Things certainly have been heating up here lately on PetTalk. I quite like it, but I know it makes others uncomfortable. However, Ann, we may just be in the minority and have to accept that most people here just want this site to be light and not have to have intellectual debates. They usually end badly, anyway. However, I am always keen to have an exchange so feel free to PM me or email me if you get flustered or want to discuss something.

If it helps you out any, I too am a non-believer on PetTalk. I don't find that anyone singles me out because of it, but there is a presumption that everyone believes the same thing more or less.

Here's my take on the whole angel/God thing:

No one can prove conclusively that God/angels exist. There is no proof, but there is faith. Faith is the ability to believe in something which you have no concrete proof, but you take that leap and you trust in it. I grew up Catholic, and I always remember the priest saying "now we will celebrate the mystery of faith"....I think that sums it up well. I find faith to be quite a beautiful thing, but it is a personal thing.

My issue with people who are deeply religious is when they take faith for fact and insist that everyone believe. But I think religion can be quite useful for some, I just don't have much need for it and don't need to be told otherwise. Just like I don't tell others that they shouldn't have faith.

Ann, are you familiar with Dawkins or evolutionary psychology? I think you'd be very interested in it.