Dear Dori, Though I was born into an atheist family, I didn't stay one, and I was lucky that I didn't have to shake off a bunch of well-meaning indoctrination. Some of these poor guys react to the G-d word like it was a charged cattle prod. Here's what appeared in my mailing list tonight: Narrated by Ibn Abbas (Radhiallaho anho): The Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam) was hiding himself in Mecca and used to recite the (Qur'an) in a loud voice. When the pagans heard him they would abuse the Qur'an and the one who brought it, so Allah said to His Prophet (sallallaahu 'alaihi wasallam): "Neither say your prayer aloud, nor say it in a low tone." (Sura Al-Israa : Ver. 110) Bukhari Vol. 9 : No. 637 How do you explain this kind of synchronicity to the Correct Thinkers? Beats me. I have to say that the Paleo list is the least supportive support list I've ever seen, with the people falling into various heterogenous groups with more or less of an agenda - the Correct Thinking Tough Guys, the Gaia Uber Alles, the Sick and Desperate, and -possibly a group of one, me - the Fat Slob(s). These are all labels, of course, that would be assigned by others not of each group. I wonder how we can introduce more civility into the discussion, but the problem seems to be everywhere, not just here. Bless you for trying to help the poor girl being batted around like a hockey puck between the media, her doctors, and her parents. Mike