn’t going to cost the happy couple a dime. When the fast food company Burger King found out about the engagement of childhood sweethearts Joel Burger and Ashley King, they decided to call the couple to congratulate them—and give them a big surprise: The company would pay for the entire wedding.


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