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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask if there is a "No God Botherers Please" sign I can put up in my porch?

180 replies

Fab123 · 16/04/2011 10:42

OK, here's the rant (please bear in mind I'm pg and getting big enough now that getting up and down stairs for no reason is enough to make me want to throw anything to hand at your head):

I live alone and have 1001 things to do before baby arrives in July. At the bottom of my road is a fairly large church (does Alpha Courses, not sure what that makes them but strong flavoured Christians I imagine). Now I know it is Easter coming up and everything but I have just had to open the door for no less than the 7th time IN ONE WEEK to a couple with a leaflet about Jesus.

I know this sounds petty but when you have an open can of paint that you need to suddenly cover and check cats can't get to, need to manoeuvre yourself from the comfortable position you have finally found on the sofa or come breathlessly running in through the house from the garden...it's driving me a bit balmy!

I've told he last 4 couples that I have had a constant stream of them since last week but it doesn't seem to be getting back to their HQ. How strong is this community they hark on about if they can't even tell each other which road they have canvassed? And are they wasting collection money on all of the flyers and leaflets I get given and thrust through my door that go the same way as all of the kebab house leaflets?

My Q is: Is there a sign out there that I can put up (similar to the No Sales Callers) that used to be popular?

OP posts:
Longtalljosie · 16/04/2011 19:29

I think you need your own message, as pointed as possible:

Polite notice for members of XXX Church. I have had X visits from you in the past months and have repeatedly made it clear I do not wish to be disturbed. If you persist, I will arrange an ASBO

LadyOfTheManor · 16/04/2011 19:29

Sorry where did you study theology?

LDNmummy · 16/04/2011 19:30

Fair enough SolarPanel. What I should have said is that all religions skew their interpretations of the Bible to suit themselves. For instance, the use of presenting the apple in Genesis as metaphorical of something else in some branches of Christianity while others take it literally.

LDNmummy · 16/04/2011 19:35

I don't have to have studied theology to have an opinion on this, that is the point I am trying to make. People can choose to interprit things how they want. In the past I have studied Catholicism (confirmed in fact), been part of the Jehovah's witness community in my local area and studied with them and was born into the Islamic faith. Religion is open, you do not need to study theology to be scholarly in it.

I am obviously not being clear in my point, my fault as I am being inarticulate.

Now can you answer the question I posed as I have politely answered yours Lady. Are you infact fluent in those languages?

LadyOfTheManor · 16/04/2011 19:40

Nope. I can understand written Greek and Hebrew to an extent from University studies- especially related directly to Biblical interpretation. Oh and I speak and read fluent Arabic (born and bred in North Africa, also to a Muslim family) so can read Islamic readings and interpretations of the OT too.

SolarPanel · 16/04/2011 19:45

I know what you mean, LDNmummy. I think it's a bit negative though, to say all religions "skew" their interpretations of the Bible "to suit themselves". Don't you think any believers are genuinely going with what they think is the most likely interpretation, rather than trying to "skew" it in a selfish kind of way?

LDNmummy · 16/04/2011 19:46

Well then TBH I do not think you are in any position to be pulling people up on their interpretations of Biblical text. "to an extent" does not make you informed enough either, whether you studied it at University or not (especially as Greek and Hebrew now are not the same as they were written and spoken while these Biblical texts were written).

I studied Shakespeare as a large part of my English Literature degree but I wouldn't go around pulling people on their analysis of his work based on what I think or feel to be the correct interpretations.

LadyOfTheManor · 16/04/2011 19:48

So because I have studied Biblical texts in their original language that makes me "no expert"? Right. Ok.

LDNmummy · 16/04/2011 19:50

"Don't you think any believers are genuinely going with what they think is the most likely interpretation"

Sorry Solar, this is what I mean by my inarticulate nature. When I say skew I do not necessarily mean it is always to suit a selfish pupose. As your words above state, it is only what people think it means that they follow, we can never truly know.

Thats why I took such issue with Lady's post, because I think it is arrogant to belittle anyone's interpretation in such a manner when on the whole, we can only think we know but never know for fact IYSWIM.

LDNmummy · 16/04/2011 19:53

I'm sure there are more expert people than you out there Lady. I don't think you have any right to be so judgemental over someone elses interpretation of the Bible.

I have also seen original works of literature and studied them, doesn't automatically make me expert enough to belittle other people's analytical interpretations.

LadyOfTheManor · 16/04/2011 19:57

I'm sure there are more expert people than me. I just don't believe you are one of them.

LDNmummy · 16/04/2011 20:19

Thats fine, as long as you know I don't think you are as much of an expert as you think yourself to be. Then we are in an agreement (?) os some sorts.

Melly19MummyToBe · 16/04/2011 20:22

FAB, just put on some black undies, leather boots and gloves, and tie a rope around yourself so it falls in strategic places. And hold a leather riding crop Wink:o And maybe a blindfold, not over your eyes obviously otherwise you won't be able to see. Just on your forehead :)

Guaranteed you won't get bothered again :o

SolarPanel · 16/04/2011 20:37

No you're not inarticulate at all LDNmummy. Some of these things can be so hard to find the right words for - I'm just the same!

doley · 16/04/2011 23:02

I have to point out that no matter how lovely JW's appear to be , watch out !

They have adapted the doctrine to purely suit their needs .

Women are not valued ,if you are asked to leave you will have no friends as they will have been instructed to ignore you till you repent .

I used to have a lot of time for them ,I listened and even read a few Watchtowers not now ...I have had my family torn apart .

My normal reaction is to respect all Faiths ,I now respect just the followers and hope they see the light sometime soon .

onagar · 17/04/2011 13:11

I'd like to applaud LOTM for admitting that she thinks other religions have got it wrong. :o

That has to be true for all religious people deep down, but it's currently fashionable to say that all religions are on the same side and therefore 'believers' outnumber atheists. In fact what we have is a multitude of minority beliefs all contradicting each other.

beanlet, you were saying that calling them God botherers was rude, but that 'they'll probably keep coming if you don't ring, despite your lovely new sign'

That means they are being rude doesn't it. They see the sign and don't care because their needs override other peoples rights.

Almost a definition of religion isn't it.

LadyOfTheManor · 17/04/2011 13:12
Grin
LadyOfTheManor · 17/04/2011 13:12

Well if I thought a round of applause was going to be dished out I'd have written a list of all the people in the world I think are wrong.

Hammy02 · 17/04/2011 13:24

Had 2 women knock on my door at 10:30 this morning, I was still in my dressing gown! They said, 'sorry this doesn't appear to be a good time but can I give you this leaflet?' (about Jesus). I said 'I'm not into that kind of thing'. I don't know why I said it like that, it just came out! Anyway, I thought how rude. Its bad enough rapping on strangers doors but on a Sunday morning? Fuck the fuck off.

QuintEggSentialPaints · 17/04/2011 13:32

You can have a sign made up that says:

"God does not live here, and neither does he want to, so dont come talking about him, allright?"

new2cm · 17/04/2011 13:33

Yanbu.

I have been in the same situation and I was told not to put such signs up as it could be seen as a form of religious insult. I was informed that all I could do is not answer the door to them. I now have to ask (shouting through the door) who my visitors are before I open the door. Then, I just ignore if it is them.

I was told that if I do this every time they turn up then they will eventually give up. 4 years on, they still turn up on a quarterly basis every year :-(

AlpinePony · 17/04/2011 13:36

YABU and very rude.

In addition to "no godbotherers" might I also suggest:

  1. No blacks
  2. No irish
Hmm
NorthernGobshite · 17/04/2011 13:38

alpine you're being ridiculous.

AlpinePony · 17/04/2011 13:39

No, it's not ridiculous. What is "ridiculous" is asking if it's acceptable to be rude to people because of their religious beliefs.

Would you be applauding her if she had a sign which read "Hindus - beef out, Muslims go away, Jews nob off, Scientologists fly away"? Nope, but it's "acceptable" and even "funny" to be rude to complete strangers who share different theological views.

It is EXACTLY the same as putting a rude and offensive poster on your front door about other sections of society.

Hammy02 · 17/04/2011 13:42

It should be illegal to knock on doors in this way. How dare people invade other people's private lives in this way. The term 'godbotherer' is nothing to how I actually feel about these people.