Jehovah's witnesses talking to my teenager.

[Tau]

This morning there was a knock not the door. My partner was out and I was scrubbing the loo in my dirty pyjamas. so my 15 year old answered the door.
The visitors were Jehovah's witnesses who immediately started asking my son questions about his opinion of the state of patience in modern society, and presented him with a watchtower booklet.

Now I kind of admire the determination of those people, but I think it is completely inappropriate to start blabbering about your religious convictions, uninvited, to a minor in his own home. They couldn't even know if he was home alone or not. So I dashed down the stairs, damp, dirty and smelling of disinfectant, told them to leave and shut the door. Yes, I was a tad rude.

Am I unreasonable? Should I accept that they come to our home and talk to my son? He probably would've been a lot harsher to them than I would ever have been, but that is not the issue. I feel those people were out of line.

They are responsible for the death of this 15 year old. Dangerous cult.

Go in your jarmies next time they have a right paddy 'your umm errm ummm clearly busy'

If be slightly narked but its only the same as them shoving watch tower through the door and your dc's picking it up

I think it's disgusting and bloody hypocritical for them to speak to a minor. And if they have any doubt over their age they should walk away.

At my school JW children did not attend any assembly, RE lesson or anything that may expose them to any other religion.

By their own standards they have absolute no right to discuss their religious views with any non JW children.

I first got involved with the Witnesses when I was at school through a couple of school mates. Years later I'm still friends with Witnesses though I'm not one. Teenagers are more than capable of thinking for themselves.

They would never have managed to persuade my heathen son that there is something like a god, so that isn't the issue.
My issue is that they have no business talking to him without the permission of his parents. I would've felt the same if they'd tried to sell him a telephone subscription (is that the correct term?) or whatever rubbish they try to sell door to door. I can't imagine that I'd approach a child who is a complete stranger to me in that manner.

However, if they had politely asked if there was an adult present, and then asked my permission to talk to him, and he had really wanted to, I'd have let them in.

Thanks to the person here who suggested contacting the local branch; I think I'll do that.

I asked the last lot that visited to put me on the 'no visit' list. Was perfectly polite about it.

It worked. We get no visits now.

That's nothing ..

Wait until they send actual children round to knock on the doors. This happened to me recently. 2 young uns knocking on my door.. Maybe the oldest boy was 12, girl was tiny, couldn't have been older than 5/6 same age my ds.. :(

I went out into the street later and the adults were just standing around at the bottom of the road watching the kids go into houses ....

:(

Couldn't believe it.. A part of me thinks at least someone was there .. Albiet 300-400 yards away ... But still??!!!

Amazing

:( :(

JWs have this belief that only a small number of people will enter heavan (so not all JWs can fit in).

They have to recruit new JWs, so they earn their place.

ANY interaction at all, any hint of curiosity, being polite, argueing with them, smiling and nodding whilst you close the door, will get a little mark against your address and then they pile on the pressure. You get 3 times as many visits. (I was told this by JW friends).

The only way to deal with them is your firm brusque rejection.

The ONLY people they seem to leave alone and don't attempt to argue with, are Catholics. Maybe they recognise fellow closed-minded cultists when they meet them ! (Dont' be rude about MIL, Wobbly).

But why do they leave Catholics alone? Is it because JW's consider Catholics beyond saving?

they have no business talking to him without the permission of his parents.

He's 15, not 4. He doesn't need your permission to talk to people.

ITA with what lunar said. If you're writing to their local leadership I'd make that point.

The police have given us notices in our village to put up on our doors saying that we will not buy on the doorstep (used to get plagued by various duster, lavender, art sellers etc.). It stops everyone except the blasted JWs.

Now I point them to the notice on my door and say I don't buy from doorstep sellers and that includes people selling God.

I am normally a polite person even turning door to door salespeople away but any JW who persists I'm afraid gets both barrels (metaphorically of course).

I find their attitude intrusive, arrogant and a pain in the arse. Not to mention having skins as thick as a rhinoceros.

"they have no business talking to him without the permission of his parents."

Didn't you say he was 15? Old enough to decide whether or not he wants to talk to them, in my opinion.

But they are

OMG, he'll be scarred for life.

Seriously, he's 15 not 5. Tell him to say 'no thank you' and shut the door if there is a next time. They are not exactly out to inflict harm. Tell him to politely decline. I would prefer JW to spotty, arrogant sales boys men any day.

When people are absolutely certain of their rightness, they are not too concerned about you and what you think or want.

This lack of basic human decency is what gets me (and what you must protect yourself from). They are not seeing you in your uniqueness, they are seeing you as an object. It is about power and control (I possess the truth). And that is deeply ungodly IMO...

Lynette :But why do they leave Catholics alone? Is it because JW's consider Catholics beyond saving?
Horrible stereotype. I have a good friend who is JW, I am a catholic. We see each other every week for lunch or at each other's homes. Her extended family are all JW. My family and hers are good friends. She doesn't think we are made of the devil.

Oh and she and her family are some of the kindest, least judgemental people I know.

telling people to leave and closing the door is not rude, given that they were not invited and not people you wanted there.

Would they let their child die for want of a blood transfusion?

Yes, because that is what they believe.

they wouldn;t be allowed to - unless the childs was found compitent to decide for themselves

I wonder if you have a Christmas tree OP? or Christmas Cards - are you not 'forcing' religion on him by having these?

Seriously they haven't harmed him in anyway - the bible (and most other religious books) tells people to go out and spread the world - which is all they are doing

I'm sure that at 15yrs he is quite capable of handling the situation-I would have left him to it.

Would they let their child die for want of a blood transfusion? That's like saying that I, a Catholic condemns anyone who is divorced, homosexual, had an abortion or is an unmarried mother to hell. Or thinking that all 'Christians' believe that homosexuals are the ultimate sinners. Many religions have extremists.

condemn not condemns

i hate sales people of any kind knocking my door. post your book through my letter box if you really feel you need me to see it, it will most likely end in the bin like all the other junk mail i recieve. however i would never be rude to anyone at my door.