# What's the deal with angels?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-angels/620138
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports
**Created:** [April 27, 2012, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-angels/620138 "2012-04-27T16:00:36Z")
**Posts on this page:** 19
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@AuraWAlker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuraWAlker)
#### Post date: [April 27, 2012, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-angels/620138/1 "2012-04-27T16:00:36Z")
Fascinating! Thanks for doing the research for me. 🙂
---
### Author:  [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)
#### Post date: [April 27, 2012, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-angels/620138/2 "2012-04-27T16:22:47Z")
Active roster
Pitchers
Starting rotation
```
24 Dan Haren
54 Ervin Santana
36 Jered Weaver
57 Jerome Williams
33 C. J. Wilson
```
Bullpen
```
52 David Carpenter
37 Scott Downs
32 LaTroy Hawkins
55 Jason Isringhausen
40 Kevin Jepsen
21 Hisanori Takahashi
```
Closer
```
51 Jordan Walden
```
Catchers
```
17 Chris Iannetta
46 Bobby Wilson
```
Infielders
```
2 Erick Aybar
6 Alberto Callaspo
13 Maicer Izturis
47 Howard Kendrick
8 Kendrys Morales
5 Albert Pujols
44 Mark Trumbo
```
Outfielders
```
53 Bobby Abreu
25 Peter Bourjos
48 Torii Hunter
10 Vernon Wells
```
Designated hitters
```
None specified
```
---
### Author:  [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)
#### Post date: [April 27, 2012, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-angels/620138/3 "2012-04-27T16:23:37Z")
Welcome to the Straight Dope Message Board! To help others who may not have seen the same column, it is customary to provide a link to said column, [like this.](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/2059/whats-the-deal-with-angels) Again, welcome! I hope you stick around.
---
### Author:  [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)
#### Post date: [April 27, 2012, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-angels/620138/4 "2012-04-27T16:26:47Z")
> [@kayaker](#):
>
> Active roster
>
> Pitchers
>
> Starting rotation
>
> ```
> 24 Dan Haren
> 54 Ervin Santana
> 36 Jered Weaver
> 57 Jerome Williams
> 33 C. J. Wilson
>
> ```
>
> Bullpen
>
> ```
> 52 David Carpenter
> 37 Scott Downs
> 32 LaTroy Hawkins
> 55 Jason Isringhausen
> 40 Kevin Jepsen
> 21 Hisanori Takahashi
>
> ```
>
> Closer
>
> ```
> 51 Jordan Walden
>
> ```
>
> Catchers
>
> ```
> 17 Chris Iannetta
> 46 Bobby Wilson
>
> ```
>
> Infielders
>
> ```
> 2 Erick Aybar
> 6 Alberto Callaspo
> 13 Maicer Izturis
> 47 Howard Kendrick
> 8 Kendrys Morales
> 5 Albert Pujols
> 44 Mark Trumbo
>
> ```
>
> Outfielders
>
> ```
> 53 Bobby Abreu
> 25 Peter Bourjos
> 48 Torii Hunter
> 10 Vernon Wells
>
> ```
>
> Designated hitters
>
> ```
> None specified
>
> ```
But you didn’t answer the question that is in the back of all our minds: _How many of them can dance on the head of a pin?_
---
### Author:  [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)
#### Post date: [April 27, 2012, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-angels/620138/5 "2012-04-27T16:45:24Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#):
>
> But you didn’t answer the question that is in the back of all our minds: _How many of them can dance on the head of a pin?_
All of them, given a large enough pin.
---
### Author:  [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)
#### Post date: [April 27, 2012, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-angels/620138/6 "2012-04-27T16:50:14Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#):
>
> But you didn’t answer the question that is in the back of all our minds: _How many of them can dance on the head of a pin?_
They can all fit together on a diamond. That’s got to count for something.
---
### Author:  [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)
#### Post date: [April 27, 2012, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-angels/620138/7 "2012-04-27T21:38:52Z")
> [@AuraWAlker](#):
>
> Fascinating! Thanks for doing the research for me. 🙂
You’re very welcome! It was fun to do, frankly.
---
### Author:  [@Civil\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Civil_Guy)
#### Post date: [April 28, 2012, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-angels/620138/8 "2012-04-28T04:03:09Z")
And the Los Angeles Angels should get some kind of heavenly reward for the greatest amount of (bilingual) redundancy in the fewest number of words.
---
### Author:  [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)
#### Post date: [April 29, 2012, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-angels/620138/9 "2012-04-29T23:55:42Z")
I just noticed, in the section of the article “Four of the most famous angels”:
> [@](#):
>
> Michael saved Daniel’s friends from the fiery furnace,…
but later,
> [@](#):
>
> In Jewish legend, Gabriel is the angel of judgment, who rained death and destruction on Sodom and Gomorrah, wrestled with Jacob, and later saved Daniel’s friends from the fiery furnace.
So, which is it?
---
### Author:  [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)
#### Post date: [April 30, 2012, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-angels/620138/10 "2012-04-30T11:19:40Z")
> [@Chronos](#):
>
> So, which is it?
Reboots abound in contemporary fiction. Maybe you’ve discovered the source?
---
### Author:  [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)
#### Post date: [April 30, 2012, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-angels/620138/11 "2012-04-30T12:51:48Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#):
>
> They can all fit together on a diamond. That’s got to count for something.
Graphene is probably the solution. Graphene can do bloody everything, apparently.
---
### Author:  [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)
#### Post date: [April 30, 2012, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-angels/620138/12 "2012-04-30T13:10:05Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#):
>
> But you didn’t answer the question that is in the back of all our minds: _How many of them can dance on the head of a pin?_
> [@kayaker](#):
>
> All of them, given a large enough pin.
Or if you compress them enough. Letting them expand again is messy, though.
---
### Author:  [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)
#### Post date: [April 30, 2012, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-angels/620138/13 "2012-04-30T14:13:11Z")
> [@Chronos](#):
>
> I just noticed, in the section of the article “Four of the most famous angels”:
>
> > [@](#):
> >
> > Michael saved Daniel’s friends from the fiery furnace,…
>
> but later,
>
> > [@](#):
> >
> > In Jewish legend, Gabriel is the angel of judgment, who rained death and destruction on Sodom and Gomorrah, wrestled with Jacob, and later saved Daniel’s friends from the fiery furnace.
>
> So, which is it?
Hmmm. That was a decade ago, and it’s not a topic that I continue to read about, so I don’t remember. I’ll try to look it up and get it corrected, but my initial reaction is that it’s probably a diff between Christian and Jewish myths.
---
### Author:  [@John\_W.Kennedy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_W.Kennedy)
#### Post date: [April 30, 2012, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-angels/620138/14 "2012-04-30T18:18:49Z")
> [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](#):
>
> …my initial reaction is that it’s probably a diff between Christian and Jewish myths.
There’s a lot of not-exactly-orthodox Christian speculation that clearly leans in the direction of Michael version, though I couldn’t find, by desultory Googling, a clear statement. I’m pretty sure you’re right. (Christian mythology has picked up a sort of halo of bits and pieces of old heresies that, once removed from the central errors they were associated with, weren’t bad enough to condemn in themselves.)
---
### Author:  [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)
#### Post date: [April 30, 2012, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-angels/620138/15 "2012-04-30T18:48:22Z")
Hey Dex, you also said
> [@](#):
>
> Angels continued to appear in popular songs (“Teen Angel,” say), on wedding invitations, and atop Christmas trees (ask me why sometime).
It’s sometime, so why?
---
### Author:  [@Civil\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Civil_Guy)
#### Post date: [May 1, 2012, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-angels/620138/16 "2012-05-01T00:31:16Z")
He could be alluding to a pretty old joke (mildly funny) which I think is his to tell.
---
### Author:  [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)
#### Post date: [May 1, 2012, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-angels/620138/17 "2012-05-01T11:48:46Z")
Yes, it’s an old joke. It’s told best with dramatic voice and gestures and elaboration, but basically has to do with Santa Claus getting ready for Christmas Eve flight. First the elves tell him they’re on strike for higher wages and lower hours and warmer working conditions; they argue with him for a while and he puts them off for union negotiations after Christmas. Then the reindeer complain how difficult it is to make the trip, getting shot at by Home Defense, landing on all those small rooftops, etc. He stalls them until after Christmas. Then Mrs Claus lands into him, he’s never home on Christmas Eve, he slides down all those chimneys at houses with young females, what a louse. He says it’s the only day of the year that he’s away from home, and promises her a vacation in the Bahamas right after New Years. Frustrated, and dripping with sweat, he turns around and there’s a little angel carrying a tree who says, “Santa, where should I put this tree?”… and that’s why there are angels on top of Christmas trees. 🙂
---
### Author:  [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)
#### Post date: [May 1, 2012, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-angels/620138/18 "2012-05-01T21:23:39Z")
Har har.
---
### Author:  [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)
#### Post date: [May 2, 2012, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-deal-with-angels/620138/19 "2012-05-02T19:20:01Z")
Buy two angels, get one free, but only for a limited time, while supplies last. Not valid in states where owning angels is illegal.