! This article cannot
be copied or printed for distribution without the written consent of David
San Filippo Ph. D.
Introduction
An angel, as defined by Webster (1983), is
a spiritual being that is employed by God to communicate with human kind.
Angels are defined as ministering, messenger, or guiding spirits.
Since there are no irrefutable evidence to prove in the existence or non-existence
of angels, knowledge about them are based upon legends, theological beliefs,
philosophical interpretations, and phenomenological experiential reports.
The belief in angels is not universal.
According to Gallup & Castelli (1989), over 50% of the adult U. S.
population do not believe that angels exist. Thomas Aquinas believed
that the failure of some individuals to believe in the possibility of angels
is a result of an inability to differentiate between sense-perception and
imagination, from one perspective, and intellection or understanding, from
another (Adler, 1982). In addition, many eastern religions do not
maintain a belief in spiritual beings.
In this paper, I will look at the beliefs of
angels as spiritual guides from the perspective of legendary stories, theological
beliefs, philosophic reasoning, and near-death experiences. Through the
review of these systems of thought, I will provide support to the legends
that angels do exist and that the form they take is based upon the interpretation
of the believer. My philosophical argument will provide that, even
if an individual does not want to theologically believe in angels, there
is nothing impossible about believing that incorporeal beings can exist.
As further evidence to the possibility of the existence of angels, I will
discuss the frequent encounters with angelic beings during near-death experiences.
History of Angelology
During the Middle Ages, the study of angels
abounded. Theological groups, philosophers, and writers depicted
angels in many fashions. Medieval history is interwoven with stories
of angels who appear to guide individuals. However, due to some of
the preposterous studies that were being performed during the Middle Ages,
such as the debate as to how many angels could dance on the head of a pin,
angelology
Angels in Legend and Folklore
Many human encounters with angelic beings are
accepted by the experiencer without any sense of its theological or philosophical
meaning. Theological reasoning accepts the reality of angels, through
faith, and provides the religious dogma to support this belief. Philosophical
reasoning does not require the belief that angels exists, just the acceptance
that it is possible for them to exist. I have separated my study
of angels into this section because many of the stories of angelic encounters
support various theological beliefs or philosophical reasoning. Encounters
with angelic spiritual guides, during a near-death experience, are supported
by theological beliefs, philosophical reasoning, and by the phenomenological
experience of the encounter by the experiencer.
In a modern encounter with a "comforting angel,"
a woman who was severely injured in an automobile accident reported that
she was "comforted" by an angel who came in the form of a man surrounded
by a pink glow. "He seemed to be all soft, vaporous light.
His movements were graceful and fluid; his hands were extended, almost
reassuringly, palms open towards her. He had the most loving eyes
she'd ever seen, and the kindest smile (Webber, 1992, p. 26).
According to Ronner (1985) some of the leading
angel writers have been Emanuel Swedenborg, John Milton, Thomas Aquinas,
and False-Dionysius. Swedenborg was a 1700s scientist who believed
that human souls became angels after their death. John Milton, wrote Paradise
Lost in which he had good and bad angels fighting about the heavens and
earth. Thomas Aquinas, known as the "angelic doctor," was the greatest
angel scholar of the Middle Ages. In his book, Summa Theologica,
he detailed his interpretation of angelic life. He wrote that angels
are all intellect without material existence but can take on form as necessary
(Aquinas, 1960; Burnham, 1990). False-Dionysius was a Middle Eastern writer
who lived during the 6th century. He examined the early biblical
writings and is credited for developing a heavenly hierarchy of nine angels
choirs or orders and in to three groups.
False-Dionysius' angelic hierarchy consists
of three triads. The highest triad consists of Seraphims, Cherubims,
and Thrones. The middle triad is made up of Dominations, Virtues,
and Powers. The lowest triad are the Principalities, Archangels,
and Angels. According to Godwin's (1990) interpretation of False-Dionysius'
angelic hierarchy, Seraphs are considered to be the highest of God's angelic
servants whose honor is to ceaselessly chant God's glory. The Cherubims
are the guardians of the Tree of Life and God's charioteers. Thrones
are God's chariots. In the middle angelic triad, Dominions are tasked
to "regulate angels' duties." Virtues are the angels that bestow
"Blessing from on high, usually in the form of miracles." The Powers
are the angels that are thought to be the "border guards" of heaven.
In the lowest triad, the Principalities are considered the protectors of
religion. The Archangels are the "Messengers which carry Divine Decrees."
They are considered the most important intercessionaries between God
The English monk, the Venerable Bede (1966)
related a story of the of the intervention of a spiritual guide in the
life of a man who was close to death.
A handsome man
in a shining robe was my guide, and we
The continued popularity of the classical writings
of Dante, Milton, Goethe, Shakespeare, Donne, Vaughan, Rosetti, Longfellow,
Hunt, Dickinson, St. Vincent Millay, and Bridges have continued the interest
in angelology and inspired modern writers to share their experiences and
the experiences of others in collections of stories, plays, and film.
Angels and Theology
The monotheistic religions of Judaism, Zoroastrianism,
Christianity, and Islam share the beliefs of a tripartite universe consisting
of a Heaven, Earth, and Hell which is populated by angels, humans, and
demons (Burnham, 1990; Godwin, 1990). This is in contrast to the
monistic beliefs of Hindus, the Jains, and the Buddhist. According
to Godwin (1990), most eastern religions have no belief in angels as messengers.
This function is believed to be performed by reincarnated holy sages or
incarnations of deities. In most western religions, which are based on
prayer, angels act as messengers of God.
And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many
angels round
The religious beliefs in angels are based upon
faith in things unseen, sacred writings, and the dogma of the religions.
Christian religious leader, Billy Graham (1986), has written about angels
from a Biblical sense in order to provide insight into the belief of angels
and to "focus on the positives of Christian faith." He professes
a belief in the existence of angels because the Bible says there are angels
and he senses their presence in his life (pp. 23-24).
In the Judeo-Christian and Islamic religions,
angels are believed to act as spiritual guides in the believer's life.
According to Zaleski (1987) the sixth century Pope, Gregory the Great,
was guided by an angel who at one time instructed him, after revealing
a vision of "hell", to "leave, and consider carefully how you will live
from now on" (p. 29).
In the Old Testament, angels are reported to
act as guides and messengers. "For my Lord, in whose presence I have
walked, will send his angel with you and make your mission successful"
(Genesis 24:40). "See, I am sending an Angel before you to lead you
safely to the land I have prepared for you" (Exodus 23:20). In the
New Testament, angels also act as messengers and guides, and as protectors
of Jesus. In Acts 12:7-9, an angel acted as a guide to the apostle
Peter when he was lead out of jail by miraculously unlocking his chains,
doors, and leading him past the guards.
Muslims believe angels act as messengers and
spiritual guides. In the sacred writings of the Koran, an angel,
in the form of a man, came to Muhammad and directed him in the development
of his faith. According to Zaleski (1987), the Prophet Muhammad was
"transported" from Mecca to Jerusalem in one night in the company of the
angel Gabriel, as his spiritual guide.
Angelic missions are not always as merciful;
they can also act as agents of retribution. King Herod, in biblical
history was killed by an angel when he declared himself a god. "Instantly,
an angel of the Lord struck Herod with a sickness so that he was filled
by maggots and died-because he accepted the peoples worship instead of
giving glory to God" (Acts 12:23). In the Old Testament, the "angel
of death" was
Many statements made about angels, in the sacred
texts of religions, cannot be explained in naturalistic terms and could
be considered miraculous. The explanation of these types of experiences
requires the individual to have either a faith in a higher level of being
than human existence, or possess a philosophical understanding which allows
for the possibility for the intervention of incorporeal beings in human
life.
Angels and Philosophy
Thomas Aquinas (1960) believed that real incorporeal
beings exist without matter. He cited three examples of incorporeal
entities, the human soul, angels, and God. He believed that the only way
that one could know anything about incorporeal entities, or minds without
bodies, must be through laborious reasoning which leads to the conclusion
that there is a possibility for the existence of angels. One method
to define angels is through negation or the separation of thought from
matter. A second method to define
Thomas Aquinas believed that angels are 100
percent spirits, that have no mass or matter, and take up no space.
He equated their existence to human thought. Therefore, in answer
to the historical question asked about angels, "How many angels can dance
on the point of a pin?" Aquinas reasoned that every angel in the
"cosmos" could dance on the point of a pin and still allow space (Ronner,
1985, p. 34).
Adler (1982) provides a reasonable philosophic
argument for the existence of angels and their ability to impact human
lives. He comments that since angels are perceived to be incorporeal
objects they can cannot act directly, by exerting physical force, to cause
a response. However, by exerting spiritual energy, angels can effect
bodies or produce physical effects. Adler uses the analogy of a corporation
to
If the existence of angels can be accepted
as possible, through theological beliefs and philosophical reasoning, the
experiential contact with angels by human beings can further help to confirm
their existence. Collections of personal encounters with angels supports
the beliefs in angelic beings. Furthermore, near-death experiences,
that consist of vivid encounters with "beings of light," may phenomenologically
support the belief in the existence of angels.
Angels and Near-Death Experiences
The near-death experience is a conscious perceptual
experience in which the individual experiences a sense of being detached
from the physical world during the process of physiological dying.
Individuals may experience their own physiological dying and at the same
time become aware of their existence in an altered state. In this
altered state, they may experience a sense of peace, body separation, entering
darkness, passing through a tunnel, seeing a light, and entering into the
light (Ring, 1980).
Near-death experiencers are generally positively
affected by their experience. The confrontation with death, through a near-death
experience, seems to give the individual more meaning to his or her life
(Kalish, 1981). According to Peay (1991), most individuals who have
a near-death experience are not fearful of death and are more compassionate,
with the sense of unconditional love towards others.
Moody (1977) reports that some people, who
have had a near-death experience, claim they were saved from physical death
by the intercession of a spiritual being. According to Moody's research,
a number of near-death experiencers became conscious of spiritual beings
who seemed to be present to guide them through their transition from death
into afterlife, and in some cases, to tell them that their time of death
had not come and that they were required to return to their bodies.
Near-death researcher Kenneth Ring (1985) also
reports that a number of his research subjects reported encounters with
other beings, during their near-death experience, who acted as guides for
their journey. The spiritual guides would communicate telepathically,
providing reassurance and some direction concerning the experience.
This type of communication is similar to the "holographic thought balls"
described by Swedenborg. He described the communication as telegraphic
bursts of knowledge as a picture language that is so full of information
that each image contains a "thousand ideas." He commented that when
the angels spoke that their thoughts became three-dimensional symbolic
images (Ring, 1980, Swedenborg, 1984). Some experiencers have reported
that, following their near-death experience and contact with spiritual
beings, they were more conscious of their "inner source of wisdom" and
had an increased contact with their spiritual guides.
Some researchers refute the validity of near-death
experiences by concluding that the experience is only the mind's defense
against the fear of dying. However, children's near-death experiences
appear to refute these conclusions. The near-death experiences of
children are very similar to the experiences reported by adults (Moody,
1988). Children, under the age of seven do not normally fear death.
They consider death to be a temporary event after which one eventually
returns to life. Therefore, children would have no reason to
create a positive after-life image in order to defend a fear of dying.
Other researchers attempt to explain the near-death
experience by stating that it is a result of a chemical reaction within
the brain during the dying process as opposed to an altered state of consciousness
that is a result of a purely spiritual experience. According to researcher
Ronald Siegel (1981), the descriptions given by individuals who have had
a near-death experience are "virtually identical" to the descriptions reported
by individuals who have experienced hallucinations that were either drug-induced
or caused by other means. Carl Sagan (1979) believes that some aspects
of the near-death experiences can be associated with a defect in the human
neuroanatomy that, under certain conditions,
In contrast to those that would debunk the
near-death experience, the astral projection or out-of-body experience
is a paranormal event, which happens during many near-death experiences,
and provides documentation of the validity to the near-death experience.
During the out-of-body experience, the experiencer gains knowledge of activities
that he or she could not have known prior to or during the experience without
separating from his or her physical body. The most impressive validation
of the near-death experience is the attitudinal and personality changes
of the experiencers following their experience (Moody, 1988; Morse, 1990;
Ring, 1980, 1985).
Melvin Morse (1990), in his near-death research
with children, reports that children sometimes are met and guided by guardian
angels. These angels support the child and are with him or her through
the near-death experience. Some children report that the angel is
large and is surrounded by a bright light. Raymond Moody (1988) describes
a child's description of his near-death experience as passing through the
tunnel and being met on the other side by a group of angels. The
child described the angels as
The veracity of the acceptance of angels as
spiritual guides is questioned by some researchers. Siegel debunks
the reports of the presence of spiritual guides as imaginary playmates
or hallucinated companions. K*bler-Ross, however, contradicts
Siegel's opinion by asserting that reports provided by lonely children
and stranded mountaineers, of a sense of not being alone, is actually their
sensing of the presence of their guardian angel (Zaleski, 1987, p. 135).
Ronner (1985) comments that the reason that
humans cannot see most angels is due to the fact that physical eyes are
not made to see the spiritual world, the same as the human ear is not designed
to hear the high pitched frequencies that dogs can hear. Another reason
he provides for an angel's invisibility is the expectations of the angel
observer. If one does not expect to see something, then in all probability
he or she will not be able to see what is actually present (p. 105).
Through the psychic phenomenon of near-death
experiences, individuals have seen angels and experienced their comfort,
protection, and love. Angels appear to have an important part, in
the near-death experience, as a guide for the experiencer, as he or she
passes through the experience dying and transitioning to an afterlife.
Angels act as messengers to warn the near-death
experiencers to remember what they have experienced and strive to abstain
from any former, inappropriate behavior. Individuals who have experienced
a near-death experience relate an understanding that spirituality concerns
the ability to love other people, not specific religious doctrines and
denominations, and that the importance of human life is service to others
and the seeking of knowledge. The near-death encounters with angels
also support the individual's sense of security and peace with him or her
self following the near-death experience (Moody, 1988; Peay, 1991; Ring,
1980; Zaleski, 1987).
Conclusions
In legend and folklore, humans have related
stories and personal experiences involving angelic beings and the involvement
of angels in human lives. According to Daniel, Wyllie & Ramer
(1992), the affiliation between humans and angels is an intimate relationship.
Angels help to reveal that the Creator is a part of each human being.
The angels' recognition of the Creator, within humans, and their service
to God, are what motivates the angels to interact in human lives (pg. 55).
Through religious faith, many come to believe
in the existence and power of angels in their lives. Angels are known,
through sacred writings, to have guided religious personages and brought
forth messages from God. Angels are believed to be continuously involved
in believers' lives. Malz (1973) describes angels as agents of miracles
that humans can see if they have the eyes to see and the ears to hear.
She states, "if you can explain it, it is not a miracle." By allowing
God to open our spiritual eyes and ears, we can see beyond the "normal"
realities of our world (pg. 114).
Philosophy has presented arguments that support
the possibility of the existence of angels and their ability to have an
impact on the human experience. By allowing for the possibility of
the existence of angels, philosophy has made it possible for non-believers
in spiritual life to believe in the existence of angels. According
to Adler (1982), the acceptance of the possibility of the existence of
an "incorporeal substance" allows for the conclusion that angels do exist.
Near-death experiencers have consistently reported
the interaction of angels with the experiencer as spiritual guides through
the afterlife experience. If it is accepted that near-death experiences
are a glimpse into life after death, then it is possible to also believe
that angels act as guides, from life into afterlife. Zaleski (1987)
reports that individuals remain under the protection of a guardian angel
during their current life and into the passage to the afterlife.
The guide is present even if the experience of passing
The belief in angels as spiritual guides ultimately
becomes a personal belief. Individuals can come to believe in angels through
philosophical reasoning or theological faith, but their ultimate unwavering
belief in angels may only come from personal encounters with angelic beings
in their life and/or during an altered state of consciousness, such as
a near-death experience. Through these encounters with angelic
Angels do exist. Not necessarily in the
images that artists and sculptors have portrayed them, or in the personages
that writers have depicted them, but in the essence of angelic believers'
impression of their encounter with their angelic spiritual guides.
References:
Adler, M. J. (1982). The angels and us. New York: Macmillan
Publishing.
Aquinas, T. (1960). The pocket Aquinas. Bourke, V.
J. (Ed.). New York: Washington
Bede, (1966). A history of the English church and people.
[trans]. Sherley-Price, L.
Burnham, S. (1990). A book of angels. New York: Ballantine.
Burnham, S. (1991) Angel Letters. New York: Ballentine
Books
Daniel, A., Wyllie, T. & Ramer, A. (1992). Ask your
angels. New York: Ballentine
Gallup, G. & Castelli, J. (1989). The People's Religion.
New York: MacMillan
Godwin, M. (1990). Angels: an endangered species.
New York: Simon & Schuster.
Graham, B. (1986). Angels, angels, angels, angels - God's
secret agents. Waco, TX:
Koran - 3rd Edition. (1970). (N. J. Dawood, Trans.).
Baltimore: Penguin Books.
Leavell, L. P. (1973). Angels, Angels, Angels.
Nashville, TN: Broadman Press
Locke, J. (1975). An essay concerning human understanding.
Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Malz, B. (1973). Angels watching over me. New Jersey:
Chosen Book.
Moody, R.A., (1975). Life after life. New York:
Bantam Books.
Moody, R.A., (1977). Reflections on life after life.
New York: Bantam Books.
Moody, R.A., (1988). The light beyond. New York:
Bantam Books.
Morse, M. (1990). Closer to the light. New York: Ivy
Books.
New Testament. (1971). The living bible. Wheaton,
IL: Tyndale House.
Old Testament. (1971). The living bible. Wheaton,
IL: Tyndale House.
Parker, S. (1992, October 27). Angels among us. USA
Today.
Peay, P. (1991) Back from the grave. Utne Reader,
47.
Rawlings, M. (1978). Beyond death's door. Nashville,
TN: Thomas Nelson
Rawlings, M. (1981). Life wish - Reincarnation: Reality
or hoax?. Nashville, TN:
Ring, K. (1980). Life at death: A scientific investigation
of the near-death experience.
Ring, K. (1985). Heading towards Omega - In search of the
meaning of the near-death
Ronner, J. (1985). Do you have a guardian angels?.
Murfreesboro, TN: Mamre Press.
Sagan, C. (1979). Broca's brain - Reflections on the romance
of science. New York:
Siegel, R. K. (1981, January). Accounting for 'Afterlife'
experiences. Psychology
Steiger, B. & Steiger, F. (1981). The star people.
New York: Berkley Books.
Swedenborg, E. (1984). The universal human and soul-body
interaction. George F.
Talbot, M. (1991). The holographic universe. New York:
HarperPerennial
Taylor, T. L. (1992, June). Angels watching over me - How angels
help children to feel
Webber, M. C. (1992, October). Estela's angel. Guideposts.
pp. 24-27.
Webster's New Universal Unabridged Dictionary (2nd ed.). (1983). New
York, NY:
Zaleski, C. (1987). Otherworld journeys. New York:
Oxford University Press.
You may copy this article for
personal use.
Angelology, the study of angels, has existed
for many centuries. During the Middle Ages, the interest in studying
angels peaked and then began to abate by the 19th century. However,
interest in angelology is now having a resurgence.
A theological belief in angels requires the
believer to accept the possibility that there is higher order of existence
than human life. According to philosopher Mortimer Adler (1982) however,
philosophical theories can express beliefs that are not based upon a theological
belief, therefore providing possible explanations for angelic encounters
that involve agnostics, atheists or individuals who do not believe in the
existence of angels. Agnostics think that it is impossible to know whether
there is a God and atheists believe that there is no God. For an
agnostic or atheist, a belief in angels can be as difficult to accept as
is a belief in God.
Angel researcher Taylor (1992) believes that
angels are of interest for everyone regardless of their religious belief,
race, or nationality and that angels have been around long before any religion
was formed. She has found that many parents report that their children
believe in angels even without an introduction to a belief in angels by
other children or an adult. According to Gallup & Castelli (1989),
50% of the U. S. people, age 18-49, believe in angels. The percent
of believers in angels drops to 36% for individuals over 50 years old (pp.
75-76). Taylor (1992) comments that a 1988 Gallup poll reports that
74% of teenagers believe in the existence of angels (p. 15).
According to angel researcher Sophy Burnham
(1990), the mystery of angels has been part of most cultures in the world
and has been part of the development of some folklore and theological beliefs.
The belief in angels has been carried through ancient history and Judaic,
Christian, and Islamic lore and has influenced each other's religious faith.
Religious writer Betty Malz (1973) believes that angels make their presence
known when a mortal is in need of guidance or assistance. In her
own near-death experience, Malz reports that she was helped through her
transition from life into afterdeath by an angel (p. 21).
The belief and study of angels has existed
since ancient times. Winged entities have been found painted on ancient
Egyptian tombs, throughout ancient Greece and in Asia Minor. Many
renowned leaders and spiritual teachers have spoken about receiving guidance
from angelic beings. Jesus, Muhammad, Socrates, George Washington,
Nikola Tesla, Da Vinci, Raphael, Emerson, Joan of Arc, Swedenborg, Bernadette
of Lourdes, Joseph Smith, Carl Jung, and many others have spoken about
contact with angels (Ronner, 1985; Steiger, 1981).
lost many of its theological and philosophical scholars (Leavell, 1973;
Ronner, 1985; Zaleski, 1987). There has been a
resurgence in angelology in recent years. According to a recent U.S.A.
Today article entitled "Angels Among Us," books and seminars are now being
published and presented to help individuals learn more about the subject
of angels and to attempt to "[get] in touch with their [personal] angel"
(Parker, 1992, p. 2D). The interest in angels has also been heightened
as a result of increased reports of near-death experiences in which the
experiencer encounters beings of light which are sometimes described as
angels. Michael Talbot (1991) reports that the beings encounter during
a near-death experience "act as guides and counselors whose only purpose
is to teach" (p. 250).
The legends and folklore stories of angels
intervening in the lives of mortal humans have existed for centuries. Angels
have had central or significant roles in the great epic poems of Dante,
Milton, and Goethe, and angels are celebrated in a variety of ways by the
writers of English lyrics, from Shakespeare, John Donne, and Henry Vaughan
to Dante Gabriel Rosetti, Henry W. Longfellow, Leigh Hunt, Emily Dickinson,
Edna St. Vincent Millay, and Robert Bridges.
and humans and command the "legions of Heaven." The final grouping
of angelic bodies are the Angels. These entities are considered to
be the closest to humans and are the messengers between God and humans
(pp. 23-66). The Archangels and the Angels may be the spiritual entities
that act as guides during near-death experiences since the Archangels Sari-el
is considered to be the "Angel of Death" and some near-death experiencers
report being guided by angelic beings.
walked in silence in what appeared to be a
northeasterly
direction...He soon brought me out of darkness
into an
atmosphere of clear light, and as he led me
forward in[to]
bright light." The guide then directed
the man to return to his
body and "weigh your actions with greater
care and study to
keep your words and ways virtuous and simple
(pp. 289-293).
In a more modern story, Moody (1977) shares
a story of a veteran
of World WarII who described his experience
with a spiritual entity.
I was serving in the infantry in Europe.
I had an experience I
won't forget...I saw an enemy airplane diving
toward the
building we were in, and it had opened fire
on us...The dust
from the bullets were headed in a path right
towards us. I was
very scared and thought we would all be killed.
I didn't
see a thing, but I felt a wonderful, comforting
presence there with me, and a kind, gentle
voice said, 'I'm
here with you, Reid. Your time has not
come yet.' I was so
relaxed and comfortable in that presence...Since
that day, I
have not been one bit afraid of death (p.
26).
According to Adler (1982), in order to separate
the "facts" of angelology from legend and folklore of personal experiences
and stories, the study of angels must be examined from a theological and
a philosophical position. The interpretation of the existence of
angels is based upon the difference in theological beliefs regarding the
reality of the existence of angles and the philosophical interpretation
of angels possibly being objects of thought. The separating the two
interpretation allows for both individuals with or without religious-spiritual
beliefs to accept the possibility of the reality of angels. Religion-spiritual
interpretations of the existence of angels is based upon faith. The
philosophical acceptance of angels is based on the possibility of their
existence as incorporeal entities or "minds without bodies."
Ronner (1985), states that angels are believed
to have been created by God before the universe and life. Rawlings
(1981) comments that the empire of angels, described in both the Old and
New Testaments, is immense. According to the Old Testament, "The
chariots of God [are] twenty thousand, [with] thousands of angels" (Psalms
68:17). In the New Testament, the apostle John reports a heavenly
vision of angels.
about the throne and the beasts and the elders:
and the number
of them was ten thousand times ten thousand,
and thousands
of thousands (Revelation 5:11)
assigned to kill all of the first born males in Egypt, as retribution
for the continued enslavement of the people of Israel.
The philosophical study of angels looks at
angels as incorporeal beings of speculative thought that possibly exist.
As an object of thought, angels have a possibility of existing but must
be compared to known actualities or forms, such as human beings, in order
to be accepted.
the existence of angels is by elucidating on the effect the spirit
might have on human life. Noting that some events happen that cannot be
corporeally explained allows for the possibility of an incorporeal explanation
to a human experience.
demonstrate the ability for angels to be present in a "heavenly realm"
and in the physical space of the object it is influencing, at the same
time. A corporation is normally registered in one state but can be
present in other states at the same time. Also, a corporation is
not a physical body but it is considered a "moral person," responsible
for its actions and can take action upon others. Adler also uses
the evidence attributed to telekinetic energy, the ability to move physical
objects through thought, to also support the possibility of angelic influence
on human life.
Near-death experiences are a human phenomenon
in which human beings sense they are passing from life into an after-life
but after a brief glimpse of the after-life, return to their current existence.
During this experience, many individuals report an encounter with a being
that is described as an angel. The angel acts as a guide to help
the individual through the afterdeath experience (Rawlings, 1978).
always causes the illusion of an out-of-body experience. He also
associates the near-death experiences of passing through a tunnel with
latent memories of the human birth experience of passing down the birth
canal, and that the perceived bright light at the end of the tunnel, during
the near-death experience, is actually the mind's recall of the lights
of the delivery room, during the experience's birth.
not having wings but as glowing and emanating love. He reported
that he was told by the angels that if he passed a certain point he would
not be able to return to his life. Another child described that as
part of her near-death experience, she had an out-of-body experience in
which she was met by a "pretty lady" who "helped her through the tunnel
(pp. 58-62).
As children, many of us became aware of or
began to believe in angels. As Taylor (1992) reported, many times
children are aware of angels without parents or others imparting them with
the knowledge of the possible existence of angels. This personal,
satisfying belief in angels, tends to continue to guide and comfort the
individual throughout his or her life and is believed to guide him or her
from death into afterlife.
into the afterlife is an incident caused by either dreaming, trance,
or death.
beings, experiencers may find a new aspect to their life.
Square Press.
Harmondsworth, England: Penguin Books.
Books.
Publishing.
Word Books.
Thomas Nelson
New York: Coward, McCann, & Geoghegan.
experience. New York: William Morrow.
Random House.
Today, pp. 65-75.
Dole (Ed. and Trans.). New York: Paulist Press.
safe. Whole life times, p. 15.
Simon and Schuster.