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Original poster

Third Jehovah Witness visit - it’s making me feel uncomfortable now.

252 replies

CaraVann · 03/01/2023 13:13

Earlier in December there was a knock on the door. Thinking it was my friend who was due to visit me, I flung open the door to find 2 smartly dressed young men. I knew in an instant they were Jehovah Witnesses.
I know that I should have said from the get go I was not interested but the guy talking was so polite that I let him go on with his spiel.
I did feel a bit uneasy though as no one else was at home, all the neighbours were out and here are 2 men I don’t know trying to persuade me to join their religion. Also, the second guy gave me the creeps, he never said a word, never smiled, just stared at me. I felt quite intimidated.
The first guy asked for my name, which I also found unnerving, so I gave him a different name to my own. He said to take the leaflet and look on their website to find out all about JW and then I can be assured of a great future!!
I thanked him, smiled and said goodbye (second guy still unsmiling/staring, never muttered a word).
At least I won’t see them again - so I thought.
A week later, on my own again, the doorbell goes. I open it without checking thinking it’s the Christmas Amazon delivery I was expecting but no, it was the JW guys again. They are bloody relentless. Kept pushing and pushing, calling me by my ‘name’ which I found too personal seeing I don’t know them from Adam. Luckily, I had my coat on as was just about to take the dog out so made my excuses but said I was not interested.
But they are not fucking giving up.
Just had a knock on the door and my daughter opens it to find these guys standing there and again (the talking one) greeted me by my ‘name’ and starts on again about how they can help me and how the future is not bight for everyone, only those following their religion. Mute guy still staring and they were standing there in the pouring rain but wouldn’t give up. This time I had to be a bit firmer and said I was just going out, had no time and please don’t call again. A polite smile and ‘ok’ from the talker guy and same evil stare from mute guy.
I hope and pray they do not turn up again and I’m now only going to answer the door after I’ve looked out of the living room window ffs!
I know I should have been firmer from the beginning but it’s really unnerved me. They have my address and my name (or so they think).
Each to everyone with their choice of religion (personally agnostic) but knocking on strangers doors and harassing them is plain wrong.
I suffer from bad anxiety and this has just made me worse.

OP posts:
UrsulaPandress · 03/01/2023 13:14

Tell them you are Catholic. Works a treat.

Swimswam · 03/01/2023 13:15

Tell them you are Catholic- that usually sends them away in my experience. I also say I can’t talk about being a Jehovas witness with them but I’m super happy to talk about Catholicism. Sends them right away.

Beamur · 03/01/2023 13:15

Just close the door. You don't need to make up excuses. They will keep calling as this is part of their mission and they are required by their church to do this.
Be polite but firm. You don't have to engage.

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Eyesopenwideawake · 03/01/2023 13:15

UrsulaPandress · 03/01/2023 13:14

Tell them you are Catholic. Works a treat.

Or a Satanist.

Porcinimushroom · 03/01/2023 13:16

I had this, it was two women though, I made the same mistake of hearing them out and I also engaged, as I was gardening, it was a lovely day and I was being polite, so chatted a little.

on the third visit I looked them in the eye and said look, i am never ever going to be a Jehovah’s Witness, you are wasting your time, I need to make it clear to you . They looked shocked, made their excuses, left and never came back

so if they come back just tell them you are not going to sign up.

FlounderingFruitcake · 03/01/2023 13:17

UrsulaPandress · 03/01/2023 13:14

Tell them you are Catholic. Works a treat.

No it doesn’t. My mum finds it hard to say no, tried this and it opened up a whole ‘it’s so nice to meet a fellow woman of faith’ spiel. The best thing is to tell them you are not interested and to not call again.

FadedRed · 03/01/2023 13:17

Write to your local Kingdom Hall and state clearly you want NO visits from any JW people in future. Be clear and concise, and don’t give any reasons or prolong the correspondence with anything other than your original request for privacy. The visits should then stop.

Aurorabored · 03/01/2023 13:18

Look up your local Kingdom Hall, phone them and ask to be added to their No Call list. Tell them you already specifically asked the men not to call again and they ignored you.

vodkaredbullgirl · 03/01/2023 13:19

Say you believe in Satan.

stbrandonsboat · 03/01/2023 13:22

I phoned their head office in London and threatened hellfire and destruction if they didn't stop knocking after I caught them talking to my teenage, autistic son 😡

I told them I wasn't prepared to be responsible for my actions and it was in their best interests of safety never to come to my door again.

That worked. Took me three attempts though.

RhymeHasAReason · 03/01/2023 13:22

For anyone like JW or other cold callers I just say ‘not interested, thank you’ and close the door. Don’t engage, don’t make up excuses or give reasons and it doesn’t turn into anything more.

MoonToddler · 03/01/2023 13:22

Or you work for the police, they stopped harassing my brother in law when he said that!

WhenDovesFly · 03/01/2023 13:22

If they knock again tell them you can't stop as you're due to go to your blood donors session.

Call your local Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses listed in your phone book and ask that your name be removed from their list.

Put one of these in your window www.witforjesus.org/images/stickers/jw/jw-sticker.jpg.

Original poster
CaraVann · 03/01/2023 13:23

UrsulaPandress Swimswam I really wish I had thought of something like that in the beginning.
Porcinimushroom I was a lot ruder to them today tbh. Like you, I was so polite the first 2 times but a third time is not a charm it feels like harassment.
Thanks FadedRed Aurorabored I will do that.

OP posts:
bobbytorq · 03/01/2023 13:23

FlounderingFruitcake · 03/01/2023 13:17

No it doesn’t. My mum finds it hard to say no, tried this and it opened up a whole ‘it’s so nice to meet a fellow woman of faith’ spiel. The best thing is to tell them you are not interested and to not call again.

Show quote history

I invited them in and had a good chat They came back the following week and we had another good chat. They visited a thrid time but said they couldn't come in as they had been banned from seeing me as I was trying to convert them🤣

vodkaredbullgirl · 03/01/2023 13:24

bobbytorq · 03/01/2023 13:23

I invited them in and had a good chat They came back the following week and we had another good chat. They visited a thrid time but said they couldn't come in as they had been banned from seeing me as I was trying to convert them🤣

Show quote history

😂

TheLeadbetterLife · 03/01/2023 13:24

JW is basically an MLM isn't it?

SantaBakula · 03/01/2023 13:24

A friend of mine was in a similar position a few years ago and found it intimidating.
Eventually on the fourth visit she said that she was just on her way out to donate blood and if the would join her they could continue to have a chat .

Never saw them again

Getinajollymood · 03/01/2023 13:25

The advice on here Hmm

You don’t need to say you are catholic, a Satanist or write to the Kingdom Hall or say you work for the police.

You do need to make your lack of interest clear, as at the moment you haven’t (I’m not saying that to stick the boot in, I got myself in the same situation once through being ‘polite’!)

AuntieMarys · 03/01/2023 13:25

My dad used to say he was a blood donor.

Original poster
CaraVann · 03/01/2023 13:25

stbrandonsboat I feel,the same about my dd answering, luckily I had just come home from work but she had been on her own. She’s 14 but has adhd and does things without thinking, I would have hated her to have opened the door to 2 strange young men.
I will definitely need one of those stickers WhenDovesFly

OP posts:
SantaBakula · 03/01/2023 13:27

Cross Post with @AuntieMarys 😀

Megifer · 03/01/2023 13:27

I find "you're harassing me now, piss off and if you come here again I'll be taking it further" works a treat. Not had a JW for about 3 years

Tinkerbyebye · 03/01/2023 13:27

I contacted these people

www.jw.org/en/jehovahs-witnesses/contact/united-kingdom/

they arranged for me to go on a no knocking list

RhymeHasAReason · 03/01/2023 13:28

Getinajollymood · 03/01/2023 13:25

The advice on here Hmm

You don’t need to say you are catholic, a Satanist or write to the Kingdom Hall or say you work for the police.

You do need to make your lack of interest clear, as at the moment you haven’t (I’m not saying that to stick the boot in, I got myself in the same situation once through being ‘polite’!)

I agree. It’s ridiculous and don’t believe anyone saying they’ve done this stuff, all trying to outdo each other like a bunch of teenagers. Much easier to just say you’re not interested and close the door.