XX - Judgement

The angels in the background of this card make me think of comic-book figures - supermen types swooping in to rescue the dead. The coffins look a bit like boats - rafts or lifeboats or some type of floating wreckage. The flat mustardy sky reminds me of the gold background of Greek or Russian orthodox icons.
But the angel in front is a different matter altogether. A stained-glass type angel, she/he looks quite stern. The phrase that springs to mind is "do not ask for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee" The Judgement card always makes me uncomfortable - I think it stirs some atavistic fear in me that I, with my pinko-leftie-liberal-new-age-witchywoo notions might in fact be wrong and Ian Paisley might be right. (Karen will know who I mean here, don't know if anyone else will though. If not substitute some big Bible-thumping evangelist preacher of your acquaintance).
So this is the weird thing - I feel as if there are 2 sets of angels here - the ones in the back who are saying 'here, quick, take my hand and we'll get out of here before she sees you' She being the foreground angel. I wonder is this what was intended or am I being my dual-thinking Gemini self? So could this mean that Judgement can be a healthy wake-up call, a realisation that enlightens and saves you, or one that crushes you with guilt and expectation of retribution? Any thoughts?

First impression of the card I get is : the background angels are doing all the dirty work! lol! And that the main front angel just awaken and is still under sleep's torpor. The main angel may be higher in the hiearchy.
Strangely, I feel calmer looking at the card. It is like the verdict felt upon me and I am relieved, no longer stress, no longer with incertainty.

Mwhaha - all about waking the dead, this thread is older than some of my tshirts!

When I first got the deck, Judgement wasnt on my top 10, hmm I dont even know if it was in my top 20! But after a couple of readings where this baby turns up I am completely stunned by it.
And if you can see past the angel in the foreground to the ones at the back, your a braver reader than I am.
The front angel is terrifying to me! There is no mercy in this angel 'God is merciful, not me' is the attitude I get from this character. And in our world of choice and empowerment, to feel the cold hard gaze of judgement that will decide your entire afterlife, thats a fairly scary thing to get your head around.

But, when I do readings, this card isnt all that harsh (specially reserved for me lol). When it has popped up the angel, although still rather cold offers comfort! 'Dont worry, you cant change the past and you cant change the decisions you have made, you must take comfort in that all you can do is ride the consequences' Well, I did it was still rather cold, but you cant be warm with a coffin lid in your arms! Like the others say, its a verdict, you either pass or fail and theres nothing you can do, so relax and ride it out!

And I think that sort of feeling to a Judgement card is better than a few others.