When evangelists knock on your door...

stvdv · Aug 2, 2019

JJ50 said:
As I have stated before, I have a particular antipathy to those of the evil JW cult, after being told by a couple of their acolytes that our adopted baby Down's Syndrome son would have been better off dead than having the blood transfusion, which saved his life in 1986!

Wow, how rude, insensitive and lacking empathy of these Jehovah Witnesses. Now I fully understand your antipathy and why you reply that way

When my mother lost her baby, the priest said "It's God's Will". This was insensitive and lacking empathy (I expect a priest to know better). But it's a good reality check, that priests are also just humans, making huge mistakes. And that he was the one in this case that needed to learn a lesson.

Shiranui117 · Aug 2, 2019

pcarl said:
We may find their method annoying but they are just doing what all Christians are asked to do, 'go forth and spread the Gospel'.

They just choose a less effective way to do so.

Laika · Aug 2, 2019

Eddi said:
What do you say when members of a religious group (such as the Jehovah’s Witnesses) knock on your door, evangelising?

I currently politely say “sorry, I already have a religion” and leave it as that

But the next time it happens I think I’m going to say something outrageous such as “I don’t need religion, I have a direct line to God” (don’t worry, I don’t believe I have a direct line to God!) or make up a religion and tell them I belong to that

We've had Jehovah's Witnesses knock on our door twice in the ten years my family has been here, but although I'm a non-believer I don't let on and just be polite and interested. Besides the postman, who generally arrives late (between 2pm to 6pm depending on the day), we don't get visitors round here, so even having JW's to talk to is kind of fun. They're usually only trying to give out a leaflet after all and I may read it once, so it's not a big deal. There is no point ruining their day or mine when you might only have to sacrifice 5 minutes to be nice to someone.

JJ50 · Aug 2, 2019

stvdv said:
Wow, how rude, insensitive and lacking empathy of these Jehovah Witnesses. Now I fully understand your antipathy and why you reply that way

When my mother lost her baby, the priest said "It's God's Will". This was insensitive and lacking empathy (I expect a priest to know better). But it's a good reality check, that priests are also just humans, making huge mistakes. And that he was the one in this case that needed to learn a lesson.

I don't look upon preachers of any religion as people to be looked up to, they have no more idea about the existence of a god than anyone else, even if they think they do.

Spirit of Light · Aug 2, 2019

ChristineM said:
Interfering with family life would never work on me, in fact it has the opposite effect. Your ploy of public proselytising at least has the decency to allow people to ignore you. I am assuming you also dont let your proselytising interfere with others.

I try to keep it to a minimum since many here already know me and what i talk about

But sometimes i am asked to hold a talk in public, then i do it. But i do not go around every day to speak about Buddhism no

stvdv · Aug 2, 2019

JJ50 said:
As I have stated before, I have a particular antipathy to those of the evil JW cult, after being told by a couple of their acolytes that our adopted baby Down's Syndrome son would have been better off dead than having the blood transfusion, which saved his life in 1986!

Wow. That was very rude, insensitive and lacking empathy.

When my mother lost her baby the priest said "It's God's Will". Was also insensitive and lacking empathy to say this (I expect a priest to know better). But it's a good reality check, that priests are also just humans, making huge mistakes. And that they are the ones in this case that needed to learn.

Deeje said:
I wonder what they really said.....? We would never say anything like that....and if anyone did they would get into trouble.

1): You belittle @JJ50 as if he was "hallucinating" about this. That is not respectful. Therefore I tend to believe him that JW were rude and disrespectful to him in the past. And Jehovah Witnesses, ca. 3 years ago, were quite insensitive to me also. And it happened more than once.
(Probably there are respectful Jehova Witnesses also, and like any human there are some that make many huge mistakes, some make less.)

2): Your claim is not right "We would never say anything like that." (unless "We" means you and your cat; but it feels to me you mean Jehovah Witnesses here)
*: Maybe you meant "We should never say anything like that", then it feels more appropriate in this context
a: @JJ50 just told us, that this was said to him. And I do not think he would lie about such a thing, as some JW were quite insensitive to me also
b: You cannot possibly know ALL Jehovah Witnesses nor what they might or might not have said all over the world in all these decades

Deeje said:
1986? You've been harboring all that angst for over 30 years? Time to get over it and move on....don't you think?

I think it is not appropriate for a Jehovah Witness to say such a thing in such a way in such a context, don't you think?

Of course I do hope that @JJ50 gets over it, but you saying it in such a way will not help. Might be the reason he keeps repeating this fact.

He might have gotten over it, If you just had replied with "Sorry to hear that these Jehovah Witnesses said this ... that was so wrong"

Shadow Wolf · Aug 2, 2019

In Indiana there was a tendency for them to not take no for an answer, so I'd throw ugly and nasty bits of the Bible they didn't know about at them. In California, so far, they haven't carried on after I tell them no thanks.

BSM1 · Aug 2, 2019

I ask them to discuss their feelings on Isaiah 45:7 to see what idiotic answer I get (if I even get an answer).

Shadow Wolf · Aug 2, 2019

Kangaroo Feathers said:
I heard an interesting theory recently, that this sort of "cold call evangelism" isn't really about trying to gain converts (how many people are actually converted by door knockers? Seriously, what's the success rate?), it's actually far more about creating group unity within the religion, and otherising outsiders. People get sent out on their missions, face hardships among the outgroup who general ignore or ridicule them, then return to the ingroup who praise them. It's a pretty good way to make you stick to your ingroup and avoid the outgroup, with all that entails.

Whether this is a conscious plan of any religion's leaders, or if it's just a useful aspect of doing what they think they're called to do, I don't know. Makes sense as a theory, though.

That does seem it may play into the "martyrdom complex" they have. They expect the world to hate them, and interrupting people to preach is a good way to get it, and later have it reinforced by their own group while building cohesion.

9-10ths_Penguin · Aug 2, 2019

Eddi said:
What do you say when members of a religious group (such as the Jehovah’s Witnesses) knock on your door, evangelising?

I currently politely say “sorry, I already have a religion” and leave it as that

But the next time it happens I think I’m going to say something outrageous such as “I don’t need religion, I have a direct line to God” (don’t worry, I don’t believe I have a direct line to God!) or make up a religion and tell them I belong to that

If someone comes to my door and invites me to talk about their religion, there's a good chance they'll hear exactly what I think of their religion. If they're lucky, they'll just get an "I'm not interested."

I don't get door-to-door proselytizers that often, though. The JWs in my town generally set up on a busy street corner on weekends when there's lots of foot traffic passing by.

9-10ths_Penguin · Aug 2, 2019

Deeje said:
If people are happy with their current faith, then we do not have anything to offer them but the truth from God's word.
We don't like to waste our time or yours, so as Jesus said.....we "shake the dust off our feet" and bid you good day. (Matthew 10:11-14)

IIRC, in the verses immediately before that passage, Jesus commands his disciples to leave their posessions and live off the charity of others while they proselytize. I don't think I've ever seen JWs do that.

Kirran · Aug 2, 2019

I think up at my parents' farm the JWs used to come, a long time ago. Doesn't seem to happen so much now. I think there has been a shift in strategy to the street corner stands - I have seen them all over the world!

Sometimes I used to get into conversation with the LDS missionaries in the street in Manchester! They were OK, but the one time I questioned one of them about their theology he didn't know what I was on about.

Heyo · Aug 2, 2019

"We'd like to talk with you about god."
I: "Trust me, you won't."

Eddi · Aug 2, 2019

Kirran said:
I think there has been a shift in strategy to the street corner stands - I have seen them all over the world!

Yes, I've noticed those a lot lately, must be a new thing

Didn't used to see them at all and I think you're right, they must have made a change of strategy

A change of strategy that is very welcome, IMO

viole · Aug 2, 2019

Eddi said:
What do you say when members of a religious group (such as the Jehovah’s Witnesses) knock on your door, evangelising?

I currently politely say “sorry, I already have a religion” and leave it as that

But the next time it happens I think I’m going to say something outrageous such as “I don’t need religion, I have a direct line to God” (don’t worry, I don’t believe I have a direct line to God!) or make up a religion and tell them I belong to that

Oh no, I like it when they come. i let them in, offer tea and my cake, and talk things out. The longer they stay, the better.

Alas, they do not stay long and they never return, for some reason.

Must be the cake, I am not very good with cooking and such.

Ciao

- viole

Wandering Monk · Aug 2, 2019

When I was a kid fifty years ago, my family got 'born again.' The church they subsequently attended started a 'door to door' campaign of evangelism.

One thing I have noticed is that missionary religions nearly always send out the newest converts to their religion to do this door to door evangelism.

Converts are typically the most zealous for their new-found religion and most hostile to their former religion or lifestyle.

David J · Aug 2, 2019

Kangaroo Feathers said:
I heard an interesting theory recently, that this sort of "cold call evangelism" isn't really about trying to gain converts (how many people are actually converted by door knockers? Seriously, what's the success rate?), it's actually far more about creating group unity within the religion, and otherising outsiders. People get sent out on their missions, face hardships among the outgroup who general ignore or ridicule them, then return to the ingroup who praise them. It's a pretty good way to make you stick to your ingroup and avoid the outgroup, with all that entails.

Whether this is a conscious plan of any religion's leaders, or if it's just a useful aspect of doing what they think they're called to do, I don't know. Makes sense as a theory, though.

It sounds plausible, like some fraternal admission.

Maybe Deeje can shed some light on this.

Jainarayan · Aug 2, 2019

My town provides door decals stating that "this house" is a "no solicitation zone", no matter that the solicitation is. It's recognized and enforced by the police dept. Solicitors should never even make it to knocking on the door or ringing the bell because the decal is displayed prominently. I love the idea.

Before we had those I had two methods of discouraging solicitors:

Didn't answer the door. My house is built such that I can see the street and driveway from my kitchen and living room.
If I happened to be outside and was accosted by a JW or other evangelical, I'd preemptivly say "Sorry, not interested. I have all the gods I need". "But can we leave this with you?" "No".

savagewind · Aug 2, 2019

Kangaroo Feathers said:
I heard an interesting theory recently, that this sort of "cold call evangelism" isn't really about trying to gain converts (how many people are actually converted by door knockers? Seriously, what's the success rate?), it's actually far more about creating group unity within the religion, and otherising outsiders. People get sent out on their missions, face hardships among the outgroup who general ignore or ridicule them, then return to the ingroup who praise them. It's a pretty good way to make you stick to your ingroup and avoid the outgroup, with all that entails.

Whether this is a conscious plan of any religion's leaders, or if it's just a useful aspect of doing what they think they're called to do, I don't know. Makes sense as a theory, though.

You are right! I have heard about the many hours the group has put in to make only one convert. I was a convert and I suspect that at least some of their leaders know that using the door to door order is so that their people will make strong their opinion of the theology of the Watchtower because their converts are supposed to be teaching it to more people. And another reason and a good one, I think, is to learn discipline. It is not easy for most people to talk to strangers and to spend days trying to do it with what really amounts to other strangers as they travel in a group usually. I have had an experience with one JW sister who seemed to be one thing which was an excellent person but once when I disagreed with her while proselytizing she got angry which is something I never would have predicted about her. I think that the JW organization is about putting on a false front, which I think is novel worthy because they actually have the nerve to call themselves "the truth".

suncowiam · Aug 2, 2019

I tell them with an annoyed face that I REALLY don't care for religion. Go bother other people and don't come back.

I get even more annoyed when they bring kids with them to do their speeches. I'm tempted to challenge the kids on why they're doing this work and how they've come to their belief system.

When evangelists knock on your door...

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