To ‘be out’ when the Jehovah’s witnesses come back

[Lauriepop95]

As a background sort of story, I’m a super anxious person, I people please constantly and it is something I’m trying to change in the new year. There was a thread on here a few months ago about times you’ve been too polite to correct someone and therefore ended up with the wrong item (think it was about fish and chips)

Anyway, a month or so ago 2 Jehovah’s witnesses came knocking on my door. I was going out at the time and they could see this, they were really lovely ladies. They said they’ll come back another time and I said yep okay as I was trying to get DD out of the door and all the bags etc

Didn’t think anything of it

Well yesterday I got a knock at the door, it was the two JW. They handed me a leaflet and started explaining it, it was extremely windy and cold and I couldn’t hear what she was saying with the wind so loud. So I said they could come into my hallway. They were there about 10 minutes and I explained I wasn’t religious at all and I wasn’t really interested in learning about it.

They didn’t take no for an answer and started prying as to why I didn’t want to. After a while one of them said they will be in the area on Monday afternoon so will pop back for a longer chat.

I said I’m out Monday and I work 9-5 weekdays so sorry I can’t. She said “well I can come tomorrow evening I suppose! I couldn’t think of an excuse quick enough.

I feel that they wouldn’t take my “not interested” as an answer and I need to be a hell of a lot more assertive. But I really really struggle with this.

My only other option is to go out with DD for the evening (go to my mums or something) but then that’ll only be a temporary fix as they’ll come back another day.

How can I politely buy firmly get them to leave me alone? I have already told them I’m not interested and they are still coming. I feel incredibly uncomfortable at the thought of telling them sternly to leave me alone but I may have to suck it up and do it.

AIBU to just hide if I see them coming?

Anyone have any stories about encounters with JW?

I’d just put a no cold callers sign on my door and ignore if they knock They will ignore no cold callers sign because a) sometimes they don't see them and b) some of them think they are not cold callers. Just ask to be put down as a do not call.

Don't answer the door. If you struggle to say no.
I've my own faith and I remember them coming every Saturday. I just stopped answering the door. They could see me but I still didn't answer. Haven't seen them in about 2 years. They aren't respecting your choices.

Simple!

I've always been told that the magic words are to ask them to take you off the visit list. But I've never been visited by them so I don't know for sure. I think ignoring the door would work just as well. I'm not a JW but I am a Christian and aggressive evangelism really annoys me, why does anyone think it would be successful?!

I just tell them I belong to the local evangelist church and have no plans to change (a little white lie - I attended as a child - sorry God). Job done. No need for nastiness.

The general vitriol against JWs seems off - would we openly mock the faith/ideas of Catholics/muslims/Buddhist’s who knocked at our door?..

Tell them your husband is a muslim and wouldn't approve of people trying to convert you to religions other than the religions of Abraham. It might work!

Probably if they didn’t fuck off when politely told ‘no thank you’

The problem is not the JW but your anxiety about how you appear to other people. That's generally what people pleasing is about.
You matter as much as the next woman. What you want, what you believe is just as valid as anybody else Don't let them or anyone who is pushing you get the upper hand by replying to their questions.

" Are you a Christian?'
The people please answers the question. The non people pleaser says That's my business. Its about closing the discussion not engaging in it.

She always says to me that the younger generation are so lovely and polite when they say they are not interested - it's the middle -aged people who are incredibly aggressive and rude.

Maybe because they have spent years being polite and they still keep coming back!

Maybe because they have spent years being polite and they still keep coming back! For me I get really annoyed with any religious nonsense - I had Catholicism forced on me while growing up and I am very intolerant of anyone evangelising towards me - my MIL despsite being JW completely respects my views. She's a lovely old lady - who doesn't enjoy going to the doors but feels compelled to - it's her duty.

The only time JWs have knocked on my door I said that their stance on blood transfusion was evil, they were going to hell and never to come back. They left. Rapidly.

Do what I do sorry in off for another blood transfusion. They don't believe in them. Normally works for me

Do what I do sorry in off for another blood transfusion. They don't believe in them. Normally works for me This is another weird one - I had a blood transfusion - 9 pints, so you know, not a subtle event, MIL (JW) was very supportive - naturally I didn't expect her to say - "I'd have done the same thing" but she didn't berate me either - she said it was my choice that is all and she was there to help me recover.

I had this. I wrote to their Hall and said I really didn’t want to convert but thanked them for the info. They stopped for about a year but they don’t seem to take it into consideration when they did their new year rounds.

They really are very intent on conversion so there’s no point in engaging if you don’t want to convert

I find that a firm statement of 'get off my property' does it. Followed if appropriate by 'why isn't that child in school?'

evil cult.