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Original poster

Has anyone else had one of these religious letters through the post

147 replies

Jackthementalkitten · 03/12/2021 17:46

Apologies if this has been done/ posted about before. I received this letter through the post today- from the Jehovah’s witnesses. With covid I’m assuming it’s how there communicating with people. I was really surprised that it was hand written, must take hours too write those out, price of stamps - I dread too think. Has anybody else received one? No disrespect, I’m very happy with my own faith, it’s gone in the bin.

Has anyone else had one of these religious letters through the post
Has anyone else had one of these religious letters through the post
OP posts:
RaspberryBeret1999 · 03/12/2021 18:33

@Moonflower12345

I had one yesterday. Bit annoyed that they've got my address but rather that than they come round I guess.

I've never forgiven them after they came to my door a week after my beloved grandmother died and told me that "only bad people die" Hmm.

I believe that part of the set up is that they spread the word as much as possible so maybe they are doing this instead of door knocking?

I had a similar experience not long after my Dad died. I honestly can’t remember the exact words, but was along the same lines. It was quite upsetting and the door was slammed in his face.
Original poster
Jackthementalkitten · 03/12/2021 18:35

That’s absolutely horrible. I’m so sorry to hear you both had to deal with that Flowers

OP posts:
Fireblanket · 03/12/2021 18:40

I've had two. With the second I returned it via the post. I wrote on the back that it was unsolicited and unwanted and if they write to me again I'll consider it harassment and will take appropriate action.
Yes, I could bin it, like I did with the first, but I actually find it quite intrusive.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about this subject:

Philosophy & religion
santasmuma · 03/12/2021 18:45

@21dolly

Bloody hell, reading some of these responses you'd think the letters were put through people's doors threatening to kill them or something. It's all done with good intentions and can simply be put in the bin if you're not interested!

I disagree. What's the good intent?

glimpsing · 03/12/2021 19:06

I think they are quite sweet although I don't believe quite the same things they do.Smile

BillDates · 03/12/2021 19:08

I had one months ago but looking closely it's was photocopy of a handwritten letter.

21dolly · 03/12/2021 19:14

@santasmuma the intention is to 'spread the good news.' Pre Covid times, JWs would do this by knocking on doors, doing public ministry and so on. You could always close your door on their face, say you're not interested, walk past them in public and so on.

Because of Covid this is obviously a risk to them and other people so now they do ministry by letter writing. There's no 'please get back to me within X amount of days if you're interested' or 'I have your address so I'll keep on writing until I have a response' or anything drastic like that.
Anyone walking past your house can get your address by a Google search, it's hardly them accessing confidential information to contact people.

So to answer your question there's no malice of anything behind it, simply JWs doing what they think is right and have only good intentions behind it🤷‍♀️

santasmuma · 03/12/2021 19:18

[quote 21dolly]@santasmuma the intention is to 'spread the good news.' Pre Covid times, JWs would do this by knocking on doors, doing public ministry and so on. You could always close your door on their face, say you're not interested, walk past them in public and so on.

Because of Covid this is obviously a risk to them and other people so now they do ministry by letter writing. There's no 'please get back to me within X amount of days if you're interested' or 'I have your address so I'll keep on writing until I have a response' or anything drastic like that.
Anyone walking past your house can get your address by a Google search, it's hardly them accessing confidential information to contact people.

So to answer your question there's no malice of anything behind it, simply JWs doing what they think is right and have only good intentions behind it🤷‍♀️[/quote]

I wasn't asking about the 'set up' - I understand how they operate. I asked 'what's the good intent?'

SwedishEdith · 03/12/2021 19:23

Ours was a photocopy (just checked as still stuck on the fridge). I thought JWs believed only x amount were going to be saved so why do they try to increase their numbers? Presumably, the church runs like a Ponzi scheme?

Intheopinionofourexpert · 03/12/2021 19:24

@21dolly

Bloody hell, reading some of these responses you'd think the letters were put through people's doors threatening to kill them or something. It's all done with good intentions and can simply be put in the bin if you're not interested!
If you'd ever been present during major surgery on a young person whose parents had forbidden the use of any blood products, you might have a different view.

And presumably homophobia is full of good intentions too?

21dolly · 03/12/2021 19:24

I've literally stated the intent in the first sentence and summed it up in the last. It may not seem like good intentions to you but that's the answer

hiredandsqueak · 03/12/2021 19:25

I've had two so far from two different people in the next village, again both handwritten. Seems such a waste of time and effort and money to me.

21dolly · 03/12/2021 19:33

@Intheopinionofourexpert not really tbh. I decline the use of blood products or any sort of blood transfusion as there's other things that can be done instead of giving blood products/transfusions, it's just the easiest option in most circumstances. And before you start, yes I've actually been in a situation where I've declined blood and had other provisions put in place by the Consultants dealing with me.

You've actually managed to twist what I've said as I've the letters are done with good intentions and can be put in the bin if people are not interested. Some are speaking as if the letters are inviting them to join a cult.

Many religions don't 'approve' of same sex relationships because of the word written in the Bible/Quran. Everyone chooses to believe different things, not everyone agrees and that's okay

santasmuma · 03/12/2021 19:34

@21dolly

I've literally stated the intent in the first sentence and summed it up in the last. It may not seem like good intentions to you but that's the answer

Ok, so what 'good news' are they spreading by either knocking my door or posting me a letter?

21dolly · 03/12/2021 19:37

@santasmuma the good news that they're spreading is the word of God. But as they're religious people I'm sure you'd already know this.

Feel free to head to the JW website to find out more but if you're not interested then that's absolutely okay and that's the point. JW spread the news by either letter writing, knocking on doors and so on and if you're not interested in hearing what they've said, at least on their part they've tried as best as they could. It's quite simple really

Bananarice · 03/12/2021 19:37

I actually liked one conversation I had with one of them. Unfortunate, he had a younger man with him, who wanted to control the conversation. The older man asked questions and let conversation flow. It was nice to talk too a stranger about what I believed in and for them to listen. Instead of making judgement straight away.

BleuJay · 03/12/2021 19:41

The letter that I posted a picture of refers to ‘anxious times’. We were not remotely anxious about Covid etc but someone else may feel they should be feeling anxious and start to worry unduly.

Like others have said, because it’s handwritten the assumption is that it’s personal and possibly from an elderly relative as we only receive handwritten letters from elderly relatives and some only when it’s doom and gloom.

The whole set up of JW pestering people to take an interest in them is unpleasant.

santasmuma · 03/12/2021 19:42

the good news that they're spreading is the word of God.

Well that's cleared things up Confused

LukeDogWalker · 03/12/2021 19:51

My ex is a JW if you write to them formally telling them to sod off they are duty bound never contact you again. Also if you tell them you are a Satanist or a Spiritualist that has the same effect Grin

peanutbear · 03/12/2021 19:56

I received one last week virtually exactly the same wording as the OP

firstimemamma · 03/12/2021 20:00

@LukeDogWalker we had some who wouldn't leave us alone then the minute they realised we live together unmarried they ran a mile and we haven't heard from them since Grin(we are actually married now so must think of something else if any other JWs try again!!)

SwedishEdith · 03/12/2021 20:03

I've found my pen pal on FB now. The usual 'share if you agree' nostalgia shite but look at sexy Jesus!

Has anyone else had one of these religious letters through the post
anniegun · 03/12/2021 20:05

I am not a believer but it is a pretty harmless thing to do.

thegreywoman · 03/12/2021 20:07

@Jackhementalkitten

Janet and Roy was/is a lighthearted thread started a few years ago concerning a round robin type of letter sent at Christmas to a complete stranger Grin

You'll get the gist of it here:
www.mumsnet.com/SearchArch?mustmatch=Janet+and+Roy&dontmatch=&nickname=&src_displ_option=s_t_d_t&fromDate=&toDate=&topicmode=All

(I just copied the url from the Advance Search page)

I don't know whether the thread had been resurrected this year but now have a mind to go and have a look!

thegreywoman · 03/12/2021 20:10

^ sorry - that should read @Jackthementalkitten