To Wonder Why Only Jehova's Witnesses Go Door to Door?

[soapydopeybubbles]

I have never answered the door to, or had pamphlets posted through the letter box by any denomination of any other religion. I'm just curious as to whether followers of any other religions go door to door and I've just never met them or if it's something unique to Jehova's Witnesses.

I also wonder what the success rate of converting people using this method is, or if they're actually trying to convert people at all.

On a separate note I always feel a bit guilty about putting the pamphlets in the recycling It's probably a throw back from being bought up by a religious family.

[midnightvelvet01]

I have a JW's around every month or so, I'm atheist & the Watchtower usually goes straight into the recycling. I'm pleasant though & answer the door & smile & take the thing. She comes alone & is very early twenties, no point being nasty to her.

I may be wrong but isn't the door to door thing something about spreading God's Word, which is important & is why they do it?

[Floggingmolly]

Mormons do it as well.

[FlumptyDumpty]

The Mormons do it too. Seems only the smaller denominations do it. I guess the bigger ones don't feel the need. Personally, there's nothing like being disturbed in my own home to royally put me off whatever it is the person's selling!

[SurlyCue]

Its part of their religion to spread/pass on the message i think. Like an actual requirement for them to get into wherever it is they are hoping to go.

[WalkingThePlank]

My understanding is that they believe that only 144000 people get to go to heaven. Those who have recruited the most non believers go to the front page of the queue.

[FlumptyDumpty]

I always say I'm Catholic or Jewish. They know they're on a hiding to nothing re conversion then!

[grannytomine]

Yes I have had JW and Mormons at my door in the last couple of weeks. I always tell them I have my own beliefs, RC, I am pleasant but if they persist I ask them to respect my beliefs as I respect theirs. We usually end in a friendly manner.

[Pixa]

We sometimes have our local Christians pop by. At Christmas, they bake biscuits and deliver them to the neighbourhood with an invite to the Christmas services.

[Magicalmrmistofeles]

We get catholic and CofE too around Christmas and Easter - they deliver leaflets with the services on. We're catholic and I am pleasant to the JWs but they soon realise it's a lost cause when I tell them I'm RC.

[GoodToesNotSoGoodToes]

They have left me alone now.

[steff13]

I used to work with a Jehovah's Witness, and she said it was because they believe that their way is the way to get into heaven. As such, they feel obligated to share it with as many people as possible. I don't think they're really trying to convert people, just share the gospel.

[SurlyCue]

I always say I'm Catholic or Jewish. They know they're on a hiding to nothing re conversion then!

Actually i think catholics form quite a large number of the conversions to JW. My friend is JW and her mum was converted from catholicism, i drift in and out when she talks but i Am sure i have heard her saying that more than once.

[038THETA]

'My understanding is that they believe that only 144000 people get to go to heaven. Those who have recruited the most non believers go to the front page of the queue'

oh!
just like multi level marketing then
how very spiritual

[Whiskwarrior]

I just smile and say 'no thankyou'.

I don't take the literature either.

[LotusLight]

I suspect ISIS is one of the big recruiters and recruiting by social media is more effective with young people than door to door these days. Not only eternal life but as much sex as you want and a young wife and a gun when you're only 17 plus 72 virgins when you get to heaven.

[EmeraldThief]

I find the whole thing really sinister, especially when they bring young children with them dressed up in a shirt and tie. The doting parents who'd sooner see their kids die than allow them to have a blood transfusion.

[Whiskwarrior]

What have ISIS got to do with it?

We're talking about genuine religious people who, harmlessly, knock on the door, not fanatical fruitloops who murder in the name of religion.

[FlumptyDumpty]

That's interesting, Surly, I didn't know there were loads of formerly RC converts. I'll have to stick to the 'thank-you very much, but I'm Jewish' line in future!

[LaLyra]

Going out in service is part of the religion. They believe they are obliged to pass on the the message to as many people as possible. It's also how a great many of the people who knock on your door will have found their way into the religion. It's a very effective tool.

If you do find them knocking very intrusive then you can ask for your address to be removed from the field service list and then they won't come back.

Round here we also get Mormons, the local Baptist church and endless leaflets for events at the RC Chapel. The Salvation Army also do door-to-door invitations and carolling at Christmas.

[EthelDurant123]

I see street Preachers from Christian, Muslim and Hare Krishna a lot in town, but only JW at my door. In fact in London JW are now giving away the Watchtower outside stations now. My supervisor at a West End tube station is always moving them on because they congregate outside the gate but under the canopy, still TfL property, and block the exit!

[MagicalHamSandwich]

We get Mormons more often than JWs around here. And some of these American style evangelicals. They have a church just down the road from our place and come around regularly to invite everyone to their events. I find those ones quite amusing, actually - the ravished expressions on their faces always makes me suspect that place spikes its communion wine.

If you don't want to speak with the JW types tell them you're disfellowshipped. They're not allowed anywhere near you then.

[SurlyCue]

That's interesting, Surly, I didn't know there were loads of formerly RC converts. I'll have to stick to the 'thank-you very much, but I'm Jewish' line in future!

Certainly in my/my friend's community anyway. However, i am in NI where catholicism can be a fair bit more oppressive than the rest of the UK. Friend's mum freely admits she was in a very vulnerable place when she was converted to JW and thinks had she been in a more stable place she wouldnt have bought into it all.

[MistressChalk]

I'm never rude to them when they come round but I do hate it when they send the kids to my door first while they hover round the corner (watched them do this while DP answers the door) then when he asks who they are and where their parents are the adult suddenly runs up the path to the house and starts their spiel. I always feel so sorry for the kids as they look terrified and shy and can never get their words out. I wish they wouldn't use the kids.

[soapydopeybubbles]

Why does no one ever turn up on my door step bearing baked goodies?

DH has just reminded me about the someone tried to 'spread the word' when we lived in a flat.

He'd only finished a night shift that morning, went to answer the intercom when it buzzed thinking it was the postman and was instead asked 'If he thought about how much suffering there was in the world?'

Instead of quickly saying 'No thank you' his post-nights brain tried to make sense of the question and the caller took his pause to mean that he wanted to know more.

DH is about as atheist as they come but a biscuit would probably have put him in a better mood

[EatDessertFirst]

They use sweet little old ladies as well as little kids round here. Doesn't stop me saying 'no thank you' and shutting the door, that is if I answer it at all. I hate all door-bangers.