Jehovah's Witnesses

[Dottie39]

They knocked on the door and tried to hand me their magazine. I politely declined, meanwhile my little boy and girl, both under six, have ran to door. JW turns to them and offers them the magazine. I sharply say "No, I have said no" and shut the door. Apparently he told my neighbour I was rude (Neighbour is also JW)
Was I rude? I was actually angry that after saying no he targeted my children, but my neighbour made me feel bad saying he was being friendly and kids wouldn't have understood the magazine anyway.

[JacquesHammer]

I think this thread is rude tbh.
There religion states they have to "spread the word" and they knock maybe twice a year and you have an awkward 30 second conversation usually.
I think people would have a problem if people were saying things like this about any other religion, lots of religions apposed gay marriage and same sex parenting and do other things I don't understand or see a point to but I don't see why you are all bashing JW's for it

Tough shit - there is nothing ruder than someone knocking on your door - uninvited (and ignoring the "no cold callers" sign") under the guise of "saving" my soul.

Presumptuous and totally fucking rude.

[Theweasleytwins]

My nana opened the door to one just as my grandad fell of a ladder in the hall (they had a leak in the roof) the jw rushed in and made sure my grandad was alright, came back later that day and fixed the leak. The jw man comes back every so often for a chat but knows he can't convert them

[SchadenfreudePersonified]

We haven't had them rund since Mr Schadenfreude told tham he didn't have time to talk as he was helping his wife wash her pussy.

(Our cat had been under a car and was covered in oil)

I hardly dared show my face outside for weeks in case anyone had overheard . . .

[BeBeatrix]

Not ok, and the magazines aren't harmless - they're pushing the ideology of a sect.

I've given out religious tracts to people before now (obviously not JW tracts!). We have some Easter and Christmas booklets for children, but I'd always ask the adult's permission before offering one to the child. And, as far as possible, without it being obvious to the child, to make it easier for the parent to say no.

I think you were right to be polite when you said no, initially.
And I think you were reasonable to be angry when they ignored your wishes and tried to hand things to your children.

[TDHManchester]

I only recently learned that a person where i work is a JW. I've known him for quite a few years and he is one of the kindest,affable and decent chaps i could ever hope to meet.

[Coughingchildren5]

I think it is pretty obvious which viewpoint is really rude from this thread!

[MsJudgemental]

I tutor one and the other week she told me I was evil.

[specialsubject]

At least two people on this thread have husbands who are total legends. I am going to see if I can work pussy washing into conversation with these door knocking fools.

[milliemolliemou]

I have JW and Mormons occasionally visiting. Most are deterred by a farm track as are people stumping up for political parties. They are all committed to whatever cause and I respect their dedication. So just taking their literature with a polite smile causes me no harm. If I have the time I have a debate and have talked some of them off the doorstep. I don't know why people feel they are so threatening and why they need to insult them. A bit like charity chuggers - a no suffices.

[specialsubject]

Ah, but what happens to the literature? Recycling costs money.

And the concepts it contains are harmful.

[Ev1lEdna]

I'm of the opinion that touting religion on people's doorsteps is quite rude. I really don't like being 'sold' a belief system. I do think you should be free of that sort of intrusion in your home. I know not everyone will agree but it is one of my pet hates.

[Ev1lEdna]

Just to add I think politely saying 'no thank you' should be enough and they should not have then tried to offer it to your child. I either accept it and say goodbye or say no thank you. I still think selling religion on doorsteps is rude and intrusive.

[x2boys]

i have never found Jehovas Witnesses rude they have come to the house occasionally i smile say no thanks i,m catholic[i am catholic but not practising ] and they say ok and leave.

[Dottie39]

Thanks for the replies. I have no problem with Jehovah's Witnesses generally, live and let live and all that. So when they knock I politely decline and wish them a good day. It was the fact that he then crouched down to my kids and offered them the magazine, I know taking it wouldn't have hurt them but my instinct kicked in and I would say my voice went up a pitch rather than shouted and spoke firmly.

[Lillycat100]

When I was about 15 living at my parents house Two JW knocked on the door . I answered and told them I was C of E expecting them to leave it as that but the bloke continued to try to explain to me that it was the wrong path of Christandy! Looking back it was wrong as I was a teen and also trying to tell me my religion at the time was wrong. The most recent time I answered the door to them their opening line was " how can we end suffering in the world " on a Saturday morning . Now when they knock I don't answer even if it's obvious I'm at home

[Ev1lEdna]

i have never found Jehovas Witnesses rude

Maybe not as individuals, but as I said I find the very act of promoting your religion on other people's doorsteps rude.

As it happens I have a few choice anecdotes about Jehovah's Witnesses in particular but I am aware that these individuals may not represent all of them. Just because a person belongs to a certain faith system doesn't automatically make them a good person.

[nina2b]

OP:

You were not "rude". You had declined and for him to approach your children as he did was rude. I would have been fizzing.

[bigmouthstrikesagain]

Honestly - I think they are the ones that need saving. The JWs made the mistake of knocking on the door of our house when DH was in - he felt it was his duty to let them know that they don't have to target lonely people on their doorsteps that they are misguided and should have a look at themselves and what they are doing. This was a day after an elderly couple had their house broken into while they were there and another elderly woman had been targeted several times by the JWs - coming in and --preaching- talking to her for over an hour. A woman housebound while waiting for an op, not lonely really just bored and already an active member of her local church - but very vulnerable and in her late 80s.

So we are a bit sensitive to strangers at the doorstep at the mo - anyway after hearing dh 'testify' they agreed to take us off the list I have no sympathy at all, they are adults with free will and they have no right to peddle their nonsense at my house. None shall pass.

[UserThenLotsOfNumbers]

This is why I love having a peep hole on my front door!

[rinabean]

JWs are awful. They should go away if you tell them you don't want them to come back though (you don't have to contact the kingdom hall directly) - it's shit that some of them aren't abiding by that. Btw shutting the door angrily doesn't mean 'don't come back', it's very ridiculous, but if you tell them directly it should be fine

Strapping young men helping you clean behind the fridge are mormons not JWs.

Everyone saying it's rude obviously doesn't know anything about JWs though. Tell me how many in your family before you start defending them. They ruined my grandma's entire life and had a decent go at mine and my mum's and we haven't even had to contend with disfellowshipping or anything like that!

PS the average JW doesn't care about your eternal soul, or at least not enough to independently witness. They probably care about it in a generic kind of way. Like I care about a lot of problems in the world but mainly just sit on my arse. My grandma cares for my soul and my husband's but she's always hated witnessing and is quite glad she's old enough and ill enough (and crazy enough) to get out of it. But she can't actually say that in those words. Thinking it is fine because I guess jehovah can't see that. All strict religious people are like this though - they are always looking for loopholes, trying to impress their fellow believers, and ignoring the whole 'god knows everything you think' part. They're not better, purer, more selfless people than you are haha! If you believe in eg educating girls, sanitation, feeding the hungry they really don't believe in witnessing/whatever their religion demands any more strongly than you believe in that. Yeah some people are super serious about it. Some hardly think about it unprompted. Most are in between just like most people who... want to end fox hunting, or literally anything.

[Cutesbabasmummy]

Last time I said we were Jewish and shut the door. Before I have quoted chunks of the bible at them (legacy of my Catholic education) and that I've converted to Islam. They appeared to be scared of any other form of religion and couldn't leave quick enough! No, YANBU!

[LittleMissCrappy]

I always have a chat with them. I am polite and kind with anyone of any faith, or no faith at all. I tell them I am not interesting in their faith, say thank you and have a nice day. Big deal. I don't understand why people are rude to them. JW are people. I wouldn't be rude to a person of any other faith, either on the street or on my doorstep so why would I be rude to them?

[JacquesHammer]

It depends what you define as rude. I open the door. See what they're doing. Say a terse "no thanks" and shut the door.

They are being abominably rude disturbing me uninvited.

[caoraich]

I don't think you were rude. We have this problem round here too- I've posted asking about how to make them stop coming before! Still visiting despite phoning their hall thing.

The worst thing is when they bring a child with them to actually hand over the pamphlet. Obviously I'm not going to be anything but nice and polite to a six year old.

My dad works for SNBTS so he got me a big car sticker that says "please give blood". It's in my front window and I'm waiting to see whether it's effective!

[JayoftheRed]

I once opened the door to them, nice sunny Saturday, about 10am, to find a boy of about 12 and a little girl of about 3, dressed in their Sunday best (suit and tie and party dress with sash, respectively). The boy offered me a Watchtower, he was shaking with nerves. I took it, smiled at hi and said thank you, and then called to the adults (presumably parents but I don't know) who were waiting on the pavement that they should be ashamed of themselves, getting kids to do this. If they want to push their religion, then fine. But don't get little kids to do it. The boy should have been playing Xbox or football, and whatever, not traipsing the streets on a Saturday morning in a suit and tie. They didn't say anything but they've not been back.

I don't really have an issue with them, it's in their doctrine to share the news, and in general, I just say no thank you and then they leave, but that really annoyed me.