Shortform Books

What Is Cultural Superiority? Exploring Its Role in Mission Trips

What is cultural superiority? Why are some cultures’ values made to feel inferior? In When Helping Hurts, Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert believe that some Christian mission trips are based on cultural superiority. This means that they’re trying to help others, such as the poor, but believe their own culture is more important than those they’re helping. Let’s dive deeper into the concept of cultural superiority to better understand it.

The Eleusinian Mysteries Drink Was Likely Hallucinogenic

What was the drink consumed during the Eleusinian Mysteries? What was the purpose of the sacred brew? During the rituals of the Eleusinian Mysteries, the initiates consumed “kukeon,” a barley-based beer. According to Brian Muraresku, the author of The Immortality Key, the kukeon brew was likely psychedelic because it contained ergot—a fungus that possesses hallucinogenic properties. Muraresku presents the following evidence that suggests that the Eleusinian Mysteries drink was psychedelic.

What Is Gender-Affirmation Surgery? Types & Requirements

What is gender-affirming surgery? What are the different types of surgery, and what are the potential side effects? Gender-affirming care consists of three major components: psychological care, gender-affirming hormonal treatments, and gender-affirming surgeries. This article will go over the different types of surgeries, but keep in mind that surgery is only part of the picture. Read below to learn all about gender-affirming surgeries including the different types, side effects, requirements, and the major barriers patients face.

Education Reform in the U.S.: 3 Ways to Thrive Amid Globalization

Are schools preparing students to adapt to changing workplace demands? Are students equipped for innovation? America has all the tools necessary to thrive in a global economy. If it wishes to do so, though, it must make some changes in the way it educates its youth. Thomas L. Friedman, in his book The World Is Flat, offers three recommendations. Keep reading for Friedman’s advice for education reform in the U.S.

How to Be More Likable & Memorable: 5 Ways to Win People Over

Do you want to learn how to be more likable and memorable with people you meet? How might your life be different if you could win people over like never before? Vanessa Van Edwards is a self-proclaimed “recovering awkward person.” She’s also a TEDx Talk presenter and blogger on how to master interpersonal skills. She’s developed strategies to make yourself magnetic, and she shares them in her book Captivate. Keep reading for five strategies from Van Edwards that will make people like and remember you.

Wim Hof Breathing for Beginners: Full Guide

Looking for a guide to Wim Hof breathing for beginners? Why and how should you practice it? Wim Hof breathing is a type of patterned breathwork developed by Hof to improve health both physically and mentally. Hof describes how to do this breathing technique in his bestselling book, The Wim Hof Method. Keep reading for a beginner’s guide to Wim Hof breathing, according to the advice in Hof’s book.

Best Personal Finance Resources: Books, Blogs & Podcasts

Are you looking for a friendly, easy way to learn more about personal finance? Where can you find personal finance resources you can trust? Personal finance is…well…personal. Some want to get out of debt, some want to save for a big-ticket purchase, and others want to build serious wealth. No matter what your personal finance goal is, there are hundreds of resources to help you find the path that will get you there. In this article, we’ve rounded up a list of the best resources, including blogs, books, and podcasts to help you navigate your unique personal finance journey.

Superiority Complex Examples: Sometimes Helping Can Hurt

What are examples of a superiority complex? How do superiority complexes hurt mission trips? The key to cultivating the right mindset for effective poverty alleviation is to see the poor as equals. They are humans who you want to work with for mutual good, not inferior beings who you need to save from themselves. Below, we’ll look at superiority complex examples that Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert explain in their book When Helping Hurts.

Proto-Christianity and the Death of Paganism

What is “proto-Christianity”? How did Christianity replace paganism and other mystical traditions? Christianity arrived in Greece in AD 49 with Saint Paul, but it didn’t become the official religion of the Greco-Roman world until AD 392. Before that, the polytheistic pagan and Christian traditions existed simultaneously throughout the region. Brian Muraresku refers to the Christian practices during this time period as “proto-Christianity.” In this article, we’ll discuss the characteristics, beliefs, and practices of proto-Christianity that were likely to have appealed to a polytheistic pagan community with a rich mystical tradition.

Pre-Christianity: What Was the Primary Religion?

What was the religion practiced before Christianity as we know it today? How does Christianity relate to paganism? According to Brian Muraresku, the author of The Immortality Key, Christianity was born from ancient Greek mystical traditions. More specifically, it was an outgrowth of paganism that was practiced in ancient Greece at the time of the rise of early Christianity. Keep reading to learn about the link between pre-Christianity and Greek paganism.