Half of Americans believe in Angels

[Grace]

Well, first we may have to learn how to listen, before we try interpreting the message. Don’t put the cart before the horse, don’t chew meat before you’ve learned how to drink milk, and all that.

Perhaps there is something to what you say, Miss Solstice. I know there are times I feel like the blind one.

And that scares me.

[Shang Li]

The man who spends every dime he has to open a shelter to clear the streets at night.....

The street preacher with a kind word for everyone, helping lift people from dispair......

The sherrif who wishes he could walk away and still face himself in the mirror....

The nun who teaches orphans about love, kindness and faith........

The druid, who even gives mercy to the fallen foe.....

The hunter who risks his own life day after day for no reward..........

The nightwalker who suffers the eternal hunger, but refuses to take an innocent life.....

The man who takes the time to save a child from the darkness and vileness of your modern cities......


Do not look for the halos, the wings - Just open your eyes, look around you, and choose not to do nothing when you see another in pain.

[Grace]

All that sounds to me is, "we're on our own."

[Shang Li]

Peasant speaking to preist "God has abandonded us!!!"
Preist speaking to same peasant "Am I not here? Am I not a servant of god?"

Look for those who "were moved by the holy spirit" to do your good works.

If an "angel" or other spirit of light were to reveal himself openly, it would be mobbed by millions of people demanding miracles, offering their firstborn sons, and in general laying their problems at it's feet instead of trying to become better people through their own actions.

Read the myths and stories of every religion in the world - when the agents of the divine walked among men openly men turned to them for a quick and easy answer, insisting on a fish rather than allowing ourselves to be tought how to fish.

Since a benevolent divinity would be interested in our betterment, does it not make sense that after seeing our reliance upon his agents, he would instead have them operate from hiding, showing us the way, rather than doing for us?

[Grace]

Still sounds like it boils down to us being on our own to me.

Speaking of being on our own, anything new on the Caliburn front? I have not been able to make significant head way in the last night or so.

[Chen Lung]

Li - it seems as though you would like to attribute evil to the ways of men while allowing the good men do to stem the tide of the dark to those 'higher powers.'

Men do horrible things to one another for horrible reasons. Men do wonderful things for one another for wonderful reasons. Demons never leave their dimensions (unless dragged out by stupid humans) because they can do nothing more evil to man than man has already done.

Do not forget the person behind the act of kindness because you would rather believe it was a 'gift' from 'God.'

[Shang Li]

No, instead I say that these "higher powers" are not absent.

Just as some of the atrocities mankind commits are from the manipulations of foul beings - so too are some of mankinds good works caused by the manipulation and influence of "higher powers" who seem to be far more carefull about hiding themselves than their darker counterparts.

[Cybermancer]

I inherently distrust anything that sets itself above other sentients.

You may love a pet.

You may cherish a pet.

You may do all in your power to save a pet.

Or you may put your pet out of it's misery.

The point is that so called higher powers have the power of life or death over what they consider to be lesser creatures.

And they exercise that power.

[Gabriel]

I do not presume to know what "God" is, or to understand it, but I remember very clearly a certain combat wherein the druid summoned both angels and earthly spirits at a hospital...

[Hannah]

I grew up with a very specific image of what God was and what angels were.


Now I read Frank's posts and realize how much has changed since I was rescued.

[Gabriel]

Keep to your new vision, my friend. It will serve you well.

[Clarity]

_____I like your answer, Mr. Shang. I’m not sure if I believe in angels or not. I hope they exist, because then they would help it be a prettier world, and everyone would think it was their neighbor doing something nice for someone else for no reason. Then maybe they would do something for that neighbor, and then that neighbor would help somebody else, and so the goodness would keep getting bigger.
_____P.S. At least, that’s how I would hope it all works out.

[Shang Li]

That is how the few machinations of kami and angels I have been able to track down worked Ms. Grace. Always small acts of kindness to the right person at the right time. Most of them very simple other than the person who performed the act denying any knowledge of it. Most, I am sure are just generous souls who want to stay unrecognized. But if demons take the shape (and sometimes bodies) of men to do their works, why would angels be different? And wouldn't the angels be the ones more strict about following whatever rules they have against revealing themselves?
(only semi rhetorical questions, at least ask them.)

[Clarity]

_____Maybe angels would be different because they’re are supposed to be good, while demons are supposed to be bad?
_____P.S. At least, that’s what I’ve been told.
_____P.S., again. I think I agree that they would probably want to follow the rules even more carefully than demons, Mr. Shang.