Angels...Do You Believe?

TGIF! *waves* It’s been a long week in the Miller household. I saw my cardiologist Tuesday for a routine checkup on my mitral valve that has now turned into a series of tests. Yesterday I had an echocardiogram and now I’m hooked up to a 21-day heart monitor. These electrodes are itching the hell out of me! >:( So, anyway, that’s life right, the way things roll.

I’d already planned to write about angels, my cardiologist appointment had nothing to do with this week’s blog. So, anyone that ever read any of my Deadly Vixens’ posts, you know I’m a freak for the supernatural.

"I always feel like somebody's watching me..."

Angels...

"And I have no privacy, whoa - oa - oa..."

Are they among us? Are they even real? Do you believe in them? Are they heavenly sent?

"I always feel like somebody's watching me..."

Is there an Angel standing over your shoulder right now as you read this blog?

"Who's playing tricks on me?"

*grins* I'll shut up with the lyrics now. Why that song even made me think of angels, I'll never know. *laughs* That's my kooky brain at work. ;-) Just in case you were interested, the lyrics were from Somebody's Watching Me, by Beatfreakz, which was sung by Michael Jackson and Rockwell.

There is a lot of lore out there about Angels from the Holy Bible to just the difference in basic beliefs and concepts.

Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, states the following facts:

“The word ‘angel’ in English (from Old English and German Engel), French (from Old French angele), Spanish, and many other Romance languages are derived from the Latin angelus, itself derived from Koine Greek: άγγελος, angelos, ‘messenger’.”

Hmmm…. Angel off Buffy the Vampire Slayer—and of course let’s not forget his own show entitled appropriately enough just Angel—wasn’t his real name Angelus? Interesting….Okay, back on track because this isn’t about the fictional vampire Angel.

Wikipedia goes on to state the following:

“In Hebrew and Arabic the primary term for "angel" is ‘malakh’ (מַלְאָךְ), ‘malaika’, or ‘malak’ (ملاك) derived from the Semitic consonantal root l-'-k (ל-א-ך), meaning ‘to send.’ This root is also found in the noun ‘Melakha’ (מְלָאכָה), meaning ‘work’, and the noun ‘Mal'achut’ (מלאכות), meaning ‘message’. Other words referring to angels include כרוב kruv describing young children, from which the English word ‘cherub’ is derived. Another Hebrew term is Gil-Gulim, meaning ‘revolving,’ and angels are sometimes depicted as wheels with wings. Derived from this is the Hebrew term ‘Gal-Gal,’ ‘the rotation of fortune, change.’”

While that is all fascinating and I love the way the Hebrew and Arabic spellings look (they’re so pretty to me), it is still a little technical and boring for me as well. For me the word Angels inspires biblical principles and ideologies. Growing up in the church, one cannot run from the teachings of Angels. Biblically, Angels were often times messengers of God. Sometimes Angels were sent to lead God’s people. They were always sent by God though. In Revelations, Angels are harbingers of plagues and destruction.

But where there is good, there is also evil. That I believe even for today. There’s good and evil in the world, unfortunately identifying between the two isn’t always easy.

Most of us know that Satan was considered the most powerful, most beautiful of all angels before he rebelled against God and was cast out of heaven to wander the earth. It is referenced in 2 Cor. 11:16 that Satan masquerades as an angel of light, being the proverbial false prophet.

But beyond that, do you believe in Angels? If so, what do they represent to you?

For me, do I believe in Angels? Yes. But when I think of Angels, I do not necessarily picture the winged angel prevalent in popular culture today. Neither am I picturing Leo off of Charmed, although I rather liked that one. I do believe we sometimes meet angels disguised as humans and we may not even be aware of it. I believe there are different types of angels also.There are those among us, guardians if you prefer, that protect us and even send us messages to guide us along the correct path. Whether we hear those messages, is strictly up to how perceptive or open we are to the supernatural noise around us.

I also believe there are warrior angels that fight demons. Maybe, they’re even whispering in the ears of our military guiding them, leading them to safety, giving them a helping hand without any of them ever being the wiser…calling it intuition if you so desire. Maybe, angels are whispering in the ear of evil dictators, staying their hands for one brief show of leniency before allowing them to further inflict bloody atrocities against humanity.

Whatever their real purpose, for me I believe they are here to oppose the minions of evil. To protect us from ourselves or even real supernatural evil. But what I was most interested in was how you all feel and what you think about Angels. So, I posed this question to my fellow internet sisters on Sn.tv:

“Do you have any opinions about angels? Do you believe in them at all? If so, what specifically do you believe about them? Do they help us? Or are they only for God's direction and loyalty? Are they messengers or harbingers of disasters, like the mothman prophecy? Tell me anything and everything you'd like to share with me about your thoughts.”

They were not quiet on the matter. So, once you finish reading their comments, share with me your beliefs.

MANETH

“I don't know if I believe in them, I've never SEEN them so I really don't know. I'm open to anything really, I don't care if they exist or not, I just live my life, not worrying if anything else is out there unless I FACE it.”

NIGHTSHADEISIS

“Far as the angels....hell yes I do.

I've always been a believer in God and everything he stands for. Even though I believe in all of this other spooky crap as well, but there are reasons for things that God just doesn't want us to understand. We're given free will to do what we choose here and be tested. And I don't see how a person can believe in demons without believing in the counter- Angels- in the process. There isn't just EVIL. There's good too. And if that wasn't the case than nothing would repel the bastards.

I’ve came face to face with demons. I've been possessed. None of the above were fun. But I’ve witnessed miracles from God in my life and my daughters on the same token, and felt his love and power in my life when I didn't ever think I deserved it. I wouldn't EVER turn my back on that belief or doubt that.

I'm a complete believer that they are out there. God even said that Angels as well as Demons walk the earth among us. So that leaves one to wonder and think about it.

For what they do, I believe firmly that they are watchers, observers, messengers. They look out over God's work, make sure we all are alright. But also in times of dire need, will do what needs to be done, because God commands it so. It isn't unusual in biblical times for cases like Dean's to spring up where God commanded someone to do something, and it was needed to be done. Angels are known to be messengers of God. I wonder as far as the whole Mothman prophecy, however. Have to lean towards the side of his being a harbinger personally. But that's just me. But yes as far as angels, I firmly believe that they look over us, watching out for us. HELPING when it is necessary, PASSING ON MESSAGES when God asks of it, and even STEPPING INTO THE FIGHT when it becomes a major case of need.”

ALESSANDRA

“Being raised Roman Catholic I was taught to believe in God and therefore Heaven, Angels, Hell and Satan. I attended Church every Sunday, said my prayers, went to Communion, etc. At 10 I was becoming more aware of world events and could not understand how God could allow all the suffering and cruelty to exist without interfering; this is when I stopped believing He existed or more to the point this is when I no longer needed to believe in Him and therefore Heaven/Angels, etc. When I was 16 I stopped attending Church knowing my parents would respect my wishes at this age. I did, however, continue to go at Easter and Christmas knowing it would please them as well as pray for a friend or family member in need as this would give them comfort. That might seem hypocritical but just because I didn't need to believe in Him doesn't mean it is wrong for others to believe.

I know if evil exists, which it does, then good must exist as a balance. But the question remains are God and his Angels and Satan and his minions actual physical entities or just labels used to represent good and evil; or is this just 2 aspects of humanity with no preternatural connotations?

As you can see Belief is very difficult; having blind Faith is simply not in my nature.

I have never felt the presence of my Guardian Angel, we all have one apparently. Having said that I have beaten certain death twice (without medical intervention) and grievous injury, also twice, with nothing more than a few bruises.Was that just luck or do Angels and therefore God really exist?”

AISLINN

“I know that Angels are sexless, neither male nor female, but when they come to us they come to us in a form that we are familiar with. They too have free will, hence Lucifer's fall. Some say the UFO's are actually Angles, Ezekiel had a vision of a fiery wheel that some say would look liked an UFO, written about in the first or second chapter of Ezekiel. Contrary to popular belief we humans cannot become Angles after death.”

POCKETS

“Lets see do I believe in angels. Lets work on the definition here do I believe in winged harp playing messengers from God? No. Do I believe in some sort of being that isn't nessecerily in a bodily form on this plane of existance that has a purpose to guide and or guard the human race as a whole or has one or a group of specific charges? I'd certainly like to and due to various evidence, personal experience and the amount of people who can hold testimony, Alessandra for example narrowly escaping death and the like. I'd probably err onto the side of believing.

I like to keep an open mind on every matter of this type. On the one hand I believe that once your lights are out, there is nothing, the bare bones science of things has yet to completley discover souls and such and thus on that thought pattern there is no question that we are just organisms and thus will behave like them..But on the same note I am a person who holds a faith and I would certainly like it if my 'beliefs' held true, I have faith in that which I pray to and I would like to not be talking to myself. That said I'm a paranoid person and often wonder. But my Gods don't care! They'll stick around and wait for me to get over myself and I believe that if any thing that is what 'angels' whatever they may be, are there for. A messenger, possibly not but a go between certainly. I'm not egotistical enough to believe a higher power would have a message for me but I do think that if such higher power exists then they will send their underlings to help me on my way to being a better person in life and faith and guide and guard me in my life because everyone needs someone.”

I hope to hear what you think about Angels.

Have a great weekend everyone! *waves*

Don't forget to check back tomorrow for your chance to win a copy of Margay's book, Nora's Soul!