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Featured Article: NATO

NATO 2002 Summit in Prague

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO); French: Organisation du Traité de l'Atlantique Nord (OTAN); (also called the North Atlantic Alliance, the Atlantic Alliance, or the Western Alliance) is a military alliance established by the signing of the North Atlantic Treaty on April 4, 1949. Headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, the organization constitutes a system of collective defense in which its member states agree to mutual defense in response to an attack by any external party.

Popular Article: Archangel

An Orthodox icon depicting the seven archangels. From left to right: Jegudiel, Gabriel, Selaphiel, Michael, Uriel, Raphiel, Barachiel. Beneath the mandorla of Christ are representations of Cherubim and Seraphim.

An archangel is a superior or higher-ranking angel found in a number of religious traditions, including Christianity, Islam, Judaism, and Zoroastrianism. The word “archangel” derives from the Greek arche (ruler) and angelos (messenger). The angels, or "messengers" are understood as supernatural and ethereal beings found in many religions, whose duty is to serve and assist God. Archangels serve a variety of functions in the heavenly hierarchy including the administration of heavenly duties and the daily operation of the cosmos. Archangels are also often depicted as engaged in ongoing spiritual battles with demons, or as God's messengers who interact with humanity.

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James Frazer's distinction between magic and religion has been widely adopted by anthropologists since his time (source: James Frazer)

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