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?

I think it is the fact that they are invading people's space in order to push their religion that irks, and makes people feel entitled to be less respectful.

I also used to object to the way they'd open with a leading question about the state of the world, rather than being upfront about who they are, and their mission, from the word go. I did tell one doorstepper that I thought this was very dishonest of them.

It's a good question, hackmum, but I'm not sure it's just to do with religion.

I think many of us are so plagued nowadays with cold callers & unwanted 'phone calls, that there can be a sense of being hounded in your own home. And some of these people can be very persistent, & see politeness as a "way in", so that curtness can be much more effective.

I respect JWs as people, FWIW, & I respect their right to hold their beliefs - including the belief that they need to evangelise door-to-door - but I don't respect the beliefs themselves.

I did read a few of their magazines, years ago, & they do return that favour - I was a Catholic back then & they seemed happy enough to hand out materials saying that the Catholic Church is the "whore of Babylon" mentioned in the Book of Revelation!

Their literature also expressed sexist views of the roles of men & women & advocated physical punishment of children. I don't respect any of that - though I'm not actually rude to callers, just do the "I'm not interested, thanks" line; or refuse to answer the door in the first place. Not sure if that's rude, but I do feel I shouldn't be badgered in my own home.

I also used to object to the way they'd open with a leading question about the state of the world, rather than being upfront about who they are, and their mission, from the word go.

Yes to this too!

hackmum - I think the right to be treated with respect means mutual tolerance of differing beliefs, and the right to follow your own beliefs (within the bounds of the law).

But when one group tries to impose their beliefs on others, particularly in their own homes, that tolerance comes under strain. It's fine by me if someone believes that only a fixed number of people will be saved and blood transfusions are evil, but I have no wish to be disturbed at home to be told about it.

There are many Christian sects who have even wackier ideas than JW, but they don't go round trying to do doorstep conversions, so no one cares.

Joan, a mezuzah doesn't stop them and neither does telling them you are Jewish. A sign saying no cold callers and no religious callers please is very effective.

Before I had the sign I just said 'no thank you, not interested, have a nice day' and closed the door before they even spoke!

If we get them we politely point them to the very obvious no cold callers sign which they then try and justify ignoring. Are you or are you not selling your religious ideals on my doorstep?

If I wanted to find religion I'd do my research and find one that best suited me... And ones that include cold calling will never be considered.

I'm quite happy for them to believe what they like, so long as they leave me in peace to believe what I like. I don't think evangelism is compatible with mutual tolerance of differing beliefs. Since they've decided to disregard my beliefs and come to my house to impose their own on me, I no longer feel the need to be polite to them. If they're just evangelising in a public place, I'll simply ignore them.

I don't abuse doorstop god botherers or anything. I just shake my head and shut the door on them. On the one occasion when the Mormons did knock again straight after I closed the door, I was quite cross and told them to go away because I don't like being bothered in my own home.

I'm polite but get rid. Two ladies did annoy me once when they opened with asking if I felt threatened and scared in my area so I just breezily replies "not at all, it's lovely and peaceful here, not threatening at all". Didn't like that they were possibly looking for a weak spot in someone. Not keen on JWs with what I have read and family experience. From what know they en outrage people to leave their families behind for their new JW family.

Only 144 thousand JWs can ever get into heaven - I have told them before I don't like their odds.

I really think the OP needs a sticker though. You are being harassed.

I really think proselytism should be illegal.

But daphne, the rest get to live forever in a paradise on earth! Or so said one of the pamphlets I once read.

But it did seem that all the rest of us who refuse to convert have to be stuck down first - cue lots of pictures of disaster movie type scenes with screaming people, burning buildings, fire & brimstone. Nice.

Struck down, I meant!

Some jehovah's witnesses called round at my sisters a few weeks ago. During the conversation she said that she thought the world would be a better place if humans died out and they were flabbergasted. They had no response to that and it shut them right up.

I really love the watchtower magazine, especially the badly drawn pictures of humans walking with dinosaurs in paradise.

I also like their takes on modern dilemmas for the Jehovah's Witness of today. 'Can a Jehovah's Witness do x?' To which the answer in inevitably 'no they can't.'

Ahh LoovanBoon that's why that line of argument did not work...

If I have to spend a bloody eternity with people who are too daft to accept a blood transfusion then I will happily go for the disaster movie death

Me too!

My standard comment because the feckers always turn up early on a Saturday when we are having a lie in is:

"Listen mate. There are 4 degrees in this household, 3 of which are science degrees and the other one is in the Study of Religions. We gave up believing in stone age fairy stories about the same time as we gave up believing in the tooth fairy and, unless you are prepared to discuss religion with someone who has an encyclopedic knowledge of Leviticus and a wider view of religions as a means of social control, I strongly suggest you don't ever come here again"

Then shut the door and storm back up the two flights of stairs to bed. This tends to stop them for a year or so.

I too find this annoying.

I'm completely non religious - had a non religious wedding ceremony, DS not christened - never gone to church only for weddings, funerals and christenings.

I am very respectful of people's beliefs and would never try to persuade other people to be a non believer so I find it incredibly annoying, rude and interfering when one of these knocks on my door.

I get believer and trying to help people but don't try and push it down our throats.

Anyone who knocks on my door uninvited can take the consequences. I respect people's right to believe in religious bullshit (and all religion is bullshit) but that doesn't mean I have to be polite to them when they are intruding on me.

I keep it polite but brisk. I always tell them (truthfully) that I have JW relations who have tried and keep trying, but have always found me stony ground, so they're likely to be wasting their time.

Thinking about it, I haven't been doorstepped for quite a while now...

PS One JW relative said it always makes him laugh when people claim to say rude things to JWs all the time, because in all his years of doorstepping, he'd only ever been sworn at about twice.

Everything SGB said.

We've got one of those "No cold callers/we do not buy off the doorstep/do not want to hear your religious beliefs" signs and have only had one god botherer since it went up about 3 years ago.

She took me by surprise; it had been so long since we'd had one I'd sort of forgotten they existed. It wasn't til she tried to give me a leaflet that I twigged.

Her: hello!
Me: hello!
Her: isn't it a lovely day!
Me: yes it is. Sorry we're just on our way out - how can I help you?
Her: can I give you these to look at?
Me (recoiling as if offered a live tarantula): oh wait, is this to do with religion??
Her: yes :)
Me: goodbye

Just WHY would you knock on a door that's got a sign on it telling you not to??

Just WHY would you knock on a door that's got a sign on it telling you not to??

Because you are a twat and thinks God is telling you to?

Haha - love that andrewofgg