To Wonder Why Only Jehova's Witnesses Go Door to Door?

[soapydopeybubbles]

I have never answered the door to, or had pamphlets posted through the letter box by any denomination of any other religion. I'm just curious as to whether followers of any other religions go door to door and I've just never met them or if it's something unique to Jehova's Witnesses.

I also wonder what the success rate of converting people using this method is, or if they're actually trying to convert people at all.

On a separate note I always feel a bit guilty about putting the pamphlets in the recycling It's probably a throw back from being bought up by a religious family.

If you tell them you've got it covered, they leave.
I have lots of witness friends and family, they know not what they do
The society encourages this behaviour in the lower ranks.

Although shy at the door, most JW children like going 'door to door'
It is encouraged for them too, and they will see a real reason to attend with their adult elders.

My friend always tells them she is evolutionary biologist (she is) and they dont like that.

Just to clarify.
No one that comes to your door has done it under pressure.
Nobody is 'used' as such.
They pick how much pioneering they would like to do that month.
Some do more as they are auxiliary pioneers, and like to put in the hours!

I was once stranded in a residential area due to a flat tyre. It was a boiling hot day. A group of JW arrived, knocked on 3 doors, then settled down on a bench to sunbathe with snacks, drinks and magazines for the entire 3 hours I was sat there waiting for the AA!!

They then checked the time, gathered up their belongings and made their way out of the estate! I guess not all of them are comfortable doing it.

I worked with a JW, and she said that high pressure sales/cold calling is also a popular career choice for them as they are so hardened to being told 'no', they might as well get paid for it!

Many witnesses are moving with the times.
It is quite common to see little stands set up with their magazines.
The new idea is that if interested, you'll approach them.
I'd be interested to see how this new technique is working out.
I would ask my very close relative, but she always thinks l'm teasing her.

I just tell them that I have my own faith and that I am happy in that faith but thank you for coming anyway and then close the door after they have said OK, that's good, thanks or whatever. They don't call now, I do see them going to other houses on the road though.

Was born into a JW family, had to preach from a young age I hated it especially when the door was opened by a school friend & I knew I would have to see them again Monday morning.

They are trying to convert you, also u have to report every month how much time you have spent preaching, how many magazines & books you have placed. If not enough you will be counselled.

We're talking about genuine religious people who, harmlessly, knock on the door, not fanatical fruitloops who murder in the name of religion.

Sorry but they are not harmless, was never allowed to have friends or be close to family who were not JW. Now I have left everyone I have ever known shuns me. A young man I know recently committed suicide, am sure it didn't help that his family & friends refused to have anything to do with him.

I find it really irritating. I don't like being bothered at home.

I understand that Mormons do it too, thankfully I don't have any experience of this.

My in-laws are JWs, DH did a bit of door-to-door years ago before he left. The easiest (and most polite) way to get rid of them is to ask them to put you on their Kingdom Hall's do not call list. They may check up once every couple of years to see if you've moved but apart from that then they don't bother you.

We get a lot of Mormons round here too.

club
I have a disfellowshiped in-law too.
What happened to her was unforgivable. I'm sorry you have suffered too.

I must be the only one who (if I'm not busy) invites them in. Depending on my mood I either argue my atheist perspective, - or tell them their god is an idiot, using examples from their bible. They don't seem prepared to be challenged.

"They don't seem prepared to be challenged."

No shit.

I get them a lot. They change their tactics, though. For quite a long while they stopped trying to engage you in conversation and just handed over the Watchtower (which went straight in the recycling). They've gone back to asking questions again. Last time they asked me whether I thought the problems of homelessness and poverty were going to get better soon. The trouble is I find this quite an interesting question from a political point of view so after thinking a little bit I said, "Probably not" which was the cue for them to start on the God stuff. At which point I said, "I'm really sorry but you're wasting your time with me" and they told me that they never regarded it as time wasted because they'd reached out.

Part of me is desperate to have an argument with them, because I love arguing and know I could wipe the floor with them. But I also know that they regard any kind of engagement as a victory and will then try and pester you for evermore.

I wondered about the effectiveness of door-to-door as a strategy, and was gobsmacked to learn of quite a few doorstep conversions

Thread here, if you fancy a look:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/2284414-To-think-that-nobody-EVER-changed-their-religious-beliefs-thanks-to-a-door-step-caller

One of my relatives invited them round.
This was over 20 years ago. I was super surprised at the time!

Club

Hope you don't mind, I have PMd you

Counselling from JW Elders. Is that called a bollocking in plain language ?

When I moved into a new area 3 years ago one of the first visitors I had was a lovely JW lady, really sweet and comes knocking on her own now (used to come in twos, met her daughter and husband, very grumpy looking ).

She knows I'm Catholic and doesn't seem to be trying to covert me, I speak to her when out and about (cannot believe how rude people are to her, shes a bloody human too!) and once every couple of months she drops a booklet round and asks about the family, says hi to my kids and we have a ten minute general chat, non religious.

I personally really like her.

I've never had a JW or anyone else spreading the gospel knock on the door. My next door neighbour was raised a JW. Her family are still practising and I do see them knocking doors but they have never knocked at mine. Maybe she told them we attend a C of E church.

I try to answer the door to JW wrapped in towel. It works a treat. They disperse very quickly.

There is a really insightful YouTube channel.
'six screens of the watchtower '
I hope it is still there.
Ex elders l believe.

My neighbour hangs pagan symbols on her house. They never even bother to knock.

They don't believe they will get 'into' heaven if they do it, that part isn't true. They do believe that only 144,000 will get into heaven but these people are born with the knowledge that they are one of the chosen number. They do it because they believe that it's their duty to spread the word. There's a passage in the bible, I can't remember where, which says something about spreading the good news from door to door (not word for word) and that's why they do it.

I just have a sign on the door - cost £1 from ebay.
"No cold callers , religious groups, I dont buy things on the doors
step"
No one ever knocks anymore.

They have to do it. They are religiously obliged to do it. It's part of being a JW, it's part of their religious duty.

I know people have scoffed at the ISIS thing, but it is a similar type of brainwashing. They are told this is the truth, sent out to tell it to other people, told that people who disagree with them are evil. So it reinforces every prejudice they have, and also has the advantage that a few loons might join them.

It's not designed to get recruits though, it's designed to reinforce the fears of people who already members by proving to them that so few people are prepared to hear the 'truth'.