Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ignore people on the street preaching

47 replies

Purplecrocsrock · 22/09/2018 13:21

Went to the shop this morning with DD in the pram, and two doors away from my house I was approached my 2 Jehovahs Witnesses, who wouldn't stop talking and telling me Jesus loves me but I will go to hell if I don't read the bible.
I tried to stop rhe convosation and walk away, but they followed!!
Reached the next street, and there were more groups of twos knocking on people's doors- would i be rude to just say no thanks and carry on walking!

OP posts:
havingabadhairday · 22/09/2018 13:22

No. It's what I do. I'm polite but firm and they've always backed off.

mickeymacca · 22/09/2018 13:22

JWs don't believe in hell so you've either embellished your story or... Well not sure what other option there is....

Chickychoccyegg · 22/09/2018 13:23

just say no thanks, and keep walking, they're the rude ones following people along, pushing their views on others

JorahsMistress · 22/09/2018 13:25

@mickeymacca op could have got them confused with mormons, as both groups go round in twos often dressed in smart clothing

Thatstheendofmytether · 22/09/2018 13:26

Well I don't think they told you you would go to hell, if they did I doubt they are JW.

TeddybearBaby · 22/09/2018 13:29

I always say thank you but I already have faith, I’m catholic. That usually puts a disgusted look on their face and they can’t wait to get away from me. Fine by me haha

Thingsdogetbetter · 22/09/2018 13:29

I live near a mormon church. Get stopped lots on the street and they come to the door regularly. I tell them god's a myth so not interested. They usually go away rather quickly after that. Think they're afraid my atheism will rub off on them and they too will go to 'hell'.

Dh is slight less polite with "fuck off you god squad freaks". That works too. Lol

Thatstheendofmytether · 22/09/2018 13:30

I used to have an old man that came round to the doors with extractions from the bible hand them out and then want to discuss what your thoughts were. I went along with it because I didn't want to be rude as he was very old, he had to have a chaperone. It was extremely annoying though and got to the point where we would check out the window before answering. I do not have any belief in a god but I just didn't have the heart to tell him that.

Thesearmsofmine · 22/09/2018 13:33

You have to say a firm no, I’m not interested. Works with chuggers too.

Original poster
Purplecrocsrock · 22/09/2018 13:47

The leaflet had 'JW' on it so i assumed jehovah witnesses. Why would I make it up, not very pleasant

OP posts:
Oysterbabe · 22/09/2018 13:49

That really doesn't sound like Jehovas Witnesses, I've always found them to be very polite.

keepingbees · 22/09/2018 13:49

Yanbu these people are a nuisance. I'm all for anyone believing what they want to believe. I don't think they should force it on other people.
We get them round our street occasionally and I don't answer the door to them.

Rebecca36 · 22/09/2018 13:51

mickeymacca is quite right that JWs do not preach Hellfire. Their belief is that they are chosen ones and those who do not accept the teachings will just cease to exist on the day of judgement, no eternal conscious torment.

I've never come across JWs who persist if you are not interested. They're generally very courteous.

underneaththeash · 22/09/2018 13:53

I think its quite useful to bump into a few sometimes as you can remind the children to always give them a wide birth and to generally chat about cults and how it can be quite easy to get sucked into something without fully understanding what you're getting yourself into.

LollyPopsApple · 22/09/2018 14:02

YANBU. It’s actually very rude to try and force your beliefs on others unprompted, so they’re being the rude ones. Ignore away

Theknacktoflying · 22/09/2018 14:03

It is not scientology - there are no back door recruitment tactics .... they just are of the belief that they need to preach their truth/take on the Bible ...

A polite no thanks is all that is required ...

Celebelly · 22/09/2018 14:12

I've got a lot more bolshy about just saying 'No thanks, I'm not interested' when 10 years ago I would have ended up listening for ages as I was too much of a wuss to say no in any forceful way.

No one ever knocks our door though as I'm always up for a doorstep theological discussion! I think the dog barking as they come up the drive scares them away...

vampirethriller · 22/09/2018 14:16

Just say no and walk away. The Jehovah's witnesses here don't say anything, though, they just stand holding leaflets.

CardsforKittens · 22/09/2018 14:28

I just say, "No thanks." If they persist I tend to get flippant and say something about how God told me she's fed up with people misrepresenting her. Or that I'm not ready to renounce satan. Or that I'm reinstituting the cult of Ba'al. I don't have a problem with street preaching if the message is about God's love, but I think trying to instil fear of eternal damnation is unethical.

CaoNiMa · 22/09/2018 14:35

I find them quite interesting. My religion is the exact opposite in terms of recruiting.

I still don't give them the time of day though!

NothingOnTellyAgain · 22/09/2018 14:39

I went out the other day to do some gardening to find two young earnest religious doorknockers engaged in conversation with my incredibly religious next door neighbour.

I earwigged a bit and he was asking them some very probing questions and being very intense and they were doing their best with him.

After 20 mins I came in and when I went up the shops he still had them there answering complex theological questions and expanding on their own personal relationships with our saviour Grin

Poloshot · 22/09/2018 14:43

Tell them to fuck off, or if the kids are there just blank them

Scienceforthewin · 22/09/2018 14:50

For the record, I've had one A-hole Jehovah's Witness, wouldn't accept my "sorry not interested", stuck his hand on the door to try and stop me closing it. Didn't work, but tbh it left me shaking. He was really forceful and argumentative. Just wanted to balance out all the "I never had problems with JWs" - he is the only one I've had like that, but they exist.

BE18mum · 22/09/2018 14:54

If it’s Jehovah’s Witnesses tell them you’re on your way to give blood - my DH did and it worked a treat.

EnthusiasmIsDisturbed · 22/09/2018 14:56

YANBU

In the last year I have seen a growing number of street preachers. Some stand around a notice board that has a god is great message on (I quickly divert my eyes as I don’t want them to catch me) handing out booklets

They are always very smartly dressed, often young in their early 20s

Ones I have come across are polite I pretend I’m chatting on my phone and look concerned so they know my conversation is serious and can’t be interrupted