| Topic: |
Religions > Atheism |
| User: |
"Sound of Trumpet" |
| Date: |
28 Dec 2006 02:24:38 AM |
| Object: |
Angel Popularity On The Rise |
http://www.therealpresence.org/archives/Angelology/Angelology_004.htm
Angel Popularity on the Rise
by Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J.
Anyone who knows what is going on in America must admit that angelic
popularity is growing by leaps and bounds.
There was a time when angels were simply pictured winged creatures on
Christmas cards. The dictionaries would use the word "angel" to
describe a very kindly person.
But things have changed; we may speak of angels having infiltrated our
popular culture, as the expression goes, "big time." From
traditional Christians to New Agers, people are looking for comfort
from what they believe are heavenly helpers in the trials and suffering
of our chaotic world.
Popular songs about the angels have become a staple diet of the
communications industry. Hit melodies include "Earth Angel,"
"Angel Eyes," "Johnny Angel," "I'm Living Right Next Door
To An Angel," "Where Angels Fear to Tread," "You Are My Special
Angel." An exhaustive study in a book called "Angels: An Endangered
Species", estimates that over the last thirty years one in every ten
pop songs refers to an angel. In recent years, however, angels have
moved from the field of popular music into the mainstream of American
society. Some of the nation's largest circulating magazines are
featuring stories about the angels.
Let me quote one short paragraph from a recent Time magazine article:
In the past few years (angels) have lodged in the popular imagination,
celestial celebrities trailing clouds of glory as they come. There are
angels-only boutiques, angel newsletters, angel seminars,...A Time poll
indicates that most Americans believe in angels. Harvard Divinity
School has a course on angels; Boston College has two. Bookstores have
had to establish angel sections...In Publisher's Weekly's 'Best
Seller' list five of ten paperback books are about angels.
It is no wonder that commentators on the American scene are now writing
about "Today's angel craze." Many are asking why are angels so
popular in our day? What has brought on the incredible, as they call
it, "angel mania" that is sweeping our nation.
Some are saying that this fascination is more emotional than
theological; a grassroots revolution in which all kinds of people are
raising all kinds of questions about the angelic world.
Non-Catholic Christian believers are excited about angels because
angels are so prominent in the Bible. On these grounds, the rise in
angel popularity is a result of a growing interest in understanding the
scriptures.
One observer of this phenomenon claims, "Angels are popular today
because they allegedly offer humankind a form of spirituality that does
not involve commitment to God or the laws of God." Another
commentator puts it more bluntly, "For those who choke too easily on
God and His rules...the angels are the handy compromise, all fluff and
meringue, kind, non-judgmental. And they are available to everyone like
aspirin." Finally it is suggested that "Angels too easily provide a
temptation for those who want a 'fix' of spirituality, without
bothering with God Himself."
It is impossible to exaggerate the widespread interest in angels in a
country like the United States. Our task is to sift this avalanche of
literature and media production. How much of it is psychological
emotion or even positive error? And how much is consistent with the
teaching of authentic Christianity?
Psychological Reaction
In so-called developed countries like our own, the material world of
space and time has become normative of reality. Without a second
thought, we use expressions like, "It does not matter," or "It is
immaterial to me," or "As a matter of fact," or "What really
matters." A standard definition tells the readers, matter is "to be
of importance," or "as distinguished from nonsense or drollery."
Inevitably there has been a powerful rejoinder. Except for hard-core
Marxists, most of the thinking world has reacted against this practical
materialism. Instinctively the human mind realizes there is more to
reality than what we can touch and taste and feel; more than we can
experience with our bodily senses of sight and sound.
The problem is that this spontaneous reaction to widespread materialism
has not always been, to put it mildly, consistent with objective fact.
Thus we find writers, professional teachers, and television characters
talking about the angels without realizing what they are saying.
Angelic literature has developed its own vocabulary. There is angelic
channeling, angelic visualization, angelic crystals, and angelic
occurrences. Angels are said to be "brain program editors." They
can help us evolve and there is an elaborate twelve-step program for
making psychological contact with the angels.
A few sample quotations from these angel enthusiasts will give us some
idea of how far their fervor leads them. One New Age author tells his
readers that a "cherubic crystal" can be of great benefit in making
contact with the angels. A cherubic crystal has been charged by the
Cherubim. Here is what you do after you have such a crystal.
Once you have selected the crystal, hold it between the palms of your
hands. Ask out loud for the wisdom vibration emanated by the Cherubim
to flow through you and into your hands, so that the stone will become
charged with the Cherubim's vibration. Prepare the crystal once in
this manner and you will never have to do it again, unless someone
tampers with it or changes its program.
Another author tells readers that the color of your clothes is most
important in attracting the attention of the angelic world. Healing
angels like deep sapphire blue, Seraphim angels like crimson red,
Cherubim angels like blue, the Archangel Michael likes deep blue, vivid
blue, gold, and rose, whereas Gabriel is attracted to tans, browns, and
dark greens. It is important for angel-seekers to be selective in the
colors they wear.
All of this could be dismissed as the ramblings of misguided devotees.
However, the fact is that interwoven with the rambling are elements of
revealed truth. Anyone who is going to talk about the angels today had
better know what he is saying and how much of what he says is pious
fiction or provable fact.
Positive Error
Implied in what we have so far said is the need to carefully sift the
library of angelic books. National and even international associations
have been formed to provide "assistance" and "guidance" for the
growing multitude of "angel lovers."
It is easier to assess the validity of what people like the New Agers
are teaching their followers about the angels. It is more subtle to
evaluate the angelic writings of leading Protestant authors like Billy
Graham and Ron Rhodes.
As might be expected, Protestants who write about the angels must be
divided into those who believe in divine revelation, and those, call
them liberals, for whom there has been no supernatural communication to
the human race.
For those who do not believe that there is a revealed word of God,
angels are at best pious fancies, and at worst symptoms of
psychopathology.
Among believing Protestants, there is, to put it mildly, a flood of
publications: books and brochures, pamphlets and magazine articles all
dealing with the angels.
Consistent with their rejection of Sacred Tradition as a valid source
of inspired truth, they concentrate on the Bible. Billy Graham is a
prime example. I happen to know that Billy Graham inherited a large
collection of Catholic books. Graham asked for these books and, over
the years, I am sure has been deeply affected by his reading. His
sermons reflect a strong Catholic orientation for which I can only
thank God.
Billy Graham introduces his classic book on Angels with a quotation
from John Calvin. Says Calvin, "The angels are the dispensers and
administrators of the divine beneficence towards us; they regard our
safety, undertake our defense, direct our ways, and exercise a constant
solicitude that no evil befall us"(Institutes of the Christian
Religion, I).
Throughout his book on the angels, Billy Graham assumes what John
Calvin taught. There is an absolute predestination for angels and men.
As the Calvinist Westminister Confession declares, "By the decree of
God, for the manifestation of His glory, some men and angels are
predestinated unto everlasting life, and others foreordained to
everlasting death. These angels and men, thus predestined and
foreordained, are particularly and unchangeably designed, and their
number is so certain and definite that it can not be either increased
or diminished"(Chapter 3, III-IV).
The implication of this teaching is obvious. Once you claim that God
from all eternity has predestined some people for heaven and others for
hell, irrespective of their free will, there can be no question of
invoking the angels, asking the angels to help us, begging their
assistance in the trials of life.
Billy Graham does not budge on this Protestant presupposition. His book
on the angels is beautiful. He tells his readers that the angels are
for real; there is an angelic organization; the angels protect and
deliver us. All of this is inspiring and marvelously uplifting. Graham
closes his book by reminding the reader that, "When my time to die
comes an angel will be there to comfort me. He will give me peace and
joy even at that most critical hour, and usher me into the presence of
God, and I will dwell with the Lord forever. Thank God for the ministry
of His blessed angels!"
One thing, however, is missing. There is not a word about our devotion
to the angels, or invoking the angels, or asking them to intercede for
us from the mercy of God.
Ron Rhodes is not as famous as Billy Graham. His specialty is Christian
research. His book Angels Among Us is a carefully footnoted volume on
"separating truth from fiction" regarding angels and demons.
What is especially important for us Catholics is the author's heavy
emphasis on what he calls "Celestial Quackery." Like Graham, all
his sources for angelology are from the Bible. Moreover, there are no
references from the books which are missing in the Protestant
Scriptures. Thus the book of Tobit, which has over twenty references to
the angels, especially the Archangel Raphael, is simply ignored.
But more serious is our author's excluding prayer to the angels as a
form of "Celestial Quackery."
Many of today's angel authors say angel contact often comes through
prayer. Terry Lynn Taylor is representative in saying that "Prayer is
a way to communicate with the angels." She advises, "Prayer is the
way we talk to angels"...Notice that she speaks of prayer that is
directed towards angels and not to God, which directly violates
scriptural instructions on prayer.
Supposedly, angels can also make sure that whenever you choose to pray
to God your prayers will actually reach Him.
The same author classifies meditation on the angels as "Celestial
Quackery." He quotes one of these "quacks" as saying, "Angels
are always on call, and meditation is one of the best ways by which we
can communicate with them." This is absolutely wrong. It is not
biblical meditation. "Biblical meditation - in contrast to the
mysticism and emptying of the mind that is characteristic of Eastern
meditation - involves objective contemplation and deep reflection on
God's word." On these terms, meditation on the angels is a form of
pantheistic self-reflection.
The worst kind of prayerful communication, we are told, is using the
imagination to help us make contact with the angels. This is supposed
to be very perilous. Why? Because "Man's imagination has been
terribly marred by sin. Beyond this, we must recognize that guided
imagery can induce an altered state of consciousness that can have
extremely dangerous consequences. The fact is, any kind of activity
that leads to an altered state of consciousness can make a person
vulnerable to demonic affliction."
Needless to say, this is not the faith of the Roman Catholic Church.
Authentic Christianity
It is heartening to see the popularity of the angels rising in
countries like our own. No doubt one reason for this phenomenon is the
influence of Catholic teaching on our separated brethren.
However, let us be clear. The growth of interest in the angels is
surely encouraging. But we had better understand what are the authentic
Christian principles of angelology.
In my next conference, I will speak at length about "Devotion to the
Angels." As Christians we are to be devoted to the angels, but as
Catholics we had better understand who the angels are. They are not
only created spirits whom we are to admire and for whose assistance we
should thank the Lord. They are also to be invoked because of their
powerful intercession at the throne of God.
Although human reason may conjecture the existence of a created world
of spirits, it required divine revelation to establish the fact as
certain. Indeed, a good index of a person's faith in God's revealed
word is the acceptance of angels, made by God out of nothing, and now
living in two states of being: those in heaven who also serve our human
needs; and those in hell, who are demons and deliberately trying to
seduce the human race from its allegiance to God.
Sacred Scripture witnesses not only to what the Church has formally
defined but to many features of angelology that are part of historic
Christianity.
When speaking about the angels, we should keep two things in mind.
There was a real development of faith as the biblical revelation on the
angels unfolded. There has also been a marvelous development of
doctrine over the centuries, in the Church's deeper and clearer
understanding of the angels and their role in salvation history.
Biblical Development. The early books of the Old Testament speak of
angels, but in such a way as not to encourage the Hebrew's notorious
tendency toward idolatry. This was an ever-present danger in view of
the rampant polytheism among the nations surrounding the Israelites.
Before the Exile, therefore, angels are so closely associated with God
that some have mistakenly identified these heavenly spirits with God,
as merely divine attributes or symbols of the Divinity.
As late as the time of Christ, the Sadducees denied the existence of
all angels or heavenly spirits created by God.
After the Exile, however, the angels appeared in their first full
splendor, notably in the books of Daniel and Tobit. In Daniel, certain
angels are given names for the first time: Gabriel, who foretold to
Daniel the coming of Christ as the "anointed Prince;" and Michael,
"who mounts guard over your people."
The book of Tobit, through eight of its fourteen chapters is the
narrative of the angel Raphael, who delivered Tobias' wife from
demonic obsession, safely led him over a haphazardous journey, cured
his father Tobit, of blindness, and then delivered a stirring
injunction to "Bless God, utter His praise before all the living for
all the favors He has given you."
In the Gospels, an angel appears to Zachary to foretell the birth of
John the Baptist, and to the Blessed Virgin to announce the mystery of
God becoming man; an angel appears to Joseph to instruct him about the
miraculous conception of Christ and to tell him about King Herod's
death. Angels appeared to the shepherds at Bethlehem, announcing the
birth of the Savior.
Angels minister to Christ after His temptation in the desert, and
appear many times to announce His Resurrection from the dead. Moreover,
according to Christ, there are more than twelve legions of angels in
heaven; the angels of little ones continually behold the face of the
Father; angels will separate the wicked from the just on the last day,
and the children of the Resurrection will be equal to the angels.
The Acts of the Apostles and the letter of St. Paul are filled with
references to the angels.
Doctrinal Development. With the completion of divine revelation at the
end of the first century, the Church has often and at length taught the
doctrine of angelology.
Basing herself on Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition, the Church
tells the faithful to honor the angels whom God has given us to guide
and guard us on the road to eternity. It is certain that each of the
faithful has a personal guardian angel.
Otherwise than the saints who are also intercessors for us before God,
angels are specially appointed to guard and direct their charges on
earth. That is one side of their ministry, from God to us which is to
guide our minds and direct our wills. The other side is from us to God,
and this is the angels' power of intercession. Because of their
nearness to God and their holiness, the angels are powerful pleaders on
our behalf.
That is why, as Catholics, we are told to invoke the angels on both
counts. We are to solicit their continued enlightenment so we might
know the divine will and understand how to fulfill it. We are also to
ask for their prayers so we might have the courage and generosity to
put the will of God into practice. As St. Ambrose puts it, "The
angels should be entreated for us, who have been given us to guard
us." The Church not only encourages us to pray to the angels but
enjoins us to do so. To believe this and act accordingly is to be a
Catholic. No one else is.
The phenomenal increase of interest in angels in our day should tell us
something. More than ever before in Christian history, we are to deepen
our knowledge of the angels.
We are to promote devotion to the angels. Why? Because the angels are
given to us by God to protect us from the power of Satan and teach us
the Good News that Jesus Christ, the living God became man to bring joy
to the whole world.
.
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| User: "Agent Smith" |
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| Title: Re: Angel Popularity On The Rise |
28 Dec 2006 07:06:06 AM |
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"Sound of Trumpet" <sound_of_trumpet@myway.com> wrote in
news:1167294278.700320.95790@n51g2000cwc.googlegroups.com:
Angel Popularity On The Rise
I though it had been on the wane since Oprah started talking about it.
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| User: "satyr" |
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| Title: Re: Angel Popularity On The Rise |
30 Dec 2006 07:55:45 PM |
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On Thu, 28 Dec 2006 13:06:06 GMT, Agent Smith
<agent-smith@two-blocks-on-your-left.com> wrote:
"Sound of Trumpet" <sound_of_trumpet@myway.com> wrote in
news:1167294278.700320.95790@n51g2000cwc.googlegroups.com:
Angel Popularity On The Rise
I though it had been on the wane since Oprah started talking about it.
Really. Angels have jumped the shark.
--
satyr #1953
Chairman, EAC Church Taxation Subcommittee
Director, Gideon Bible Alternative Fuel Project
Supervisor, EAC Fossil Casting Lab
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| User: "Big Dave" |
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| Title: Re: Angel Popularity On The Rise |
28 Dec 2006 08:50:15 AM |
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"Sound of Trumpet" <sound_of_trumpet@myway.com> wrote in message
news:1167294278.700320.95790@n51g2000cwc.googlegroups.com...
http://www.therealpresence.org/archives/Angelology/Angelology_004.htm
Angel Popularity on the Rise
<snip>
Yup, that's right!
We used to shun our angels - keep 'em out of the loop. They really never
fit in, if you know what I mean...
Anyway, we found out that, generally, they have money, and they'll buy
beer!
Their popularity increased immediately.
.
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| User: "Mark K. Bilbo" |
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| Title: Re: Angel Popularity On The Rise |
28 Dec 2006 08:36:13 AM |
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On Thu, 28 Dec 2006 00:24:38 -0800, Sound of Trumpet wrote:
http://www.therealpresence.org/archives/Angelology/Angelology_004.htm
Angel Popularity on the Rise
by Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J.
Anyone who knows what is going on in America must admit that angelic
popularity is growing by leaps and bounds.
There was a time when angels were simply pictured winged creatures on
Christmas cards. The dictionaries would use the word "angel" to
describe a very kindly person.
But things have changed; we may speak of angels having infiltrated our
popular culture, as the expression goes, "big time." From
traditional Christians to New Agers, people are looking for comfort
from what they believe are heavenly helpers in the trials and suffering
of our chaotic world.
Yeah, that's what you've reduced your religion to: FADS.
--
Mark K. Bilbo
------------------------------------------------------------
"Being surprised at the fact that the universe is fine tuned
for life is akin to a puddle being surprised at how well it
fits its hole"
-Douglas Adams
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| User: "Rob Brown" |
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| Title: Re: Angel Popularity On The Rise |
28 Dec 2006 12:46:54 PM |
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"Mark K. Bilbo" <gmail@com.mkbilbo> wrote in message
news:Xe2dnZcIsbzASw7YnZ2dnUVZ_t_inZ2d@giganews.com...
On Thu, 28 Dec 2006 00:24:38 -0800, Sound of Trumpet wrote:
http://www.therealpresence.org/archives/Angelology/Angelology_004.htm
Angel Popularity on the Rise
by Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J.
Anyone who knows what is going on in America must admit that angelic
popularity is growing by leaps and bounds.
There was a time when angels were simply pictured winged creatures on
Christmas cards. The dictionaries would use the word "angel" to
describe a very kindly person.
But things have changed; we may speak of angels having infiltrated our
popular culture, as the expression goes, "big time." From
traditional Christians to New Agers, people are looking for comfort
from what they believe are heavenly helpers in the trials and suffering
of our chaotic world.
Yeah, that's what you've reduced your religion to: FADS.
--
Mark K. Bilbo
What's actually on the rise is the sale of angel dolls, some are a lot like
the intricate old time Santa dolls, and angel paraphernalia. All manmade of
course, and with no models or pictures to follow, completely from the human
imagination. Angels themselves are and always have been in hiding along
with the magic guy in the sky.
Rob Brown
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| User: "Uncle Clover" |
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| Title: Re: Angel Popularity On The Rise |
28 Dec 2006 04:30:11 PM |
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On Thu, 28 Dec 2006 13:46:54 -0500, "Rob Brown" <bbrown@csmflorida.com> wrote:
<snip>
What's actually on the rise is the sale of angel dolls, some are a lot like
the intricate old time Santa dolls, and angel paraphernalia. All manmade of
course, and with no models or pictures to follow, completely from the human
imagination. Angels themselves are and always have been in hiding along
with the magic guy in the sky.
If there is a "magic guy in the sky", I don't believe he's been hiding. Not one
bit.
But then, I don't believe there's a "magic guy in the sky", so I guess that's
irrelevant.
;-)
--
L8r,
Uncle Clover
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The hardest person to say, "No!" to is to one's own self.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Who we were is meaningless in the face of who we are, and
who we are is but a stepping stone to who we shall become
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~.
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| User: "torresD" |
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| Title: Re: Angel Popularity On The Rise |
29 Dec 2006 06:31:40 PM |
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The Other Israel
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6657600254881054584&q=ted+pike&hl=en
Why the ME Bleeds - Ted Pike.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4775750954732344102&q=ted+pike&hl=en
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| User: "Steve Hayes" |
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| Title: Re: Angel Popularity On The Rise |
29 Dec 2006 11:46:36 PM |
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On Sat, 30 Dec 2006 00:31:40 GMT, "torresD" <torresd30@hotmail.com> wrote:
The Other Israel
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6657600254881054584&q=ted+pike&hl=en
http://www.geocities.com/Athens/7734/peeves.htm
--
Steve Hayes from Tshwane, South Africa
Web: http://hayesfam.bravehost.com/stevesig.htm
E-mail - see web page, or parse: shayes at dunelm full stop org full stop uk
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| User: "Uncle Vic" |
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| Title: Re: Angel Popularity On The Rise |
28 Dec 2006 12:15:48 PM |
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Once upon a time in alt.atheism, dear sweet Sound of Trumpet
(sound_of_trumpet@myway.com) made the light shine upon us with this:
Angel Popularity on the Rise
Now if only they could win the pennant.
--
Uncle Vic
aa Atheist #2011
Supervisor, EAC Department of little adhesive-backed "L" shaped
chrome-plastic doo-dads to add feet to Jesus fish department.
Proud member of Earthquack's "Ghost fulla holes" convict page
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| User: "Parsifal" |
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| Title: Re: Angel Popularity On The Rise |
28 Dec 2006 04:48:07 AM |
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Sound of Trumpet a =E9crit :
http://www.therealpresence.org/archives/Angelology/Angelology_004.htm
Angel Popularity on the Rise
by Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J.
Anyone who knows what is going on in America must admit that angelic
popularity is growing by leaps and bounds.
Another sign of the United States' decadency... What's next? Books
burning? Stoning of infidels?
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| User: "sceptborg" |
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| Title: Re: Angel Popularity On The Rise |
28 Dec 2006 04:55:48 AM |
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Sound of Trumpet wrote:
The phenomenal increase of interest in angels in our day should tell us
something.
Watch out for more bird lice, and droppings..
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| User: "2979 Dead" |
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| Title: Re: Angel Popularity On The Rise |
28 Dec 2006 08:59:41 AM |
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On Thu, 28 Dec 2006 10:55:48 GMT, sceptborg <thereisnone@fakeisp.com>
wrote:
Sound of Trumpet wrote:
The phenomenal increase of interest in angels in our day should tell us
something.
Watch out for more bird lice, and droppings..
Do angels have anuses? I figure that, lacking genetilea, they must be
oviparous monotremes, sort of like platypuses.
--
"Keeping us up here eats away at families. The Democrats could care less about families -- that's what this says."
-- Rep. Jack Kingston (R-GA), quoted by the Washington Post, in response to incoming-Majority Leader Steny Hoyer's (D-MD) plan to increase the House's work schedule from three days a week to five.
Putsch: leading America to asymetric warfare since 2001
Not dead, in jail, or a slave? Thank a liberal!
Pay your taxes so the rich don't have to.
For the finest in liberal/leftist commentary,
http://www.zeppscommentaries.com
For news feed (free, 10-20 articles a day)
http://groups.yahoo.com/subscribe/zepps_news
For essays (donations accepted, 2 articles/week)
http://groups.yahoo.com/subscribe/zepps_essays
a.a. #2211 -- Bryan Zepp Jamieson
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| User: "JohnN" |
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| Title: Re: Angel Popularity On The Rise |
28 Dec 2006 10:50:58 AM |
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Sound of Trumpet wrote:
http://www.therealpresence.org/archives/Angelology/Angelology_004.htm
Angel Popularity on the Rise
by Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J.
Sorry Father, that show was cancelled in 2004. You can get reruns on
TNT every weekday morning starting at 6 AM EST.
JohnN
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| User: "Lucifer" |
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| Title: Re: Angel Popularity On The Rise |
28 Dec 2006 04:36:40 PM |
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Sound of Trumpet wrote:
http://www.therealpresence.org/archives/Angelology/Angelology_004.htm
Angel Popularity on the Rise
Glad to know I'm liked...
--
Lucifer the Unsubtle, EAC Librarian of Dark Tomes of Excessive Evil and
General Purpose Igor
The Anti-Theist
Convicted by Earthquack
"Don't worry, I won't bite.......hard"
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