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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that a Jehovah's Witness has no right to demand that I respect his beliefs when he's just rung my doorbell to bore me with his

141 replies

CrockoDuck · 05/04/2012 21:09

Happy to respect the rights of people to have their beliefs, but I reserve the right to point out factual inaccuracies and scientific ignorance when it's brought to my home.

OP posts:
DinahMoHum · 05/04/2012 22:32

i cant bear it, theyre a cult. Its almost impossible for them to leave even if they want to. The going door to door thing is a necessity. Evil religion

startail · 05/04/2012 22:34

YANBU
I slammed the door on the last lot.
I was in my night shirt, not a pretty sight. I opened the door a crack grabbed the leaflets and went to shut the door when he started trying to engage me in conversation.

I'm afraid I just continued shutting the door.

Had I been dressed I'd have told him to take his poor teenaged son home and let him play on his xboxGrin

SophieNeveau · 05/04/2012 22:40

Why do you think it is a cult? I know someone who left.

TapirBackRider · 05/04/2012 22:41

I have a sign on the front door that states "No canvassers, salesmen or religious callers".

So far, both the JW's and mormons have stated that it doesn't apply to them as they have the 'true' word of god. sigh

YANBU

ChippingInNeedsCoffee · 05/04/2012 22:42

D0G GrinGrinGrin

OP - your doorstep, your beliefs Grin

ChippingInNeedsCoffee · 05/04/2012 22:43

Tapir - have you tried 'fuck the fuck off - please :)'

MsBobbiHarlow · 05/04/2012 22:43

Tell them you're Catholic - you won't see them for dust! My brother Islam works just as well.

echt · 05/04/2012 22:44

OP, YANBU. No- one has the right to demand others respect their beliefs, only their right to believe in them.

TapirBackRider · 05/04/2012 22:45

Oh yes - the responses have been varied. The JW's have taken it to be a challenge, the mormons 'dusted their feet' at the garden gate and declared me to be under satans influence.

Both lots have been back twice since then

TheOriginalSteamingNit · 05/04/2012 22:47

Last ones who came to my door politely left me a leaflet and went away! Bit disappointed really .

Dp's technique was 'do you believe in evolution?' they said no and he said 'then I have nothing to you' and door closed.

CatPussWithACrownOfThorns · 05/04/2012 22:47

They aren't a cult. I know plenty of people who have left the religion.
I am not a JW, but members ofmy family are, and I have some good friends who are.
As a rule, JWs are among the nicest people I have ever encountered. They have a belief system that they stick to, in varying degrees, and part of that is to spread the word 'bear witness' to try and bring people to see what they see as the truth.
They want to share.
JWs are seen as a nuisance, but they are harmless to the people who's doors they knock on, and they don't deserve the treatment they get. Some people I know, were in the stairwell of a block of flats, and had a Rotweiller set on them. They had children with them FGS! This kind of thing happens all the time! Just say 'no thanks'!

TheOriginalSteamingNit · 05/04/2012 22:50

They often have children with them, I've noticed.

I don't mind them, really. Misguided idiots, but bless....

hugglymugly · 05/04/2012 22:51

This has just reminded me that we've haven't had any of those sorts of callers for a long while now. We used to be plagued either by elderly people in twos, or the variation which included a young child, or two men in their twenties wearing identical suits'n'ties. All implying that if I didn't convert to their way of thinking I'd be doomed for eternity which, given the diversity of their beliefs, would mean I'd have to choose which different kind of doom. The last time I had such a visitation was from a couple of young suit'n'tie guys and when I opened the door I immediately clocked who they were and uttered "oh, god" in an "oh, fuck" kind of way and slammed the door shut.

We haven't been bothered since. Maybe they've all managed to coordinate their visitation plans and realised that the crazy woman at number 13 isn't worth their effort.

PS: I've gone through various versions of belief systems and ended up as I started, as an athiest.

PPS: DH had just come home from serving at Mass. He's ok with the fact that I no longer attend.

PPPS: Whenever DH in the past has answered the door to same, he's merely stated that he's a Roman Catholic and they quickly departed. I don't know whether it was the "Roman Catholic" or the fact that he's male that had that effect.

likelucklove · 05/04/2012 22:52

They stopped coming to my house when u answered the door in the middle of the day on a Tuesday afternoon with a massive glass of wine in my hand and I slurred stated that 'I could not be saved'... Blush

I had just finished my exams and hadn't drunk for a couple of months if that's any consolation.

But I don't appreciate them and the other religions that come around. I don't try to force persuade people to become atheists like myself and never will. It's rude and judgemental afaic.

likelucklove · 05/04/2012 22:53

Typo, damn! U is meant to be I!

CatPussWithACrownOfThorns · 05/04/2012 22:53

Maybe they think that Roman Catholics are beyond redemption? Confused

Snorbs · 05/04/2012 22:59

Just tell them you don't believe in aliens.

abbierhodes · 05/04/2012 23:07

We have JW occasionally round here. I have found that 'We're Catholic, bu thanks for knocking, it's nice of you to care' with a smile always does the trick! They go away, but they usually thank me for being nice to them!
I feel sorry for them, tbh. They genuinely believe they are doing a good thing by knocking on doors, and they get nothing but abuse. Prefer their sort to door-to-door salesmen.

hugglymugly · 05/04/2012 23:07

CatPuss: They might well think that Roman Catholics are beyond redemption, but more probably they know they're up against an organisation that has a much larger and more cohesive membership than they have, so they'd have little success - except, maybe, if it's a woman.

DonkeyTeapot · 05/04/2012 23:22

DinahMoHum, you're talking nonsense. I left. Plenty of other people have too.

cult: noun

  1. a particular system of religious worship, especially with reference to its rites and ceremonies.
  1. an instance of great veneration of a person, ideal, or thing, especially as manifested by a body of admirers: the physical fitness cult.
  1. the object of such devotion.
  1. a group or sect bound together by veneration of the same thing, person, ideal, etc.
  1. Sociology . a group having a sacred ideology and a set of rites centering around their sacred symbols.

You can define any organised religion as a cult, if you look at the above.

OP, if you don't want them to call, just say "Please put me on your Do Not Call list" or, as a prior poster said, contact the local kingdom hall and ask there.

I can undertsand people being annoyed at being interrupted in their own homes whilst quietly going about their business - that's one of the many issues that rankled with me, but JWs are people too, there really is no need to be rude. I've heard no end of people laughing about how they've been abusive to them, and I just think it's completely unnecessary.

DonkeyTeapot · 05/04/2012 23:24

Sorry, I deleted a bit by mistake, I meant

OP, you absolutely should expect the discussion to give you an opportunity to put your point across!

The Do Not Call bit was to everyone.

CatPussWithACrownOfThorns · 05/04/2012 23:26

Huggly, I think as an organisation, JWs could give catholics a fair run for their money!
Anyway, I was joking! I'm actually with you, I don't do religion!
In my opinion, anyone can believe what they like along as it doesnt adversely affect others. I do think that ministry, (door knocking) is harmless, and it obviously works! Many many people find the truth that way.
And I still don't think they deserve to be sworn at, or abused.

calzone · 05/04/2012 23:28

JW's are not a cult.

Fact.

solidgoldbrass · 05/04/2012 23:29

If I'm feeling benevolent I say 'No' and shut the door in their faces. If I'm feeling feisty I tell them that religion is toxic bullshit and I fervently hope they grow out of it soon. And then shut the door in their faces.

If they are going to come and knock on my door and bother me, they can take the consequences. I have no respect for any religion, it's all ludicrous nonsense, and while I respect people's right to believe whatever shit they like, there is no obligation to respect the shit or take any notice of any of it.

Tranquilidade · 05/04/2012 23:38

I think there are very few situations where needless rudeness is excusable. Whatever your beliefs I don't think you have a right to insult or abuse somebody who genuinely believes they are trying to do something good for you however misguided you think they are.