To be fed up with Christian callers

[DaisyBug1212]

At least once a week between 5 and 6 (tea time at our house) we get people knocking on our doors trying to preach to us about Christ and the bible. They say they can change our lives and make us so much happier (my face must portray my despair at them, yet again, being at the door) if we would just let god into our lives.

When i politely say 'im not religious, and were actually just having dinner' they start up asking me to explain why im not religious and detailing for the next 10 minutes or so why i should consider it.

I dont knock on their doors asking why they believe in god and telling them to consider giving it up, why do they find it acceptable to do it to me?

there are quite a few answers to this beyond the obvious one of ignoring the doorbell.

• a sign saying 'no godbotherers'
• saying 'great, we are one short for the pagan sacrifice, come on in'
• telling them you are a blood donor and asking what they've done in their lives that is useful

but TBH, if they won't go at the first polite refusal you are perfectly entitled to let loose a barrage of foul language.

I get this all the time & because my kitchen faces the street I can discreetly vet callers from the doorway. During dinner we dont answer the phone or the door unless it's an expected caller.

I have learnt not to mention my faith as they usually try the hard sell to convert me instead I say I am a believer but not their version of faith cos mine's better - not really!

If we ever get them, I just politely say 'I dont discuss religion with strangers' and close the door.

I tell them I am a Druid.

I got one tonight 10 minutes before the football started. Usually I am quite polite with unwanted callers, but not so much this time.

Tell them your pagan!

I have a sign on my door which I got from Sybil leeks witch shop in new forest. It reads "please ring the door and run the dragon needs the excersise" that works.

The nice people from the watch tower didn't share my sense of humour though

I always find it interesting that it's always the JW or LDS that door knock. I've never been bothered by a Jew, Muslim, Buddhist, Hari Krishna, Satanist, Hindu etc.

when people say Christianity isn't a religion they are right.
Of course we choose to 'religiously' attend Church on sundays but nowadays the Church view Christianity as a 'relationship' with God not a religion.
I understand though why you get pissed off, it's your choice if you believe in God, and people at the door is not going to change your mind by being argumentative!! I certainly find if I say that I already am part of a Church they don't' accept that either...

I once answered the door to some JWs that knocked when I had a stinking hangover and got me out of bed. I told them to fuck off. Not proud of it but no JWs knocked on my door ever again!!

We regularly get JW's here - on the umpeeth time I politely chatted with the woman (who looked like Mary Beard, so I couldn't be rude) for a couple of minutes, then said, I'm awfully sorry, but you're at the wrong house for this sort of thing. She said, Oh am I? I said yes, awfully sorry. Politely said goodbye etc.

Next time they called, I said, Oh I have actually asked not be called on like this. She said, oh have you? I said, well, not in any official way, but just the last people that called here. I was (I always am) painfully polite - almost apologetic. They haven't been back since - that was months ago. I'm v posh (sounding ) but v firm.

We get religious visitors. I am always able to move them on quickly. :)

Initially, I just say "Thank you very much, but I'm really not interested."

If they persist, I say "Sorry, this really isn't a good time, but thank you anyway".

It always does the trick. Just be polite, friendly but firm.

If it's the same people coming back repeatedly, I think I'd ask them nicely not to come again. "I think I told you last time that I'm really not interested. I do appreciate that you're trying to help, but I'd be grateful if you could take me off your list for next time."

Either I live in a godless area, or I am extremely terrifying, but I really don't have these issues.

I've only had a couple of religious callers: I reply very politely no thanks I'm not interested, and please can you ensure that I am not visited again by your church. And...

... that's it. No more visits.

I say 'Fuck off' and slam the door. It's OK to do this. They are intruding, uninvited, on your time and therefore have no right to courtesy.

I'm kinder to double-glazing reps, because they are usually poor sods trying desperately to earn some money. But I won't waste a second more than I have to on idiots trying to peddle their imaginary friend.

I get annoyed by those people trying to sell me cavity wall insulation (we have solid walls) Each to their own!

YANBU. Put a "No Religious Callers, Please" on your front door. If they still ring the bell, point to the sign, smile and close the door. You can add "I guess you didn't see our sign" as you do. This seems to work for us. Good luck.

"I always find it interesting that it's always the JW or LDS that door knock. I've never been bothered by a Jew, Muslim, Buddhist, Hari Krishna, Satanist, Hindu etc"

It's because they are encouraged to preach publicly/proselyte as part of their religion.

YANBU.

We have Mormons near us. They've come round three times in the last month. They're fairly friendly but a bit awkward and I tend to say sorry and bye, close the door before they can react type thing- I just talk over them as they start talking straight away. They left a leaflet recently where you could contact them to come over for a discussion if you wanted, I'm keeping it so I can put down the address of anyone who pisses me off, and they can be bothered by a pack of evangelising Mormons

Jews don't proselytise. Telling JWs and Mormons that you are Jewish usually gets rid of them quite quickly as well.

We get JWs here now and then. On the rare occasions in the past that I've been abrupt and short with them, I always feel guilty. So now I just say "I'm a committed Christian and very involved with my local C of E church, so I wouldn't want to waste your time". That seems to work. I think they view atheists as a blank canvas but other faiths as less easy to convert.

When JWs come to our door & I answer I stand there, listen to them then question their beliefs & ask them to justify them - that usually gets them gone.
If DH answers, I shout from the kitchen/couch/anywhere I can't be bothered moving from 'we're catholic' not strictly untrue I'm a catholic but he's not.

Doesn't bother me at all. Good on them.

Still I like the victor meldrew approach *hello/goodbye.

I really don't have any problem with shutting the door on people who've turned up to try to convert me to their religion. I don't even feel the need to be polite about it. Neither does DH.

Weirdly doorstop chuggers have started to ask me if my mum or dad are in (I'm in my mid 30s and do not look like I might still be at school). I just say 'no' and say that they won't be back for ages. The students they hire as chuggers must look at the 35 year olds they cast as 17 year olds in American drama and think that they really are 17, which is why they ask me if my dad's in.

My line is "I have my own belief thank you and I don't wish to change it" with a smile.

That seems to work really well and they don't press me further.

I'm an atheist

We don't get chuggers now, but we used to get approx 1 zillion per week at our last address. I used to listen to their spiel, offer them cash (which they can't accept, apparently) and say 'oh I can't give you my bank details on the doorstep' in a very affronted way, and they'd go away.

Sometimes being a sahm and being in to get all these calls is a bit of a mare. Or they call at dc's teatime/bathtime/bedtime - ideal excuse to shut the door on them - because that is genuinely annoying. I've had many bedtimes disrupted by answering the door to them at 6.30pm.

I tell them I don't speak German - which helps because I live in Germany, and I tell them in English... they still give me a leaflet (in German) though...

There is a very determined woman who sells (tries to solicit orders for) astoundingly expensive organic apples door to door locally who turns up far more regularly, is much more passionate about her apple-beliefs, and more annoying and insistent harder to get rid of... I can't really claim not to believe in apples...