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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Jehovah's Witnesses trying to convert vulnerable people

102 replies

nobodyknowsimhere · 13/10/2015 21:07

First AIBU and I'm aware I've potentially chosen a hot topic, so I'm bracing myself.....

I work in a residential project for vulnerable women and their children. We get a lot of donations from local individuals and groups, some of them religious, some not. Occasionally they come with cards saying 'happy Easter/Christmas whatever from x congregation'. I'm not a fan of organised religion or religious charities but whatever, it has no impact on the women and children concerned so it doesn't bother me.

What did bother me, though, was when the Jehovah's Witnesses rocked up the other day wanting to leave copies of the Watch Tower in our foyer for people to pick up. My colleague was the one who saw them and didn't realise they were leaving religious tracts, which they described as 'magazines'. We're we being unreasonable to chuck the, straight in the bin once I showed up and explained what they were, and would I be unreasonable to call them up and ask them not to come again?

OP posts:
mileend2bermondsey · 13/10/2015 23:29

Thats an interesting way of thinking about it hopeful

GruntledOne · 13/10/2015 23:44

Not only are you not unreasonable, you have a positive duty to throw out their tracts. And I'm afraid people on here who think the nice JWs who keep coming for chats are not trying to convert them are deluding themselves.

HopefulAnxiety · 13/10/2015 23:48

By the way I am always polite to random JWs I may encounter, but it is definitely not unreasonable to throw out their materials. And they are always trying to convert.

NuggetofPurestGreen · 13/10/2015 23:53

"Medical issues
Restricted education (especially for girls)
Mysogeny
Covering up sex abuse"
^^
Lila I'm not sure the Catholics are in any position to throw stones about the above either! Especially the last one.

BrideOfWankenstein · 14/10/2015 00:03

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celtictoast · 14/10/2015 00:03

There are many examples of the above list which have nothing to do with religion though.

BuggersMuddle · 14/10/2015 00:21

Never seen a modern Catholic try to restrict education for girls.

Even medical issues. They're conservative for sure, but the thing with the Catholic church is that...well, a lot of members kind of nod and smile at the hierarchy and do their own thing. Within reason, the church allows them to do that.

I'm sounding awfully much like a Catholic church apologist here and I'm really not. There have been some appalling scandals in the Catholic church in recent years and the position on BC in Africa is awful, but by and large in the UK level of participation and adherence is optional - which is IMO they diverge from JW (and others wee free, brethren to name a couple not yet mentioned).

StarkyTheDirewolf · 14/10/2015 01:05

I went out with a JW boy when I was 17-19, it was expected that we would get married (this was talked about from the first time I met his parents about 6 weeks into the relationship.) It came to a crescendo when it was made abundantly clear that if he did in fact choose to stay as my bf, and we got married, that the choice was either he would be disfellowshipped (shunned by his family, friends, everyone he had grown up with who was a whitness.) Or I converted and would be expected to never speak to my family, friends etc ever again. To add to this, I suposably wasn't "pure". When he chose to stop attending services at 18 he was told to find another place to live, that they his parents would speak to him over the phone, but they wouldn't allow " our wickedness" to taint his younger brothers and sisters. He came to live with my family for a while and eventually got a flat of his own and we drifted apart. JW is a cult, they do actively prey on the vulnerable and use tactics to drag unsuspecting individuals into a scary life. Yanbu.

RussianTea · 14/10/2015 01:24

Any 'religion' which demands members sever contact with relatives who leave the 'religion' sets of alarm bells to me (JW, Scientology and others)

BumWad · 14/10/2015 03:19

Would you have thrown a load of bibles if they had left them?

Sansoora · 14/10/2015 03:31

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pineappleshortbread · 14/10/2015 05:46

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Spartans · 14/10/2015 05:59

I was brought up Catholic and had a catholic education and chose to go to a catholic sixth form. I studied theology at A-level and it put my right off any organised religion in any shape or form.

However the JW that come to our door are lovely, they drop their leaflets we have a chat about our day so far. They know full well that I don't like organised religion. There is never any pressure to covert etc. So I don't mind.

I did used to live 2 doors down from the local Kingdom Hall and the ones that came round then we're very pushy. I made it clear I didn't want them on my doorstep.

Religion is an odd things for me because I reject it. But I don't reject other people based on it. One of my best friends is a catholic priest. We know each others point of view and respect it.

I know mums church has done a lot to help people escape DV and help them. But I do get concerned that these people are vulnerable.

Discogeek · 14/10/2015 06:33

I used to work in a residential setting for very vulnerable people and we regularly had JW's coming and dropping off some magazines. I always threw them in the bin and the JW's were politely requested not to come again. Although they always came back.

People were very vulnerable and unless they seek out the services of JW's themselves they shouldn't have literature forced on them.

Settings such as this are not appropriate places for religions to come collecting members. The JW's are not coming to support and help people during difficult times or to support the charities doing their work but to convert people who are vulnerable.

NoArmaniNoPunani · 14/10/2015 07:00

Why do people take their leaflets if they aren't interested?

mollie123 · 14/10/2015 07:05

"Medical issues
Restricted education (especially for girls)
Mysogeny
Covering up sex abuse"

^^
could be any religion

SoupDragon · 14/10/2015 07:08

Get off your high horse and dont take offence to an analogy.

I believe she actually took offence to an offensive statement. Perhaps you and the person who posted it need to educate yourselves.

fastdaytears · 14/10/2015 07:13

could be any religion

I'm not religious at all but have spent plenty of time around the C of E and I've never seen anyone suggest a child would be better off dead than receiving a blood transfusion. Misogyny and Child Abuse I will give you but medical and educational restrictions? That's pretty specific.

Bearsinmotion · 14/10/2015 07:17

I am a wheelchair user and was frequently accosted by JWs when I lived in London. I remember once being approached in McD's and a man with a small boy noticing me and trying to get my attention. I could see a copy of Watchtower and deliberately ignored him. I got my order before him and went to leave, he literally ran after me and chased me about 100 yards (leaving the boy behind!) to shove it in my face.

I'm lucky - my condition is not life limiting and rarely painful. But I can imagine for others being accosted in the street or on public transport to be told a medical condition that could kill you and makes your life hell, that the best scientific minds are trying to cure and currently failing, will be helped by this total stranger with no idea about your condition... They can Fuck right off!

mollie123 · 14/10/2015 07:19

OK - could be any extreme religion - IMO

Shutthatdoor · 14/10/2015 07:23

Get off your high horse and dont take offence to an analogy.

It is an offensive statement!

fastdaytears · 14/10/2015 07:34

mollie that's the point that the OP is making originally. She doesn't worry about having a local congregation from a mainstream religion sending biscuits but thinks the JW are different.

echt · 14/10/2015 07:35

Taking offence doesn't make it offensive.

Sansoora, who says she has a son with Tourette's Syndrome, appears to take it as read that she needs explain no further, while requiring an explanation from Bride.

The offence has not been explained.

Alfieisnoisy · 14/10/2015 07:36

Another with nice JW who comes to call here. She knows my views and I know hers.
I treat her like a decent human being, am civil and take her leaflets.

Incidentally inside the Watchtower is a second magazine which is usually interesting. Short articles on nature etc but still has some religious links in it.

Likewise a good friend of mine is a Catholic priest (although you'd never know it) and is very clear about supporting people during vulnerable times rather than converting them to full on religion. He gets people to donate several times a year towards the women's refuge. People donate toys, toiletries etc.
They go to the refuge with a covering letter from the church to the manager saying they've been donated but nothing is added to the gifts about the church.

I wouldn't have bothered to throw the Watchtower out as people tend to ignore them anyway. Then again am. It sure it belongs in a hostel.

AuntieStella · 14/10/2015 07:41

I really don't think JWs specifically target the vulnerable.

They target everyone as proselytising is a feature of their denomination. And they would see it as wrong to omit anyone.

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