The pagan origins of three Catholic practices

A few traditions in the Roman Catholic Church can be traced back to pagan cults, rites, and deities.

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  • The Catholic rite of Holy Communion parallels pre-Christian Greco-Roman and Egyptian rituals that involved eating the body and blood of a god.
  • A number of Catholic holidays and myths, such as Christmas, Easter, and Mardi Gras, graph onto the timeline of pre-Christian fertility festivals.
  • The Catholic practice of praying to saints has been called "de-facto idolatry" and even a relic of goddess worship.
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These 10 countries are closest to achieving gender equality

Iceland has closed almost 88% of its gender gap and increased its lead over second-ranked Norway.

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Iceland has once again held on to the top spot in the World Economic Forum's latest Global Gender Gap Index.
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Psychology behind the unfunny consequences of jokes that denigrate

"It's just a joke," right?

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Q: Why did the woman cross the road?
A: Who cares! What the hell is she doing out of the kitchen?
Q: Why hasn't NASA sent a woman to the moon?
A: It doesn't need cleaning yet!

These two jokes represent disparagement humor – any attempt to amuse through the denigration of a social group or its representatives.

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Companies are judged more harshly for their ethical failures if the CEO is a woman

Unequal gender dynamics still prevail even at the very top.

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Gender inequality in the business world has been much discussed over the last few years, with a host of mentoring schemes, grants, business books and political activity all aimed at getting women into leadership positions.

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Is ‘sexy’ being redefined? If so, what does it mean for the fashion industry?

Some lingerie lines have failed to keep up with a new era.

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  • According to L Brands, the Victoria's Secret fashion show, which began in 1995, has been cancelled to shift its focus on digital marketing.
  • Since the advent of the fashion, the female body has been dissected and commodified to promote new feminine ideals for sales. This might be ending.
  • Feminist demands have given rise to body inclusive brands such as Aerie, ThirdLove, Universal Studios, and Savage X Fenty that redefine "sexy."
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