Tuesday link roundup – Making a long story longer

Google Earth and Sketch Up
Contra Matt Stevers: A study says curvy women are smarter (anyone catch the reference?)
TweakVista
Patrick Lang puts it very well in a column and the fallacy of humanities “homogenous future” with Brooks and Friedman have missed something in their discussions of religion.

They have missed a simple truth. MOST PEOPLE WHO PROFESS RELIGION ACTUALLY BELIEVE IN THE TRUTH OF THEIR GROUP’S TEACHING ABOUT THE NATURE OF THE UNIVERSE AND THE MEANING OF EXISTENCE. They do not see their sect, denomination, church, etc. as a mere vehicle for the expression of social concern for the welfare of others.

Orthodox Christian theology proclaims the majesty of a triune God. Muslims and Jews do not. Mormons believe in something altogether different.

Members of those groups (if they are truly members and not just “life cycle” auxiliaries) are capable of accepting each other as “good people” and fellow citizens. They are NOT CAPABLE of accepting the truth of groups who deny the essential beliefs of their own group.

That is what was meant in the recent pronouncement from Rome of the limits of Christian-Muslim dialog. Dialog among all religious groups is desirable as a means of establishing a harmony of the peoples, but there are limits imposed by THEOLOGY beyond which such discussions can not progress.

I would have added “No matter how may of those “CoExist” bumper stickers you see.”