To think that nobody EVER changed their religious beliefs thanks to a door-step caller?

[CrystalHaze]

Just exactly that, really.

Following today's 'have you heard the good news?' doorstep visit, I've been wondering what the conversion rate actually is, and I cannot think of any way in which it could be a successful strategy for drawing people to your religion, unless they were particularly vulnerable.

So, what I'm wondering is: has anyone ever answered the door to a total stranger, listened to what they have to say on spiritual matters, and subsequently seen the light?

That's the problem with arrogance, though, Owl - nobody ever thinks/realises that they're behaving arrogantly, they always think that their behaviour is entirely reasonable.

DW used to invite them in, and then get out the Bible so she could poke holes in their arguments. "I had to do something while the baby couldn't talk".

Crystal, it is offensive, isn't it?

The course of my life changed after a knock on the door from a group of evangelical Christians. But it wasn't me who converted – it was my then boyfriend.

After a series of visits and conversations with evangelical Christians, he became increasingly fearful of death to the point of breaking down in tears repeatedly at the thought of going to sleep and never waking up. I tried to help him but it was no use – the fear became more and more deeply entrenched.Eventually,the tension within him became too great and he converted.

His new friends told him that I was not a suitable companion and would lead him astray. He was put under intense pressure to drop me and after many difficult months, we split up.

Pre-conversion, he was deeply unhappy but kindly. After conversion, he was less kindly but at peace with himself. I have wrestled over the years with the conundrum of whether this means it was the right thing to happen to him or not.

My ex-boyfriend is now a minister and I, decades later, am left with a strong Pavlovian response of fear and dread to the very word 'Jesus'.

So, yes, OP, a simple knock on the door can set in motion a chain of events that can profoundly change lives.

Maybe I'm being selfish but I wish those 'doorstep Christians' had not interfered all those years ago.

My Aunt was a doorstep converter. She was neither weak or in a bad place. My Grandparents were non-practising Catholics and I think she always believe in 'something' and something just clicked with the JW's. She believes that the field service is something she must do to go to heaven.

I used to work with someone who had been converted to JW by a doorstep person. I don't know the circumstances of his life when he converted but he had been diagnosed with epilepsy as an adult and I wondered if they came along at a similar time and gave him the comfort he needed.

It was slightly awkward when he joined the team as our team were very gung ho about 3 things - blood donating (one team member had a son born at 27 weeks who needed umpteen pints of blood), birthdays and Xmas.

We solved the problem by also becoming gung ho about wedding anniversaries. (That he did celebrate.) And Fridays!

I know someone who was converted on a bus by a JW. I don't think her involvement with them has made her happier, in fact I think they have made her a much lonelier and less sociable person. She was made to reject a lot of things which were important to her.

It MUST work though - because why else use this tactic? often wonder how the faith spreads seeing as alot of people dislike the doorstop thing.

On the other isn't it part of the JW faith to have to convert others?

My partner's grandparents became JWs soon after they married because of doorsteppers. His grandmother was an early guinea pig for banking ones' own blood for emergencies and bloodless techniques (we spoke once about it and how long it had taken her to recover from a PPH because of it when I was suffering badly after one even with transfusions).

None of their 4 kids remained in it. It didn't cause the far too common division in family, they're all still quite close (and it's quite fun to see an over 90 year old tiny lady tease my very vocally atheist large father in law over religion). While I know his grandmother went knocking on doors until she was almost 90, she's never really tried anything with us - the most DP and I have gotten is a few small booklets from them - with the expressed message that it wasn't to convert but because she wanted to pass things on and thought we'd find it interesting, they were on marriage and family advice and philosophy with JW bent that wasn't noticeable until you got quite a bit into it (they now sit as heirlooms on the bookcase after one sadly got lost, his grandparents writing in notes in the margin throughout so it's a nice family history memento). She genuinely just wants to help people and thinks that the community and beliefs of the JWs is the best way for her to do that (and seeing her community after DP's grandfather passed I can see why she feels that way, they've really helped support her with such difficult times).

I've noticed at least here the JWs have moved over the last few years from wanting to talk on the doorstep to handing out booklets and magazines with their info in it which would be far easier to deal with if that became part of larger way to do things - previously I just sent DP to the door because his grandmother is still quite well known in JW circles and DP is far more intimidating even when being nice and knows how Hall hierarchy works better - if they're being rude or you want rid, getting their names and calling the local Kingdom Hall and telling them about it can nip things in the bud rather quickly.

An ex work colleague of mine changed her religion because of a chance meeting with a JW on a bus. She sat next to a person who chatted to her, was very friendly end then went on to invite her to a service ( not sure of the correct terminology with regards to JW) which colleague went to and hey Preston never looked back. She became totally committed and had to change jobs because she couldn't justify to herself working in a clinic that had a department that dealt with sexual health and termination referrals.

DH ripped their "science" to shreds last time they knocked. There were a load around on xmas day but they didn't call at ours.

It really makes me cross. we're in a "no cold callers" area - yet apparently people who are pushing religion think this doesn't apply to them.

I told a particularly tenacious bunch at my last property I was a Satanist,. They never came back

The minister at my church was a Jehovah's witness. He knocked on the door of a complete stranger (who was already a practising Christian), had a discussion about god and ended up becoming a Lutheran minister.

I though JW do not meet the criteria for being counted as Christian?

JW don't believe that Jesus is the son of God. They don't accept the Trinity, which is central to Christian belief.

I know a couple of people who were converted after having JWs knock on their door. One is a close relative.

Evangelism/proselytism is a big part of many religions. Spreading the word is a very important task for many of the religious.

Quite shocked by Tapir's post about them seeking out vulnerable people, which I suppose is naive of me. They always seem such nice (if deeply misguided) people. I get them an awful lot - had a couple just the other day - which makes me wonder if I have been identified as vulnerable in some way! I hope not, unless they know something I don't.

When a couple of JWs knocked on my friend's door, she invited them in and decided to make a project of converting them to Taoism. Last I heard she was getting on quite well with it.

That's quite funny, Empress, and am also amused at Hedgehog's story.

I do occasionally think about arguing with them. They went through a long phase of just leaving the magazine, but the ones I had this week asked me the usual stuff about whether I had a view on how the world was created and did I believe in evolution, and when they handed me the magazine they said the "evidence" would be in there. I was really dying to have an argument with them, but I work from home and had stuff to be getting on with.

My cousin is a keen JW. She does door-to-door visits and says anyone arguing,even rudely, is seen as a result,as you have made contact and provoked discussion,of whatever sort. A non-result to her is someone saying "Not interested,thanks" and closing the door.

They don't call with us anymore. DH asked them a couple of questions about contradictions in the Bible and they said they'd come back. They came back with answers but DH kind of picked holes in them and they said they would come back with more/other answers. They haven't been back yet. I think he's kind of hoping that they will. He has even more questions lined up.

If they are seeking out vulnerable people why do they knock on every door and chat to anyone?
Also a couple of things people have said that arnt true are jws don't believe they are going to heaven- only a set number are. And also someone said they don't believe Jesus is gods son, but they do. I've looked on their website before. Very informative

Had a couple visit a week or so back. What a total waste of central heating opening my door that was. Thankfully I've mastered the "is this about religion?" question as soon as they speak, followed by a quick "I'm an atheist, thanks anyway. Bye" then shutting the door on them. Lesson learned though...next time just shout through the door.

It's a requirement of Jehovah's Witnesses' faith as I understand.

They don't care whether you want to join them. In fact, if I think you joined it might clog Paradise up for them because I think the space is limited.

They go if you ask them to and if you register with the local Kingdom Hall they will take you off their list so you don't get bothered. There's one very close to me, not that I've ever spoken to them.

I find no reason to be rude to them or engage them in tedious conversation. When I see them on my high street I always smile and take their booklets because I think it's probably a bit soul-destroying to stand there.

I had an amusing moment a few years ago at the height of swine flu when DH was struck down. He was really seriously ill.

I ventured out of our plague house and saw some JW doorknockers. I asked them not to call at my house because DH was so bad.

They agreed not to. It was only later that I suspected that the reason they didn't was because they feared catching it themselves and weren't keen on entering Paradise just then

I'm a sinner and I didn't get it BTW. DH recovered too.