To think there should be a law against religious callers?

[HeffalumpTheFlump]

The ones that come knocking at your door?? I'm unlucky that I seem to live in an area that is full of them.

This morning we had two christian ones come to the door (I'm actually christian, but really don't agree with this). When I opened the door one stepped forward and tried to force a leaflet into my hand. I refused to take it and very politely, calmly, but firmly explained that I do not appreciate them knocking on my door and I don't want them forcing their religious views on me. One then said that they don't force their religion on anyone. I told him that by coming to my home uninvited he was doing just that. I then politely asked them to leave.

I hate it! Surely there should be a law against this?? If someone wants to find religion it should be their choice and they should be allowed to seek it out rather than have these people shoving it down everyone's throats. AIBU? Does anyone appreciate them doing this??

Bridget - I did say unthread the only reason I said about the religious callers particularly was because we get a lot of them here, but haven't had a problem with cold calling sellers. I completely agree that ALL cold calling should be banned, I just didnt think about it because we haven't had a problem with them personally.

greenbananas , it's not so much that they want to share, rather they are told they have to, recruiting is a fundamental part of their cult religion. Most religions respect the rights of others to follow different religions, JWs don't acknowledge any others and they are supposedly trying to save us all!

Lots of people have things that are important to them, they don't all go round to people's house to convince them they should feel the same way.

It's a cold-sales call, no matter that it's about religion, that's what it is. No different from the cold-sales callers that plague people via the phone.

But it's worse, because it's face-to-face, and the default response from most people is to be polite. And those cold-callers at your front door know that and trade on it. The religious ones aren't really interested in "saving your soul", they've got quotas to fill.

Just practice saying "fuck off", or, if you want to be more genteel, "fuck off, dear".

I didn't want to single them out,but I find its the Jahovas Witnesses (and a relative of mine is one). I live in an urban area and have only ever had them come knocking, no other religion. And I find you can politely decline but they will try to lead you into a debate or question what you say. I've been cornered by 2 at the bus stop and DD was having a tantrum which I found highly intrusive and patronising. I was offered a leaflet about 'what is a father?'Or something while trying to stop DD running off onto a main road. They are like the terminators of the religious world,there is just no stopping them.lol

Answer the door wearing a strap-on. They won't come back.

xTillyx I would have been so if that was me at the bus stop. I always make sure I'm firm but polite with them, but in that situation I would have told them to fuck the hell off.

Bailo - yes, that is definitely the answer.

I could tell before they got to us who they were because like I said before they sometimes walk round the park. They said something like there might be things in here that could benefit you. I just look I'm not interested and can't you see I'm busy. Was very miffed though.

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Don't really mind the religious ones so much, generally polite, not too crazily pushy and are worrying about my soul too late guys . It's the annoying fuck-wits selling shit (or insisting thier electricity deal is so much better) that really annoy me. Also the relentless telephone sales calls, they are my biggest bug bear.

We're atheist, and honestly tell the religious ones so. They try and covert us but we just politely say no ta, and close the door.

Salespeople are more pushy. We remind them they are on private lands and we can complain about trespassing etc but they can be a pain to get rid of.

Why do they always call at the most awkward times? Making dinner/bathing child/cleaning windows/unplugging u-bend? Makes me wonder about if there is such a thing as divine intervention after all.

When DD was about 5 days old I answered the door to JWs in my PJs with DD attached to one boob and DS clinging round my leg.

They left sharpish.

I've found if you ask a cold caller (religious or otherwise) 'do you mind waiting while I flush the toilet and wash my hands?' gets rid of them pretty quickly!

I also have a sign on the door, but for some reason people still chap the door as they don't think it applies to them as "i'm going to save you money though" or "ah, but i'm not selling anything, i'm collecting for this very worthy charity".
I don't answer the front door now, and they can see me sat on the sofa looking at them looking at me and we have a good stare off before they admit defeat and leave!

last time I had this I asked for their address.
when they asked me why I wanted it I said that I was an atheist and I wished to come round their house and talk to them about it.
they soon buggered off.

I'm still intrigued about the Satanists. I have never heard of any other religion apart from Christians knocking on doors.

My front room has bay windows so I can see the door. I also have nets so they cant see me mwahahaha so just watch them fumble with the thing that isnt a doorbell then push off.

I ask them for money.

Just don't answer the door! How is that helpful? By ringing my buzzer to gain entry to the flats ( have no control over the location or volume ) they have already woken my baby, my night shift DP or me trying to sleep when baby sleeps. Even if I haven't let them in somebody else will and they will knock on the first door they find, mine, repeatedly. untill I threatened to break their legs, not my finest moment
YANBU

Actually, what pisses me off more than the JW'S is the Red Cross people who shove envelopes through my door, (which I don't notice in among the 300 pizza menus I get a day)and then ring my bell at 8 pm, just as ds is going to sleep, saying "we have come to collect your envelope of money".
Oh HAVE you??
I went off at this woman who rang the bell at 8 pm, I said, not a good time, sorry" and she came back at the exact same time the next night.
I gave her back the empty envelope and told her I will make my own bloody decisions which charities I give money to!
Cheek of it.

infamouspoo what exactly is the thing that isn't a doorbell??

For all the disadvantage of living in an apartment, one thing I'm glad of is that you get very, very little door to door here (France), and I've never had a religious one. Lovely.
We did have some JW's (I think) in Australia, who launched off with 'are you worried about identity theft?' to which my h said 'no, not really', which they were quite taken aback by. Being of a scientific (not sicentitic as I nearly wrote, though he can be a bit of a tit about some things), he's well aware of the odds of it, and what basic things someone can do to greatly reduce the risks.
Really not keen on the religious ones.

I need to know more about the Satanists.

its a mezuzah Monty. On the opposite side to the doorbell. About half a cm wide and 7cm long. People often spend ages pressing it and hoping it will ring

Thank you Infamous, had never heard of them, bing has enlightened me. some of them are incredibly beautiful. Are they widely used? I don't think I've ever noticed one on friends door frames before (mind you, I can be pretty unobservant).

Probably depends on how observant your jewish friends are. but mine does provide hours of mistaken for a door bell amusement