Page 3 | Jehovah's Witnesses

DisappointedOne · 2015-12-25T10:50:12+00:00

Our local JWs have a habit of knocking on doors on Xmas day. (We don't actually celebrate anything on Xmas day so have plenty of time to engage them in a scientific --argument-- conversation that can potentially last for hours.) I'm happy for anyone to believe anything they like, but don't come pushing it on my doorstep. Not sure how friendly a welcome they get at other houses. TABU, aren't they?

notquitehuman · 25/12/2015 19:17

They don't just knock on doors. I have to walk through the local park to get to the train station and have been apprehended by little old JW ladies while running for my train. It's so awkward. The Mormons also canvas in town and are too bloody smiley when I try to push past them.

BeautyQueenFromMars · 25/12/2015 19:55

A lot of the JWs I know go door knocking on Christmas day. They go a little later than usual - mid morning rather than early, so as not to interrupt gift unwrapping. They feel that they'll get a better reception on this day because

A) People are generally in a fairly good mood, and/or
B) It's a religious celebration, so people are likely to be more willing to have a religious/bible-based/Jesus-focused discussion.

I think it's rude, and have always thought that Christmas day is the one day people should be left in peace.

TartanBirdFeeder · 25/12/2015 20:03

The three JW families that I know don't go knocking on doors on any bank holidays, they consider it to be very rude to do it on Xmas day.

whatiswrongwithyou · 25/12/2015 20:42

My old neighbours were JW's. They were incredibly kind, helpful and wouldn't have dreamed of forcing their beliefs on me. Although there was many an interesting conversation about their faith, a mutual respect for each other ensured that it never came in the way of our relationship.

JustRosieHere · 25/12/2015 21:21

I used to get them all the time, never Xmas day though! Not had them for a while but they do park around my house and opposite the drive making it a pain to back off the drive. I must have annoyed them.

I don't understand why anyone wants to convert other people by knocking on their doors and having doorstep discussions. I also don't like anyone turning up to sell me stuff or get me to sign up for a charity. We seem to have them on a weekly basis. Unless you have been invited or have a parcel don't knock on my door.

OnGoldenPond · 25/12/2015 21:35

I used to work with two JWs. They were lovely and never rammed their beliefs down anyone's throats.

Unreasonablebetty · 25/12/2015 21:50

Yes calzone, I consider myself to be a JW, haven't been baptised, but been studying for a long time- think 7ish years, I've taken things v slowly.

I think either my post wasn't written very well, or that a few posters misunderstood, we don't partake in any of celebrations that the world tends to, in example, Halloween, Valentine's Day, Easter, Christmas, birthdays, or even fireworks night, or mothers or Father's Day. Don't think I've missed anything out!

So no, I don't celebrate Halloween, what I said in a previous post was what I would say if I were celebrating Christmas as a hey pal, this is my celebration, don't ruin it for me. How would you like me to turn up at your house and tell you things you don't believe or want to know?

And yes, some of us don't want to go on the ministry, I know a lot of people who dread it. i can see the point to an extent, but if people don't want to know then they don't want to know, I don't want to be a bother to anyone and is quite like to leave people to enjoy their spare time than to tell them about our beliefs that they couldn't give a toss about.

Salmotrutta · 25/12/2015 21:59

Umm, so they haven't yet knocked on your door but you are posting ahead of them doing so?

Why??

Isn't this a non-event?

We live right next door to several JW and they never proselytise on Chriistmas Day

Crazybaglady · 25/12/2015 22:14

When i was a teenager i had a form if bone cancer so was treated on the TCT ward at UCLH. At the time there was a JW family there whose daughter was very very poorly as she wasnt allowed the blood transfusions to helo treat the after effects of the chemotherapy. Every tuesday morning all the parents had a coffee morning in the kitchen. The JW took that opportunity to stand up and explain that all us teenagers who were patients on the ward had cancer because the devil was in them/us.

Unreasonablebetty · 25/12/2015 22:22

Crazybaglady,
Really?
I don't know how long this has been in place, but I do know now that the authorities- not really sure who but can override an adults decision to not accept blood fractions for a minor.

So whether the parent objects or not now, they can override it and give the child any blood products that are helpful to their health.

I know a few people who have had this happen, but haven't ever been close enough to ask for the ins and outs.

Crazybaglady · 25/12/2015 22:30

It was 8, nearly 9 years ago. What if the patient was over 18? You could be between 13-19 there so she may have been 18+! Could she have redused dispite a court order?obviously the nurses couldnt divilge too much information but apparently there was synthetic blood they could give?

Crazybaglady · 25/12/2015 22:31

Sorry for horrific typos- broken keyboard and smashed screen!

Unreasonablebetty · 25/12/2015 22:43

Crazybaglady-
I didn't spot any! I wasn't looking for them though!

No I think it only covers to the age of 18 or a point where they can adequately prove that they have a clear understanding of the decision they are making and are in a position to make that choice on their own merits.... At least from my understanding.
This also may not have been the case then, the few cases I know of are within the past 4 years or so.

Yes there is also synthetic blood, and certain actual parts of blood that can be accepted, it really often depends on the trust that you are under, because sometimes they can be very helpful, other times not so helpful, sadly it all costs money.
Some JWs will also accept dialysis. So there are options available.

SevenOfNineTrue · 25/12/2015 22:47

Don't answer the door. They might knock, who says you have to answer?

Unreasonablebetty · 25/12/2015 22:51

Sorry for being quite vague about actual specifics, last time I read about blood was a few years ago, closer to five. I'd already decided how I felt about blood before this point.... Nothing to do with the faith, just so happens that my mother has a rare illness that she wasn't diagnosed with until her 40s where she could pass it on through blood (there's a 50/50 chance that any child she has may have the same illness)
And she had been giving blood since the age of 18, but the NHS don't routinely check for this illness or indeed many others when taking blood donations which makes me think it's unwise....

dratsea · 26/12/2015 02:57

I used to lead the weekly educational meetings for the surgical department and if let down at the last minute had a couple of standby's: RN video on drowning and JW on treating JW without blood. The local JW minister was a really nice guy, he was happy to come and pray (silently) for us and soon chose not to speak to the meeting but let me talk, show the video and usually came via the supermarket with a breakfast offering. He was happy to talk afterwards with senior trainees about operating on JW patients. I got to operate on many of the local JW (adults and children) as I accepted their views

But to answer op, would you rather ds knocked on the door on Christmas day with your turkey in the oven, he being a "born again" vegan Pastifarian? I am happy to answer the door to anyone on Christmas day but if they want to share something: needs to be a bottle rather than a bible. TBH just glad I was not born in (so many) parts of world where the beliefs of your parents could be a reason for unreasonable behaviour to a child.

Original poster

DisappointedOne · 26/12/2015 10:08

But to answer op, would you rather ds knocked on the door on Christmas day with your turkey in the oven, he being a "born again" vegan Pastifarian? I am happy to answer the door to anyone on Christmas day but if they want to share something: needs to be a bottle rather than a bible. TBH just glad I was not born in (so many) parts of world where the beliefs of your parents could be a reason for unreasonable behaviour to a child.

Sorry, don't get that at all (have you been at the sherry?). I don't have a DS, I'm a vegetarian, we don't celebrate anything on Xmas day (no turkey in the oven), and we acknowledge pastafarianism as a valid religion.

OP posts:

Original poster

DisappointedOne · 26/12/2015 10:09

And who said anything about any children?!

OP posts:

Original poster

DisappointedOne · 26/12/2015 10:12

*Yesterday 21:59 Salmotrutta

Umm, so they haven't yet knocked on your door but you are posting ahead of them doing so?

Why??

Isn't this a non-event? confused

We live right next door to several JW and they never proselytise on Chriistmas Day

This is where reading a bit more than just the OP is a good idea. They had knocked when I posted (which you would have realised had you read the 5 posts that followed my OP).

OP posts:

Crazybaglady · 26/12/2015 10:17

but if they want to share something: needs to be a bottle rather than a bible.

Bunbaker · 26/12/2015 10:21

We very rarely get JW round here and never on Christmas day.

The only JW I have known personally have been lovely, so have the two Mormons I shared a flat with and their Mormon friends. At work we have a large number of Christian Bretheren customers and they are also great people to do business with because they are honest and always pay their bills on time.

In my experience the one thing all these people have in common is their integrity and honesty, even if I might not agree with their beliefs.

awfullyproper · 26/12/2015 12:29

Well, they have just knocked on my (East London) door. Have a copy of Watchtower on my coffee table. They weren't very friendly!!

Justaboy · 26/12/2015 23:49

Actually a young friend of mine is a JW and i can tell you i have had some interesting debates over religion and belief system's with her and another woman i know who is a devout Muslim, equally interesting her position in a western world.

Notrevealingmyidentity · 26/12/2015 23:59

Thankfully we've had none this year.

A sticker on the door from the national blood service usually puts them off.

And ^^
I'd still take the possibility of contracting a disease from donated blood over death.

Since such a thing is rare with receiving blood I'm more than happy to accept donations.

Notrevealingmyidentity · 27/12/2015 00:01

I also can't think of a genetic condition that can be spread through blood either unless I have misunderstood the poster ?