There is pleanty of stuff about Angels in the Bible. Therefore, the existence of angels is entrenched in Christian faith.
But is there anything in the Bible to support the often used idea that an angel has to get his wings? We see this in various movies like The Bishop's Wife and Its A Wonderfull Life. The basic idea is that the angel does not have his or her wings and must perform cetain actions or deeds to get them.
Is there anything in the Bible to support this notion? Or is it just Hollywood's version of Christianity?
2007-12-16 06:40:43 · 9 answers · asked by Zezo Zeze Zadfrack 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
anna - I am pretty sure that the idea has been used elsewhere. In The Bishop's Wife, the angel (played by Cary Grant) says that he does not have his wings yet. He says this early in the movie. But I don't think its a major part of the plot. I have seen this idea in other films too. No dount its just something that is borrowed from earlier movies
2007-12-16 07:00:38 · update #1
There is no basis for this. The only basis for "earning wings" is in that one movie, It's a Wonderful Life. No other movie uses this, to my knowledge.
The idea that angels have wings at all, comes from mideval iconography. Angels are **spirits**. No bodies, no wings. They *are*, they don't need wings to go from one place to another. The Bible says "He makes his servants flames of fire"--they don't need to fly to travel. Artists used the wings to express the idea of swiftness.
Angels were created by God as angels, not "promoted" humans. They don't change their natures. There is no basis for the idea that people can become angels, either. That started in the 18th-19th century, particularly in England and France.
2007-12-16 06:48:30 · answer #1 · answered by anna 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hollywood and false religion all the way.
What use would a spirit creature have for feathers or wings? They don't even have pockets.
Wings in the Bible were used in visions of the faithful men to show angels could travel quickly. They went about God's work with no delay. This would have been a form they could understand and explain to others.
2007-12-16 06:50:17 · answer #2 · answered by grnlow 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The idea that an angel has to earn its wings is just a fiction.
2007-12-16 06:48:23 · answer #3 · answered by Dysthymia 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Angels are depicted that way because of their swiftness....the go from on place to another without traveling the distance in between. As pure spirits they don't have wings at all.
2007-12-16 06:54:17 · answer #4 · answered by HenryIX 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
good question.
another good question is: do angels have wings at all?
i have never seen any biblical reference to angels having wings.
but i have heard testimonies of people who say they saw them, and i have at leasst one photograph of an apparation.
i am a skeptic.
there are three types of angels. some are declared to be non gender and without sex organs, while others are more like human ressurected beings.
so, i guess you have to refer to classic mythology to get the idea that some angels have wings.
2007-12-16 06:53:12 · answer #5 · answered by Priestcalling 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
not sure who originate this lie.
either a preacher who was an idiot
or hollywood.
and if one think about it.
santa claus is not a magican neither.
it all sowing a demonic into tie into it.
the giving is from GOD himself
the EARNING to be right with GOD
that again is a lie and churches been spreading such a lie
the gift of sainthood..is basically..JESUS IS MY LORD adn SAVIOR
Instantly you are right with GOD..no noter a SINNER..but saved by GRACE OF GOD
goodness toward YOU.
by us saying..JESUS is the SON of GOD.
immediately we are transfer from kingdom of slavery of sin and death and fear
into the kingdom of faith..truth..love, prosperity healing..righteousness..ect.
our spiritual and worldly inheritance is HUGE!
again..we are made right with GOD
by our BELIEF we confess
not bye WORKS we do.
angels are created being to SERVE..not to take..satan took and declare..and so forth.and he became an UGLY ANGELS (aliens look ugly too)
2007-12-16 06:52:55 · answer #6 · answered by blessedrobert 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
In a word, No.
Angels were with God before God made people. People don't become angels. People are people and angels are angels.
2007-12-16 06:46:26 · answer #7 · answered by no1home2day 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I have never seen anything in the Bible to support this claim.
2007-12-16 06:49:48 · answer #8 · answered by Ruth 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No...just a hollywood thing...many angels do not have wings...."Peace!" (they don't need them!)
2007-12-16 06:46:15 · answer #9 · answered by Mr. "Diamond" 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋