What do angels wear?
Being pure spirits, they wear nothing. But they
will appear to mortals "wearing" whatever's expected,
from a policeman's uniform to a handlebar mustache
and monocle.
That's why most people see a long white robe
bound at the waist - just what most often is expected.
Interestingly, Christian artists are in the habit of
picturing angels as barefoot, though archangels are
often deferentially given sandals.
|
|
|
"... . . I looked down and saw my feet and felt as if I was standing on thick velvet. My grandparents told me to go back as a living witness of my prayers and healings, and then they turned and. walked away. I did not want to go back, when I heard and saw another voice, which I just knew was an angel, whose face was glowing and was dressed in a white flowing robe with a bright, white halo resembling white pearl all around it say, 'Go back and witness your faith' and then disappeared. We communicated without talking as if told me through telepathy." Earl Poese
Near Death Experiencer
|
"He was, however, as real as could be, bigger
than life, beautiful beyond our understanding, and
clothed in a bright white radiance. His complexion
was warm olive, his powerful eyes we-re brown, his
hair was a mane of dark curls that framed his face
and rested on his broad shoulders. He wears radiant
robes. The under robe is pure white. His outer robe
is brilliant emerald green line with vivid lavender.
He wore a short beard."
Mary Seiler, 10/93
Pahrump, NV
(Describing the being
she identifies as
the Archangel Michael)
|
Q. Do animals have souls or does man alone?
A. This question is as old as the ages. Since it's agreed that man is
formed in the image of God only we have the awareness of the meaning of
death. It's then concluded that animals do not possess a soul. It is
true that in some cases a dead or dying animal is ignored by mates or
group members. And since animals don't seem to have the same level of
intelligence as humans do; this too is used as an argument against
animal souls.
However, we have all heard of cases where terminality ill animals,
seeming to realize their fate, crawl off to a remote area to die alone,
with dignity. Some species do seem to be aware of death. Whales and
dolphins will try to hold a sick or injured member above water so it can
breathe. Or they beach themselves while trying to assist a dying
member. Elephants will attempt to rouse a fatally sick member of the
herd, and wolves will bring food to injured pack members who are unable
to hunt. All this evidence points away from those that believe animals
are soul-less.
In families that have more than one pet, a closeness that develops
between these individuals over a period of time is touching. A pet
going into depression when a mate dies is not unusual. We study the
human-animal bond, but there is also an animal-animal bond that is very
evident.
We try to solve pet grieving by diverting their minds in other
directions. A change in sleeping area, a new toy, walking in a
different area or introducing a new pet into the house, usually helps.
It takes understanding and patience as well as time, but they usual-
return to normalcy as we do in similar situations. Medication is
available for pets as well as people to help overcome prolonged
grieving.
Many pets seem to understand their owners' moods when they are
sad, happy, worried or sick. We all have heard stories about companion
animals refusing to leave the sick bed of their masters and after death,
grieving there for weeks or sometimes months.
I think that they who don't believe animals have souls probably
feel these creatures have inferior intellect as well. Our inability to
"talk" to animals (not counting Dr. Dolittle) has led to their being
branded as dumb. Recent developments in communication through sign
language with chimpanzees and other primates have caused some
questioning of this theory. Haven't you often felt that if pets could
talk our language perhaps they would say things that were quite
intelligent?
We praise ourselves as being the highest force of life in this world
and children of the Lord. Yet some actions of our pets often exhibit a
more soul-like behavior than our own. To answer the question - do
animals have really have a soul - of course they do. They are made of the
same stuff as we - just clay touched by God.
Dr. Allan A. Leventhal, DVM
Manchester Herald
Bolton, CN
|
|
|
|
Sages and philosophers down
through the ages have taught that man and other animals are animated by some higher principle than matter and motion, that the soul was immaterial and immortal. The word soul in its orig- inal definition stood for the principles which govern life in its various forms'. It is true that the modes of explain- ing it varied. Sometimes it was regarded as the mere harmony of the bodily functions, and some times as a distinct entity of higher ethereal nature, but no essential distinction was drawn between the soul of man and the soul of other animals until a comparatively recent date. The mental differences between the lower animals and man suggested to ancient philosophers that there should be a line drawn somewhere. To meet the distinction, the Stoics, the disciples of Socrates, maintained that man possessed a rational soul above that of the animal soul which belong in common to man and animals, but no- where denied the fact of animals having souls. |
| In his book. The
Evidence for Life After Death, Martin Ebon tells the story of a cocker spaniel named Ronnie who died while undergoing an operation. Ronnie's mis- tress was sitting beside her phone at the home waiting for the operation results. "Suddenly she beard the sound of his dog toes tinkling and his claws clattering across there. She knew her old friend had died and returned home for the last time," Ebon said. |
|
|
"I was playing with a friend in the backyard of
my Marshall Avenue home, between Dale Street and
St. Albans. It was a sunny afternoon with blue skies
and puffy clouds. As we were playing, a small truck
drove down the alley. My pet cat ran out in front
of it and was struck dead.
My friend and I went to look at it and we felt
so sad. I said, 'Let's pray that God will take it
to heaven.' So, we knelt down together about 10 feet away
and prayed out loud. I looked up to see if our prayers
were being answered and I saw the angel. It floated
down toward the dead cat with its arms reaching out.
It was beautiful, radiant, and transparent. It
had golden hair -- wavy and above the shoulders -
and wore_ a long white robe. I couldn't tell if it
was male or female. I had always thought angels
had wings, but there were none on this one. It
seemed to float down on a ray of sunshine, though its
feet never touched the ground, it gently picked up the eat
and then disappeared. After that my friend and I got
up to look and could not see the cat anywhere. So we
just thanked God for answering our prayer. I told
my mother that our cat went to heaven."
Susan, Coon Rapids Angels of the Twin Cities |
| As the density changed,
becoming lighter and finer, I felt that I was being lifted to another level of awareness -- and then I found myself in surroundings that appeared to be more substantial -- Maggi was there. My beautiful dog, as my beloved Springer, came to me. she had died less than a month before, and John and I still ached from her absence. I felt her presence, her love, and she 'Yes, I'm going back,' I
replied. 'Will 'When it is time, we will know.
Now I Jan Price |
