why do we assume angels have wings?

Answer 1

Isaiah describes a seraph, which is an angel "Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two the covered their feet, and with two they were flying." (Isaiah 6:2)

Answer 2

In the 21st century I'm reading a debate where adult human beings are seriously discussing whether or not angels have wings, and wondering if perhaps they are too easily confused with cherubim (which certainly do have wings).

Don't you know there are far more important questions to be discussed? For example: How many angels can dance on the head of a pin? Come on people, get your priorities right.

Answer 3

Both the Bible and the Qur'an mention angels having wings, and also human imagination likes the idea of angels having wings.

Answer 4

my personal view on the whole spirit beings having wings thing is basically that they are not wings in the same way that we have arms and hands and such, per se,

I think, compared to physical reality, generally speaking spirit beings have a much less... confined... form. where we have a discrete limb and structure, such solidity is not as strictly needed in the spiritual world.

for example, that in the spirit world you could have a "gateway", that would travel between two places. this archetypal concept is actually by its nature, pretty unspecific. this "object" that has this function, could be envisioned in a massive number of ways, anytwhere from a simple door, to a vault door, to a big medeival door or gate, something fantastical-ish like a stargate or who only knows what else could be an invisionment of the same general concept.
now, the idea of this being that one person might observe this amorphous object, and their mind inteperet and display that information to them in a physical-ized form, based on various preconcpetions and expectations and such.

SO, how does this relate to angel wings.
perhaps such beings have appendages that we do not, that are signifigant enough(in some way) to be worthy of being observed, that many would tend to perceive as "wings" because they EXPECT to, and that there is this amorphous appendage that fits the role.

notice that varietys of different settings have different perceptions of what different spirit being wings are like. varying from feathers, to just vague light, to tendrils, or for darker imagery, more skin and bat-like wings.

perceptive interperetation!

Answer 5

I seen it in a movie "A Wonderful Life" where an angel earned its wings. So presumably it is only the senior angels which have wings, more junior ones dont.

Hollywood wouldn't lie to us right.

Answer 6

Angels have wings because they fly. If you observe only creatures with wings can fly. Don't be fooled by comic super heroes who fly without any wings. Even rockets, airplanes and helicopters have wings or their equivalent.

Answer 7

I don't think Angels look any thing like us, or have wings. But it is the only way we can perceive and contemplate such great and terrible figures.

They are truly not of this world.

Answer 8

because they fly & at the time that the idea of angels was concieved wings were the only logical means by which they could be known to use for flight

Answer 9

We assume they have wings based off of people's personal witnessings of them.

Answer 10

i think because people imagine they fly down from heaven and it would be hard without wings