Hi Res,
Religion is just the institutionalization of a belief system. Faith does not depend on religion, rather religions depend on the faith and participation of the members. Yes, the Creator brought forth the light. Yes, there have been visitations of Angels in almost ever civilization dating back before any of the religions practiced currently. Religions have a tendency to get caught up in dogmas and rituals that often loose their gleem over the ages. People end up feeling frustrted with restrictions that may not match the current way of living. I am a Unitarian Universalist, http://www.uua.org./beliefs/welcome/index.shtml so our faith is not really tied down to those sort of things. I don't have a congregation close to where I live now, so I pray independently in my own style. Have I felt the presence of Angels in my life? Yes, I have. Do I feel that they watch over me? Yes, I do.
Do I feel that people can carry light or darkness into life around them. Yes, I do. Over the centuries there have been artisitic renditions of angels in almost every civilization. Why has this been such a constant theme over the ages? Undoubtedly, others have also had the same experience. Why is light often included in these depictions? I know that some people now prefer to refer to these experiences as encounters with Alien beings, and in fact there is religion that has sprung from this belief as well (Raëlism).
I only go by my own life experiences and therefore know what is the truth for me, even if others have their own direct truth, which does not make one or the other less true. I am an EA, and found this out late in life, after many misterious and uninvited missions. The light has always been around me since I was a child. One of my earliest memories as a child, to which my parents attested to, was that I felt I was in a bubble of light of sorts and would often point it out to them.
Blessings and Light,
10C