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.

Just say no politely. They might be mistaken and a bit of a nuisance but they are genuinely trying to help you. I am not a JW or a fan of their beliefs but I admire them for putting so much effort into spreading what they believe to be to be the truth. I don't engage with them when they knock but smile, thank them for coming and tell them I'm not interested. It takes 10 seconds.

Do you think that there are no JW's who are divorced then? I know loads who are. Have family who are JWs

Just be honest @CaraVann their time is as precious as yours. A sticker is a good idea. Not a "no cold callers" one as they are not classed as that, but specifically one re religious groups.

No need for "i'm a Catholic" "I'm a Satanist" "I'm a blood donor" . And someone said to say "I believe in Satan" will get rid of them, they believe in him too so not sure why you'd say that 🤔

Sorry you are feeling this way though, and I am sure they would feel terrible knowing the angst it is causing x

I've sussed JWs and get rid of them quickly these days.

You open the door and they ALWAYS start by asking you an open question - e.g 'what to do think about ...'? Always ultra polite.

Tactics
You say "I'm not interested thank you and I'm not going to discuss it'.

Usually, the second JW will then speak, asking another open question.

You say "I'm not discussing that either thank you and I'm going to close the door now. Do not call again".

And then you shut the door immediately, regardless of whether they start speaking again or not.

Carry this out and you will feel empowered. Don't feel embarrassed or awkward about it, they rely on 'victims' feeling like that and have skin as thick as an elephant.

We have the Mormons every now and then. Last time was a Friday evening when I had been imbibing a rather lovely white wine. I don't think that they were very impressed, I've not seen them since.

I do wonder what their success rate is in getting new active followers from the doors. Surely the only people who would actively engage that way are desperately lonely people, or those with depression/poor mental health.

I always told them that I am a blood donor and an atheist, all true. They then went and banged on my neighbour's door, he is a Muslim and they got more than they bargained for him as he engaged them in a debate that went on for ages! My neighbour is a lovely guy and I was very impressed by his tenacity

I had a group knock three times, the first time I said I wasn’t interested second and third time I just didn’t answer the door, never saw them again. I tend to always look at my CCTV before I open the front door and if I’m not expecting anyone or a delivery I just don’t answer my door!

I had a second visit a couple of weeks after politely saying ‘no’ and shutting the door on them. Unfortunately the second visit was late morning, midway through seven nights. I had wild bed hair and probably looked feral. I asked them what right they had to wake me up to tell me fairy stories. I then explained that I would baptise them with the contents of the litter tray if they ever darkened my door again. I asked how they’d feel if they needed a frontline service (yes, I know they’re not big on some medical intervention) and nobody turned up as they couldn’t safely work due to fuckwits waking them up. I know there’s more polite ways but they don’t listen. It wasn’t big, it wasn’t clever, not my proudest moment, but they actually apologised as they scuttled off. Hopefully it sunk in slightly, somewhere.

I wouldn’t bother with any silly spiels about blood donation and different religions etc. I’d just say ‘go away, don’t knock here again’ and shut the door. I’m not interested in being a JW. I wouldn’t accept Muslims from the local mosque or C of E Christians from a church or Jewish people from down the road repeatedly knocking at my door and harassing me, so I wouldn’t want it from JW either.

I once opened the door to them with a pet python wrapped round my neck (was cleaning the viv and was the most convenient place to pop the serpent).

I can confirm that they left very swiftly - not even a leaflet - and never returned again.

Although actually I’ve already had blood transfusions, so either way I’m really doing JW a favour by telling them to go away from the beginning, because I’m not suitable for them anyway.

Keeping them chatting doesn't work and doesn't annoy them, they love it. Whilst someone is still vaguely engaging with them, they'll keep coming back.

Be very firm and do as the OP has done and call their hall if they won't stop coming round.

I'm quite at ease with the firm "no thank you" to cold callers but in our old house, my DH once opened the door to a pair of JWs...unluckily for them, he was in the grip of bipolar mania at the time, which in him sometimes manifests as long rambling increasingly-excited monologues about whatever the latest topic is that's caught his interest. I came home from work to find them edging up the path trying to escape his lecture on the history of the various bridges over a particular British river. Not sure we had any more visits from them after that.

Honestly OP, just say you're not interested and they'll leave you alone. Yes, it is that easy.

One thing I've learned about JWs over the years is if you show even the slightest bit of interest they will use this as in invitation but in my experience they usually leave you alone if you make it VERY clear 😊

No Need to start making stuff up like others have suggested you do.

Unfortunately it doesn't!

Unfortunately as you engaged and took their literature the first time you will be on their repeat visit list. Tell them firmly your beliefs do not align and please remove your address from their records

It just gets them in to a longer discussion as they see you as a person if faith. 😫

If you don’t tell them where to go the first time then they keep coming back. We have a Kingdom Hall nearby but they’ve only knocked once because they carry a clipboard with addresses and only visit ones where the people either haven’t answered the door before, haven’t told them to fuck off or are newcomers to the area. Anyone who has told them they’re not interested is marked off the list so they don’t bother you again. I think I just closed the door on them and didn’t engage whatsoever. They’re honestly like cockroaches, they won’t disappear unless you’re completely brutal.

I just say "not interested" very very quickly. My mother used to do the Catholic line (as we are Catholics ) which seemed to get rid of them. They have only come a few times here in 20 years despite having their hall thing fairly close to my house.

I would like all callers who are selling something to be banned from calling at houses, actually. There are door to door selling rules laws, but not strict enough

Just tell them to bugger off as you are not interested and if they knock on you door again you will report them for harassment. You might also suggest they pack it in and do something useful with their lives.

Last time Jehovah's witnesses came round I answered "I am a scientist" when they had asked their first question-they replied "Oh I see" and started walking away before I'd even shut the door. Nothing since. They clearly thought I was a lost cause.😆

Hope they stop calling, OP.

They returned because you chatted to them and took the leaflet, so they thought you might be interested. You've now asked them not to return, so they won't.

I briefly studied with a Jehovah's witness when I was about 18. I wasn't really interested but she was a lovely woman and I enjoyed talking to her, I went to her house a couple of times (she lived locally). After a few meetings I decided it wasn't for me, I told her, and that was the end of it.

Many years later two Jehovah's witnesses knocked at my door, I said no thanks, never saw them again. You don't have to make up excuses, you just have to make it clear.

No thank you and shut the door.
Install a ring doorbell too.

I am an atheist, but I was bored on my second mat leave. I chatted to them a bit the first and second time. The third time, they could see I was washing the dishes and my mum opened the door. She was polite, but firm. That was it, no more.

These days I just say, "No thanks" and immediately shut the door on chuggers etc. I don't want to deal with anything that I haven't solicited myself.

The best advice is just don't answer the door. I don't bother to answer the door if I'm not expecting anyone, and if I am expecting someone I'll keep an eye out for them coming. Literally nobody I'm interested in seeing will turn up unannounced, they'll text or something first. If there's a genuine emergency they can shout and I'll look out the window to see what's going on.