Saturday, January 11, 2014

I don't like angels because...

Here's my beef with Supernatural's portrayal of angels.

There is an angel called Joshua (left) who is the only one who talks to God, and as he points out, it is mostly him talking because God doesn't have much to say. Another angel called Zachariah plays tricks on people, and manipulates them and calls them offensive names. He gets angry when he doesn't get his own way, and he keeps on talking as though only he speaks the truth when his actions belie his words. 

Castiel (right) rebelled against Heaven, because he has a soft spot for the Winchester boys. He looks confused most of the time, and at one point was searching for God but has now conceded that God is gone and He doesn't care. Gabriel disguises himself as a demi-God and torments people for his own amusement. Anna became human and had sex in the back of Dean's car before becoming an angel again. And let's not forget Lucifer (below right) who is roaming the earth now, footloose and fancy free.

I could go on, but all this proves is that what I am watching is complete fantasy. Wow! What a revelation. I know it's fiction, but before the apocalypse story line, I could distinguish between good and evil in Supernatural. Castiel was a 'good guy': a fearsome solider of Heaven, for example. That's what post modernist story telling does; it blurs the lines between good and evil. Supernatural's angels are all nearly as bad as the demons.

I prefer my angels like they are in Touched By An Angel. They speak God's truths into people's lives, they protect them, guide them, counsel them and encourage them. They demonstrate real love and at the same time, obedience to their father who sent them. They are not morally ambiguous, and they don't hurt people or cause trouble.

Assuming you also believe in angels, which kind do you prefer. Which do you think is closer to the truth?

Although this mini series on angels has captured the imagination of the world, it is time to move on. I'd love to hear your thoughts on angels.

2 comments:

  1. Hi. It's just Hollywood trying to make another dollar, and hardly a source for learning about angels as you point out. The angel in "Saving Grace" (another series) is pretty crude, but his motives are to convince Grace that God loves her, so I forgive a lot. As for Touched by an Angel, have enjoyed this series for reasons you list. So....I prefer some semblance of the truth, not the distortion of it when it comes to angels.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you for visiting and commenting. It's interesting how fascinated people are by the supernatural world but are mostly only willing to accept and/or believe that which conforms to their worldview. The truth doesn't seem very important to many people.

    ReplyDelete