Links to Your World, Tuesday April 7

“Scot Free?” “Humble Pie?” “Fit as a Fiddle?” 10 Misconceptions About Common Sayings


“Overall, the research shows that nearly one-third of all adults (32%) consider themselves to be ‘mostly conservative’ on social and political matters, and about half as many (17%) claimed to be ‘mostly liberal’ on such matters. The other half of the adult population generally takes a position somewhere in between those opposing viewpoints.” These identities have some interesting implications in predicting where one stands on key Christian convictions according to George Barna (via Ed Stetzer)


Hillcrest is co-sponsoring the mayor and city council candidate debate at the Dell Jewish Community Center Wednesday, April 29. More here.


You really should take 10 minutes with Jon Meacham’s Newsweek cover story, “The End of Christian America.” Think as a missionary would think about this article, because you are a missionary to your American culture.


Albert Mohler, who was quoted heavily in “The End of Christian America,” has some reflections on the article. While he says Meacham treated him fairly in the main, still, he says, “I hope I did not reflect too much gloom in my analysis. This much I know -- Jesus Christ is Lord, and His kingdom is forever. Our proper Christian response to this new challenge is not gloom, but concern. And our first concern must be to see that the Gospel is preached as Good News to the perishing -- including all those in post-Christian America.” Amen.


“Sour economies don't just destroy jobs and wealth. They can tear apart marriages, often because of the debt that couples accumulate and, when times get tough, have trouble repaying. In this adaptation from his new book Financially Ever After: The Couples' Guide to Managing Money, Wall Street Journal reporter Jeff D. Opdyke describes the challenges couples face when dealing with debt and how they can begin to address them.”


Want to Save Some Money? Shop Without Touching


eHarmony, the popular matchmaking website started by evangelical psychologist Neal Clark Warren, has been forced by the New Jersey attorney general to start a same-sex dating website called Compatible Partners (story). One more sign that the gay rights movement wants far more than tolerance; this won’t end until even private organizations fall under state mandates to endorse homosexuality. You may happen to agree with this end, but understand: it is one thing for private businesses and organizations to freely choose to change under pressure of social ostracism; it is an entirely different thing for the force of law to mandate such changes. In the Land of the Free, the government should not interfere when leaders of private businesses and organizations make decisions in keeping with their moral principles.


“Botox may not only provide a nonsurgical face-lift — it may also lift your spirits, new research suggests. By paralyzing the facial muscles used for frowning, Botox prevents people from physically displaying expressions of negative emotion. Building on previous research that suggests facial expressions not only reflect but influence mood levels, the new study hypothesizes that Botox may lighten people's moods by literally wiping the frowns off their faces.” (Time)


Cathy Lynn Grossman, religion reporter for USA Today, discovered that ‘How to Pray’ is one of the top searches on AOL -- below how to get rid of ants, play poker or make french toast but above how to prevent diabetes.


“Interested in avoiding the next financial bubble? Then evangelical Christianity could be for you. A new study by Christopher W. Crowe, an economist for the International Monetary Fund, found that during the last two housing booms in the United States, regions with high concentrations of evangelicals saw lower gains in home prices and less volatility than similar regions with fewer evangelical residents.” (NY Times)


“Do not abandon yourselves to despair. We are the Easter people and hallelujah is our song.” - Pope John Paul II


This is Why You Keep Reading “Links to Your World”: “Surfing the net at work for pleasure actually increases our concentration levels and helps make a more productive workforce, according to a new University of Melbourne study.”


Want to understand the reason for the cross this Easter? Here's a 3-minute video that can help:



You can also find a brief defense of the Resurrection produced by the same congregation here. (HT: Between Two Worlds)