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

[CaraVann]

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.

There is no point doing any of the things suggested on here like blood donors etc. They once told my mother she could repent for allowing me to have a life saving blood transfusion as a baby whilst I was standing next to her!

The "no call" list is all you need.

"No-Thank-You-I'm-CATHOLIC" always works for me. Although we don't get Jehovahs, just evangelicals and Mormons.

My best friend was raised JW and she has told me that it usually takes quite a bit to get put on the list of houses to avoid.

I sympathise, OP, because I also have anxiety and they’re counting on you to feel like you have to listen to their pitch or you’re being rude. Just practice saying No straight away and closing the door. (My sister says they use kids quite a lot around her way, that would stress me out a lot more).

I’ve not had any since pre COVID, the last one I had was a man and a woman. The man straight away opened with something like “Do you believe God is relevant in todays society”. I don’t know where the confidence came from but I was just Done with it so I replied “No, I’m an atheist, now I need to close the door or the cat will get out. Goodbye”.

I used to work with a cathedral deans wife, she had also studied theology. They used to invite JW in then take down all their versions of the Bible from different Christian faiths, plus their books on theological philosophy and discussion , and ask them which ones they would like to discuss …………..

I answered the door early dec without checking my ring doorbell. I was midway through making red velvet cup cakes using a very intense food colouring and a crappy mixer. My hands and front of my apron were covered in red, looked like I’d been butchering a pig. I said “sorry, bit busy” and they politely scarpered.

My mum is a JW, I am NOT (not getting into that now!).

If you show any kind of interest they will come back, again and again! You need to contact your local Kingdom Hall and ask them to put you on the no contact list. It won't stop them knocking altogether - they will knock maybe once a year or so on the off chance you have moved house/changed your mind.

If you are genuinely not interested you need to not engage on any level - don't accept any leaflets/magazines, don't agree that they should come back another time, etc.

I think you can contact the nearest Hall and be asked to be taken off the list.
In my case I just say "you already got my Nan's house, what more do you want?".

I agree. Just say no thank you, shut the door and get on with your day.

Some posters are such drama llamas.

I’ve had similar but we have a ring doorbell so now I check that before answering. One of them wrote me a letter and put it through the letterbox and said they won’t call anymore so I’m hoping that’s the end for me 🤣

Honestly, the best thing to do is just say no thanks and shut the door. If you let them talk or engage in any way it just feels harder to end the conversation. So don't let the conversation even begin. As others have said you don't need witty one liners or hilarious claims to worship Satan, just shut your front door, end of.

If I’m in a playful mood I talk to them and string them along. Last time they came (2 women near xmas when I was expecting deliveries) I basically told them to politely get lost

i still remember one year I had a lovely front garden that I was really proud of. I thought these people had knocked on my door to tell me they liked it (they’d stood on the path looking at it for ages). I was so disappointed when it turned out they were JW

I feel pretty sorry for JWs. I have friends who were 'groomed' into joining by other family members. They really dislike the door knocking but have to do it as they have to be constantly promoting the religion in order to get into heaven. Unlike other religions it's not enough to just believe in god and go to church. The pressure is huge on them

We once had two male JW’s turn up when I was a teenager and they spent ages on the doorstep talking to my DSis and cousin who must have been about 12 at the time. I was upstairs and could hear them talking but didn’t bother going down to see who it was. They’d left a copy of the Watchtower but didn’t return.

I wonder how many people they actually manage to by recruit knocking on doors.

People are so dramatic. You sounded interested so they kept coming. Just say sorry I'm really not interested please stop coming. They'll stop. You don't need to write anywhere or make up a fake religion. Jheez.

Was going to suggest my usual go-to to get rid of the JWs but see it’s already been suggested

“Sorry, can’t chat, I’m going to be late for my blood donation appointment.”

What is the problem?
Tell them to f off and shut the door

For cold callers generally, I find it really useful to say that I'm in the middle of an important Zoom meeting. But for JWs I just say "Sorry, not interested".

@pifflesticks they don't even believe people go to heaven though so not sure that's correct. They believe earth will be a paradise. I have family members who are this religion and actually compared to a lot of others I find they are quite decent with not forcing anything on their kids and I kind of like the values they teach their kids. They don't baptise kids, they have to choose to do that when they're teens or adults or whatever.
Nothing is perfect and I'm sure they get sad if their kid doesn't choose it but strict and crazy parents exist in every religion and none.

This is a rather extreme method of getting rid but it was very funny on the day. We were about to knock down our house in order to rebuild and were renting our neighbour's house for the duration. On the day that we were moving the furniture out of one house and into the other, rather than go round the front way, it was easier to take out a fence panel and go back and forth through wider back doors (also meant the dog couldn't escape!).
The removals men were all quite tall & burly and wearing the same uniform. Two of them came to me at one point and said we just answered the door for you but it was Jehovah's Witness and we said you were busy. I could see through the window that they were heading round to the house we were moving into, so told the same 2 guys to go and answer the door there. When they opened the door, they said "She's busy too". We were all standing where we could see their faces, which were utterly confused by being confronted by the same two tall guys! Priceless 😂

I usually check the ring doorbell, but this once I didn't or couldn't for some reason. Anyway there they were.... I answered the door and before they could open their mouths (it was obvious who they were from their military style haircuts and immaculate white shirts etc.), I said something along the lines of "I don't wish to be rude to you, but I am not interested in anything you have to say to me. Good day to you", and gently closed the door.

By the law of averages it will happen again, but I ALWAYS check the ring camera now. Lesson learned!

I just tend to point to my DS if he's close by and tell them that he would have died as a baby if I had ever converted to them or followed any of their beliefs reg. blood transfusions etc. Tends to shut them up pretty quick most (albeit not all, would you believe) of the time. It's the truth though, so I feel at ease saying that.

Our neighbourhood used to be targeted for this. One neighbour is, or was, Mormon so I thought it was odd - surely this would be their patch? Anyhow, they'd walk slowly down the street in pairs or small families (M, F, DC) in their church clothes. It creeped me out. One day I was working in the back garden and had the side gate open and they came to the gate, that really worried me. I never encouraged it, I grey rocked every visitor and shut the door after whatever statement I said, something along the lines of "not for me, have a good day" and then immediately shut the door. To be fair I do this with any unwanted/unexpected/unplanned solicitation. For them this is the price they have to pay to get into heaven so it's a really steep hill they think they're climbing, if you give them an inch they will cling to it, understandable when you rememeber this, so best not give them hope through what you think is polite. I'm not rude, but I am clear. I smile as I hold my hand up, speak over them, make my statement and close the door.

I've been targeted by JW. I found the trick is to open the door covered in paint, invite them into my half decorated kitchen, and tell them to talk while I carry on rollering emulsion onto the ceiling.

They left. Clearly avoiding getting paint on their Sunday beat was more important than 'the word of God'. 😀

I am pagan so have no interest in JW but I always tell them that my SIL was a Witness, we know everything we wish to know from her, that sadly she died years ago and was based in London.

All of this is true - they sometimes sympathise and ask which part of London (I always tell them) but make it clear that it’s not something we wish to take further. We never have repeat visits, I think over the 25 years we’ve lived here they have knocked 3 times.

Don’t do what my mum did once when I was young - I opened the door to JWs and she shouted from upstairs “Tell them to piss off, we’re going out!” Cue awkward 14 yr old smile and door closing slowly…🙈

This.