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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Religious callers

38 replies

Dazedandconfuzzled · 26/01/2018 16:39

So more of a Was I unreasonable?
I just answered the door, I was expecting someone so I didn't look out to see who it was. And instead of my friend I was greeted by an elderly man who thrust a leaflet at me. I took it and then he started talking about how he was from a local church and talking about Jesus and God. I'm not religious so I started to try and tell him I wasn't interested but he just kept talking over me.
My 2yr old then wondered over and he turned his attention to her telling her about Jesus. I finally said "look we are not religious and I'd rather you didn't talk to my dd" he then looked at my pregnant belly and said "hopefully you will bring both of your children under God's gaze before it's too late"! I slammed the door in his face at that point. He then stood outside for 5 mins until my neighbour pulled up.
So was I unreasonable to react to I did?

OP posts:

Canwejustrelaxnow · 26/01/2018 16:42

Of course not. You stood there for longer than I would have. Tell him to spread his bile elsewhere.

GreatDuckCookery6211 · 26/01/2018 16:45

Sorry I'm interested and close the door works for me.

TallulahBetty · 26/01/2018 16:45

You werw unreasonable to not have closed the door on him when he carried on after you first told him you weren't interested! Rude sod

Tainbri · 26/01/2018 16:50

YANU. You didn't ask him to come to your home and spout on about something you told him you're not interested in and what he said to you was completely inappropriate as he didn't take no for an answer. I don't think you if a choice but to slam the door on him by the sounds of things!

CycleHire · 26/01/2018 16:51

I generally don’t have a problem with religious callers - they are usually polite and I am polite in return and they leave quickly and without fuss. This man was rude and pushy and in response I think you acted reasonably. Why was he standing outside for 5 minutes??? Did he think you’d come to God in that time?

Original poster

Dazedandconfuzzled · 26/01/2018 16:54

Normally I'm quite polite and usually they just leave when I say not interested. But he just wouldn't listen to me. The church he comes from is a good 30/45 mins away across a bridge in another county. I would have shut the door sooner but I was trying to get my dd out of the way so it didn't hit her.

OP posts:

taskmaster · 26/01/2018 17:03

yes. I just say no thank you but you have a good day, smile and close the door. No need for any fuss.

specialsubject · 26/01/2018 17:09

With that last comment he lost all right to any respect, so telling him that he is evil and intolerant would have been quite OK. Or a bucket of water over the head - never one handy, is there?

LadyBunnysWig · 26/01/2018 17:11

Go fourth and spread the word refers to actions imo. I believe but I don't go round shouting about it. To me, the 'word' is love, so I spread that.

mumonashoestring · 26/01/2018 17:14

You were a lot more patient than I would have been! One of our local evangelical churches has started 'fishing' for sympathetic listeners by sending a young woman or a couple of very sweet looking elderly women to knock on the door and start the speil. If the householder shows the slightest inclination to listen the pastor scuttles up to take over and bend their ear. Weasels.

Valerrie · 26/01/2018 17:17

They're quite persistent where I live. I've told them I'm an atheist so many times but they've still knocked. I put up a "Disabled person don't knock" sign but when they still knocked, I ended up losing patience and I told them I was a witch and I had cursed them (waved my hands a little).

They haven't called again.

ElephantsYeah · 26/01/2018 17:21

I accidentally thanked some Jehovah witnesses the other day for giving me the watchtower.

Bananalanacake · 26/01/2018 17:26

I live in Germany where I get the Jehovah's witnesses once a year. I recently stayed in the UK for a week. My dp saw out of the window a group of people gping to all the houses and leaving again. I was practically rubbing my hands with glee at the thought of a good taunt session and was delighted to answer the door. I go for the "play dumb" technique.

They were trying to interest me in a book, called "the bible".
What's it about. I asked. Can I buy it from Amazon. What is the ISBN. What is the name of the author? They told me it was written by 40 men!
"Men? Why weren't women allowed to write this book. As a feminist I find that sexist "
They said they'd come back in 2 weeks. Ha. I was back in Germany by then.

Stoptherideiwannagetoff · 26/01/2018 17:30

Ooh I love tying the Joeys up in knots everyone else gets a curt no thank you and a door in their face. How dare he say that in front of your children... hardly the message he was trying to convey!

EggsonHeads · 26/01/2018 17:58

Nope. I would have slammed it in his face as soon as I realised that he wasn't going to listen to me. In future the STFU rainbow may help. You open your palm facing the person you are talking to and sweep it across your body in an arc while you say "No. You don't understand." 90% of the time the person you are talking to will shut up immediately. 30% of the time they will be dumb struck and they won't start talking until you have stopped.

Sparklesocks · 26/01/2018 18:02

Once two religious doorsteppers told me they would be happy to come to my house and pray with me whenever I wanted (um no thanks) and started telling me all the great things their church do etc..

As I was firmly and politely closing the door they asked me if I was married, I told them it was none of their business but I lived here with my DP. They looked shocked!

Them: you live with your partner but aren’t married?
Me: yes
Them: oh, right. ok. Goodbye.

Weirdly a few days later I got a leaflet through the door saying we were living in sin and would burn for eternity in hell unless we repented. It had weird pictures of Satan and the fires of hell on it with people screaming.

Weirdly enough, didn’t take them up on their offer for a prayer circle..

Duchessgummybuns · 26/01/2018 18:06

A Jehovah’s Witness once told me they might be able to help with my negative attitude better women than you have tried love!

whippetwoman · 26/01/2018 18:09

That leaflet sounds awesome sparklesocks

We never get anyone religious round our way which is a shame as I love a good debate.

Clawdy · 26/01/2018 18:15

It's best just to say firmly "No, thanks" and shut the door. My cousin was a Jehovah's Witness, and she always said that was the one thing they really didn't want. She said having someone rant at you or argue was preferable, because at least they were connecting!

RaspberyRippleCrisps · 26/01/2018 18:18

I would have closed the door on him the moment he started talking over me.

Idontdowindows · 26/01/2018 18:22

I used to keep a couple of concrete frogs by the front door and if the religious types came knocking I'd point at them and say "that's what happens to people who bring their religious harassment to my house, you want to be next?".

Every denomination only knocked once.

TheQueenOfWands · 26/01/2018 18:25

They've been brainwashed. It's really, really sad.

I try to take pity on them rather than just slam the door but trying to brainwash my child would be like a red rag to a bull for me.

GoldenWondering · 26/01/2018 18:30

This reply has been withdrawn

Message from MNHQ: This post has been withdrawn

Bellamuerte · 26/01/2018 18:35

If you admit to being atheist they regard it as their duty to convert you. In fact some religions actually require them to preach to those who need to be brought to God. It's better to say you already have a strong religious background e.g. Catholic or Jewish. Then they give up and leave you alone. I am always polite though; it isn't their fault they've been brainwashed, they genuinely believe they're doing you a favour.

MollyCule · 26/01/2018 18:39

YANBU. I had a similar experience recently and quickly said "sorry, not interested", politely but firmly. However I couldn't just close the door as this (rather large) elderly man was leaning right into my hallway. I eventually got rid of them but if it happens again I will be telling them to get the hell off my property asap.

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