I agree, Carla.

We should be looking to the here and now, and making this world a better place. Those Christians who obsess about the after-life are not making the most of this life. I leave the after-life to God. This world has been given to us to enjoy, as have so many other lovely things in life - music, literature, family, children, animals.

I have my own ideas (and I do believe in a kind of purgatory, or intermediate state) but I just leave it up to God, and I trust God to be just and merciful. If God is everything, hell is in God aswell. Catholics (of all persuasion) believe anyone who lives by their conscience gets to Heaven. It's Protestants who make faith in Christ the be all and end of all.

There's even talk now that one day the Roman Catholic church will emphasise vegetarianism as an ideal (for those able to be so). I know you love animals as much as me, and I totally believe that God made animals to enjoy this world and live naturally, as much as us. God gave "permission" to eat animals, but not for a very long time. Animals are sentient, precious creatures, not to be exploited by humans for skin and flesh.

But it is our responsibilty to help the suffering and unfortunate as much as we can in this world human and animal. I don't know if you've heard of CHRISTIAN AID but their slogan is:

We believe in life BEFORE death.

You CAN be gentle and loving and a Christian. Catholics are generally very gentle. I am somewhat inbetween Orthodox/Roman Catholic. I share their doctrine, but not the way they worship. The form of worship should adapt to the times. I also agree more with the Roman Catholic Church on sex than I do the Protestant, although I think barrier birth control is ok. I also believe in ever-virgin Mary of the Immaculate Conception.

So I'm a Catholic Christian, which is just a name I give myself to identify my beliefs.