Actually, I am being really unreasonable. However I would like to ask those who have experienced Angel Feathers to....

[DioneTheDiabolist]

...answer a few questions that I have.

1). What does it feel like when you see that feather?

2). What are your thoughts when this happens?

And

3). What would you say are the long term (if any) effects that you would attribute to these encounters.

I understand that this belief has been the subject of some ridicule here. I have no intention of ridiculing anyone. This thread has been inspired by a previous AIBU thread, but is not a thread about a thread. I am not a journalist. I am not seeking results to use in an academic submission or publication. What I am seeking is knowledge and understanding in the hope that I can use it to help others.

IABU for the following reasons:
I only posted in AIBU for the traffic. If MN rule that I have breached guidelines, can it be moved and not deleted.

And I ask the skeptics not to put people off answering honestly. If you think it necessary, I can start another thread for all your thoughts to be discussed. Perhaps the scientifically minded of you could look at this as an information gathering excersise.

Why was my post unnecessary Rockin?

curlew I was trying to be reasonable and now you're just being obnoxious. If you made a topic of your own you wouldn't be doing that at all, you'd be starting a debate for people to join in. Right here you're just trying to derail a topic that like minded people are trying to have a discussion in, you're attempting to engage them in a debate that they don't want to have. That's rude and a bit selfish.

Like I said, I don't believe in this feather malarkey but I'm not ignorant enough to try and shoot people down when they're trying to talk to others- who also believe - about their experiences.

Well said Strumpton

Curlew, we're chatting, not debating, open you're own debate if that's what you want. It's up there, ^^ it's called 'start a thread' or something.

I don't particularly believe in woo but, I will take comfort in whatever way I can, even if its just a reason to remember someone for a second, and everybody is entitled to that.

Maybe post in the 'Spirituality' forum if you want only breathless encouragement from the like minded...? This is AIBU, where posters can be expected to be held to a vague resemblance of the rational, including investigating the possibility that a passing wood pigeon or a leaky duvet was responsible for the feather, rather than the Archangel Gabriel trying to avoid a pylon.

Anchoress unfortunately many of the threads on Spirituality end up just like this one.

cote People who believe in the supernatural don't want to be proved wrong so aren't going to investigate what kind of feather they've got.

Actually I can't believe i'm discussing where supernatural believers think that random feathers may or may not come from!

The way this thread is written is really odd to me. Not the usual MN speak. Im new and getting the gist of how things and people work on here and I love it. Is this thread odd? The way it is written is not like other topics on here. Or is it me

I don't think anyone actually believes they come from heaven, an angel or anything like that. Those who believe see it as a sign that their loved one is thinking of them.

If my dh came home with a bunch of flowers I would know they were from a shop, but I know he would have seen them, and thought they would make me happy and got them for me, just because he didn't grow the flowers himself it wouldn't make the thought any less special.

It's the same principle for those who believe in angel feathers, they believe that it's a sign of love and support from their loved one, it doesn't matter where it came from, or how it got there, it just matters that it's there.

I have reported the thread, so in case it goes pop I would like to thank all those posters who took the time to answer the OP on this thread and via PM.

Thank you.[Thanks]

I think the OP was clear and concise in the first post. But probably didn't expect such cynicism

Whatever your purpose is OP, I hope you've learned what you wanted to learn by posting :)

MN doesn't normally delete or move posts unless they see fit. Perhaps IABU may have been a bad choice of traffic. But good luck in your endeavours to help others.

The fact that you cannot pm people is somewhat questionable. Why is that?

Sorry Monty I actually don't know, I think I got you mixed up with someone else - apologies

& Dionne is right, I've seen countless so called "Woo" threads derailed by the self righteous harpies who insist on forcing their own view down everyone's throat - it's never a debate because they don't know how to listen it's attack & mockery thats all, not a debate.

Personally I hate drum banging religious zealots, but take away the religion & I see no difference to the behaviour of some posters here - how can you challenge something you have absolutely no experience or understanding of, you simply fly in from the point if complete ignorance & presumptions & piss all over the thread - surprised its not a cloud if black feathers floating around right now as you drop them in your feeding frenzy

& why are you so arrogant to insist that you have a right to "challenge" others beliefs - you don't! No one is interested in your opinion - it's all in the thread title AIBU or not, you would still be playing the same silly game if it were posted elsewhere & you know it

I will answer a question though, but more for the purpose if real debate, as opposed to your bombastic nonsense.

Of course I don't believe the feathers are actually from an angel - how ridiculous to think that, if it were true then they would be gathered up & put under a microscope until they were analysed to dust.

But rather they are a gift one with a spiritual connection meant to bring comfort, protection & strength, if someone buys me a gift I don't feel the need to demand to know where it comes from, I simply accept it gratefully in the spirit it is given - that's all.

I do feel the need to make it clear though, my own experience with this phenomenon isn't just about grieving - yes it's become part of that recently, but for me it's something I have experienced all my life, it sent taught to me, it was just there & I've experienced so much "woo" in many forms that I just cannot go back to not believing & trust me I do analyse, some experiences I would much rather find a logical explanation for, because is not all positive stuff, but I can't deny it, that would be lying o myself & I'm way too long in the tooth for that.

But this is positive, very positive & it has probably saved my life on occasions too - for example I was once walking home across a common along side a road - it was quiet, not much traffic at all, lovely sunny day & I w enjoying the walk - I suddenly heard an urgent screaming in my head - JUMP, JUMP NOW - & I don't know why, but I did jump - I jumped & felt myself dragged & lifted too - it all happened in a split second - I ended up rolling head first onto the grass

& I then realise that a car had left the road & hit the tree right where I was standing a few seconds earlier - I would have been crushed without doubt - I took off my glove to check my fingers as they hurt - & there in my hand was another white feather - someone, or something was looking after me that day

Turned out he car had gad a blow out, the woman driving was thankfully okay, though her car wasn't so good, I had not at any level seen that coming.

So it's not just a grief coping mechanism for me, but it has been a positive part of my life for as long as I can remember -

I could tell a lot more stories, but it's a bit like been cornered by the school bullies & telling them all your secrets - why do that when some people only intend to be negative & take the pee - no point

I do understand that your experiences are different to mine though & understand that it can sound barking mad if you have never experienced anything, that just cannot be explained in any normal, logical scientific way, so I don't expect you to believe me, nor do I need that from you or anyone, I respect your right to not believe & completely understand why to you it is so "woo" that's perfectly fine by me.

Good point Monty I had missed that - why is that Dione ??

Or should we be looking out for the Daily Wail tomorrow

I am posting from an iPod and I don't have a Message Poster option. But once someone PMs me I can PM back.

Ahh, I didn't know that you could post from one if those at all, I struggle with my phone :)

Thanks for answering & good luck with this

"curlew I was trying to be reasonable and now you're just being obnoxious"

Could you explain exactly how I am being obnoxious? Are you saying that any questioning of people's beliefs is obnoxious? That the only acceptable response is mindless acceptance? On a thread which the OP has charecterised as an "information gathering exercise" on AIBU?

If you can't see it yourself then there's absolutely no point. But you carry on, if questioning someone's believes makes you feel better. There's a time and a place and I don't think this is it. But you just steam roll ahead :)

Beliefs*

The OP said it was an information gathering exercise, but you chose to ignore where she asked skeptics to not put people off posting, and to make your own thread if you wish to do so

Like I said I don't believe, but I'm not rude enough to question people who don't want to be questioned, who just want to have a discussion.

I love finding individual small fluffy feathers which are snowy white. I dont know why and I suspect either moulting birds or ineffient cats. I knew a small boy whose mother was dying of secodary breast cancer. He collected these feathers in a little box and gave them to her "for your wings Mummy". The box was put in her coffin. This is a true story.

I went through a few years of finding small white feathers in odd places, i.e. on the passenger seat of my car when I got in one morning. This was after my mother died and while I was going through a particularly difficult time.

For many years I used to put a lot of effort into feeding the birds in my back garden. I had over fourteen different species regularly visit but never a chaffinch, despite the fact that there were many to be seen in the field at the front of our house.

On the day that my mother died a male chaffinch came to the bird feeder. Probably coincidence but I like to think not.

I wouldn't be rude to anyone but I agree with curlews point. It is chat, if I chat with my friends I do not expect to have to agree with them

This sounds like a lovely supportive thread but if you don't want people to day I don't believe it then it should be in bereavement IMHO

Oops, just realised its inAIBU

In which case it really shouldn't be here,