Daily Links 4-14-14

Here's a roundup of links to help you start the week of right. In today's edition: the difference between successful and unsuccessful people, the man who stumbled on Hell, the idolatry of modesty, and more.

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Here's an interesting list of 16 differences between successful and unsuccessful people. Lots of good advice in this post. (Hat tip: Neatorama)

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The amazing history of the Choose Your Own Adventure books.

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Increasingly, folks are having issues with food. Here's some useful advice on how to determine whether foods are making you sick.

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The headline says it all: the man who stumbled on Hell. The true story of Lieutenant John Randall, the first Allied soldier to arrive at Bergen-Belsen. (Warning: graphic and disturbing images in the article)

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15 things we have to explain about Lynyrd Skynyrd's Sweet Home Alabama.

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The top 10 words that will help you win at Scrabble. (Hat tip: Book Riot)

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How should Christians deal with the issue of modesty? We should be careful not to make modesty into an idol:

Because promiscuity is so prevalent today, we in the Church have reacted by elevating modesty to unhealthy proportions. We jump too quickly into behavior modification and don’t realize that most of our modesty campaigns are actually borderline legalism. 

One rule in particular that “Christian” schools, universities and clubs like to enforce is the “skirt test.” It usually involves the woman getting on her knees to see if the skirt touches the ground, which if it does, it’s deemed acceptable.

My question though is what are we doing in that moment? Is the gospel being exalted, or are we heaping shame and condemnation on them? 

The fact that she is on her knees for the test couldn’t be more symbolic of submission, power, shame and guilt. The trouble, however, is that while modesty standards are set up to not make women’s bodies an object, it is in fact doing that very thing. 

Highlighting the girl’s dress in front of everyone, and telling her she should dress a certain way because she doesn’t want “to make the men stumble” is simply making her an object.

In the Body, we need to realize using men’s sin and lust issues as the reason why a woman should dress a certain way is actually making her just as much an object than if she were to dress promiscuously.

Read the whole thing.