How to get rid of a Jehovas Witness

[wittynickname]

Originally Posted by 4X4

Whats the reward? Just joy at knowing that they saved a soul? Or do they have a conversion quota to meet? Or do they just get a kick out of having a high count? The religious equivalent of how many chicks you banged?

They really honestly believe that Armageddon is coming, and that this is the only true religion, and the only way to save others is to get this message out to as many people as possible. If they don't fulfill this commission, if they don't spread the word to the best of their ability, they can be held guilty for people who don't hear the message and do not convert. They aren't trying to anger or annoy people, they truly think they are doing their best to help mankind.

Honestly, just politely tell them that you are not interested, and you would like for them not to return. Don't take a tract or magazine if you aren't interested, because they will take that as a sign that you want to know more, and they will keep returning.

[calgarywinning]

They also believe that swearing is not good. They also don't think you should drink. They don't think you should have sex until commitment.

Also, they are right that eventually there will be an end to the world (as we know it REM). It's prophecy by eventuality.

[Tailgator]

Arch over backwards as far as you can, start yelling stuff in Latin in a really deep voice, then spew pea soup. Should be ok after that, no?

[Buff]

Three stories, the first one about JW, the last two about mormon missionaries.

Story 1:

One time my wife decided she would have a conversation with the JWs. She listened to them and asked them how they get into heaven. They explained what they believe about going to heaven so my wife countered with our belief about going to heaven. She talked about our Christian faith and how we believe that anybody who believes in Jesus Christ and that he died on the cross for our sins will go to heaven, and questioned their belief of only a certain amount of people can get into heaven. They tried to bring the conversation back to their religion and ignore general Christianity, but she kept asking them questions, just to hear their answer. They decided that they needed to find out answers and arranged to come back a week or two later. They never showed up again. We lived at that house for another 8 years and we would see the JWs visiting houses on the street but they would pass by our house. They pass by our current house too so I assume the previous owners used their own methods to keep them away.


Story 2:

When I was a kid we had three mormon families living on my street and, as kids, we never had any problems with differences of religion. We did see more than our fair share of mormon missionaries though, but my dad put a stop to it by talking about the differences in what they believe and what we believe. It was just a conversation, but a massively long conversation. My dad pissed off my mom because we had to get somewhere and he kept talking to these missionaries and we were close to an hour late. They kept telling my dad that he had to come to their church to learn more and he kept countering to them that they should come to our church so they too can learn more. I don't believe they ever popped by our house again for the rest of the time my parents lived there, which had to be another 15-20 years.



Story 3:

I did experience a couple of mormon missionaries in downtown Lethbridge a few times. I got to know a few of them as they came into the place I worked on Mondays (their "day off") to use the free computers to do their weekly emailing. They aren't allowed to have their own email like Gmail or hotmail, they have to use their mormon webmail site for all of their correspondence...

Anyway, one day I was walking downtown from one client's office to another client's office, and I was booking it because I was in a hurry. Two guys tried to stop me to talk about the good word. One of them didn't quite understand what "I have somewhere to be right now" meant. He couldn't see that I was in a rush, nor could he take what I said at face value. He tried to keep up with me and keep trying to persuade me to stop for a coffee so we could talk. I don't remember how I got rid of him but I recall having to be rude. He clearly wasn't effective at delivering his message, at least not to me.


At any rate, it is easier to get rid of somebody trying to be evangelical, than it is to get rid of somebody trying to sell you energy or security.

[calgarywinning]

Sounds like a google employee.

[malcolmk14]

I went door-to-door for Elections Alberta two or three years ago doing enumerating for the general election and it is incredible how rude some people are when you ring their doorbell. I don't get it. Just take thirty seconds to confirm who lives in the house then carry on with your life. I wasn't even trying to sell anything.

[ae118]

My only question about door to door evangelizing has always been what kind of conversion rates they get. It may not matter if the goal is simply to spread their word, but I'm genuinely curious.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Maritime Q-Scout]

Perhaps it's because I'm not in a highly populated area but I almost never get anyone at my door.

The last time was shortly before Easter. The conversation went:

Me: Hello

JW: Hello, I'd like to invite you to a celebration of the resurrection of Jesus (hands me a leaflet)

Me: Thank you

JW: Have a great day

Me: You as well


Frankly I'm ok with people wishing me well.

[Nage Waza]

Originally Posted by redforever

This.

What is wrong with just saying, "Sorry, not interested", and politely closing the door?

And they are not shoving stuff down your throat unless you engage in a conversation with them.

Politely saying no thank you and closing the door deals with the situation.

I don't think being rude is appropriate, but it is their home and they can do what they want. Who am I to say how someone should behave in their own home? I am against ringing anyone's doorbell for any solicitation, including donations, sales, elections, etc. If you are going to ring someone's doorbell, be prepared that you are entering their property with different rules and norms.

Think of the worst case scenario where potentially dozens of people are walking around ringing doorbells, it is pretty bad in the suburbs on occasion.

[Zevo]

Originally Posted by Nage Waza

I don't think being rude is appropriate, but it is their home and they can do what they want. Who am I to say how someone should behave in their own home? I am against ringing anyone's doorbell for any solicitation, including donations, sales, elections, etc. If you are going to ring someone's doorbell, be prepared that you are entering their property with different rules and norms.

Think of the worst case scenario where potentially dozens of people are walking around ringing doorbells, it is pretty bad in the suburbs on occasion.

That is some pretty serious first world problems.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Maritime Q-Scout

Perhaps it's because I'm not in a highly populated area but I almost never get anyone at my door.

The last time was shortly before Easter. The conversation went:

Me: Hello

JW: Hello, I'd like to invite you to a celebration of the resurrection of Jesus (hands me a leaflet)

Me: Thank you

JW: Have a great day

Me: You as well


Frankly I'm ok with people wishing me well.

They are pretty active and persistent in the town that I live in. I see them out is pretty big numbers at least once a month, and a few weekends ago I got hit 3 times. I answered the door the first time, but ignored it the other two.

I was polite when I turned the first ones away, but the other two left offensive leaflets in my mail box and if they come knocking again, I probably won't be as nice.

[schteve_d]

Years ago I dated a JW girl. She was a pretty cool chick. We had lots of fun, she was religious but not really restrictive; certainly not as restricted as she was supposed to be. She drank, we did "sexual things" but no intercourse. I quite liked her. For a while when the subject of religion came up she would kind of skirt it but mostly just say that her religion was centred around peace and love and that we would have a talk about it "one day". I am not at all religious so I was glad to not talk much about it.

Anyway as time went on, it became clear from things that she would say, or more hint, that there was really no future for her and I if I was unwilling to convert I guess would be the word. I did a little research on my own into the religion and decided that it just wasn't going to happen so I ended things.

More to the point of the thread, she had done some door-to-door work and had some really crazy stories about how some people treated her and some of the awful things they would say to them. I always think of her when faced with them now and politely but firmly decline. They're just doing what they believe and what they are told to do by the elders. I don't agree with the religion at all but they are not really the whackjob wierdos that they are made out to be.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

I don't believe this exchange happened.

Why?

[stignasty]

Tell them that they can talk to you as long as they like as long as they agree to pay you $100 per minute. Then stare at your watch.

[missdpuck]

I recently read a few things by people who stayed in Bethel (JW hq was in NYC, now it's upstate).

Some horror stories, but also sad stories of people who really don't want to be in the organization any more, but stay because it's been such a huge part of their lives.

[redforever]

Originally Posted by Nage Waza

I don't think being rude is appropriate, but it is their home and they can do what they want. Who am I to say how someone should behave in their own home? I am against ringing anyone's doorbell for any solicitation, including donations, sales, elections, etc. If you are going to ring someone's doorbell, be prepared that you are entering their property with different rules and norms.

Think of the worst case scenario where potentially dozens of people are walking around ringing doorbells, it is pretty bad in the suburbs on occasion.

The fact that someone rang your doorbell should not be made into one of life's largest problems. This is a small part of the large picture and frankly, one should have skills that enable you to deal with those situations without being rude or a jerk. And frankly, those skills are not hard to learn.

A little girl coming to your door to sell Girl Guide cookies should not send anyone into a flying rage.

Some kid from a PeeWee hockey team perhaps selling chocolate covered almonds should not send you into a flying rage.

A Mormon or JW coming to your door should not send you into a flying rage either. And if it does, I would suggest that you have other issues to deal with as well.

[TorqueDog]

Originally Posted by nik-

I just come to the door covered in blood.

jk, I live in an inner city condo, they can't get to my door through the Agnostic Latte Wall of Pretension.

Likewise. If there's something to be said for downtown condo living, it's the lack of unwelcomed door-knockers.

It was last Friday, and I had to stop by the bank, so I went to the Scotia on Stephen Ave by WEST. Some strange looking guy was standing about four metres away from the door to the ATMs, and just had this look about him like you knew he was going to approach you; I assumed for money. He greets me and asks how I'm doing, I tell him I'm doing just fine, and reciprocate. He stammers, said he was okay, and offers me what looks like a business card, but with one of those colour-changing mood pads on it.

Him: "Here sir, hang onto this, it make time you some time to realize it but-..."
Me: "What's this?"
Him: "It's a message of p-..."
*I flip it over to see something about Jesus*
Me: "Oh, some religious thing?"
Him: "His lo-..."
Me: "No thanks man, you keep this, I'm good." *hands the card back* "Have a nice evening." *walks away*
Him: -stammering- "Th-thanks, you too."


Lack of aggression from his end allows me to respond in kind. Being pushy will result in you getting ridiculed, and there was a garbage bin beside him so I would have thrown it away in front of him if he had been.

Although based off the way he behaved and spoke, I think he might have been mentally handicapped in some capacity so it's entirely possible someone from his church is taking advantage of this by making him go out there and peddle their message.

[T@T]

[Nage Waza]

Originally Posted by Zevo

That is some pretty serious first world problems.

I think my point is clear - people seem to tolerate random doorbell rings because it happens rarely. But if the rate of rings increased, would we require new rules?

I have also lived in developing nations and they certainly do things differently. Sitting outside during an election is pretty bad because someone is broadcasting political messages, non stop, through loud speakers. It never ends. Soccer on the radio often has someone quietly advertising behind the play by play, someone will literally repeat the words 'Pepsi' over and over again, during the entire game.

[Nage Waza]

Originally Posted by redforever

The fact that someone rang your doorbell should not be made into one of life's largest problems. This is a small part of the large picture and frankly, one should have skills that enable you to deal with those situations without being rude or a jerk. And frankly, those skills are not hard to learn.

I hope you don't mean me, since I am overly nice to them. I don't agree with being rude - however those that are rude are on their own property being disrupted.

Originally Posted by redforever

A little girl coming to your door to sell Girl Guide cookies should not send anyone into a flying rage.

I agree completely and usually buy a box.

Originally Posted by redforever

Some kid from a PeeWee hockey team perhaps selling chocolate covered almonds should not send you into a flying rage.

Do you go into a rage or is there someone else you are speaking of?

Originally Posted by redforever

A Mormon or JW coming to your door should not send you into a flying rage either. And if it does, I would suggest that you have other issues to deal with as well.

I think you should read what I wrote, it seems you are speaking about me, who does not treat them poorly, in any way shape or form. You should work on your reading skills.