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 was brought up a catholic so I am pretty knowledgeable about the bible.
When the JW’s visit me I like to engage them in rigorous debate. I make them a brew, accept their leaflet and off they go.
Just be honest and ask them to stop calling at your house. They’re not going to bite you but you have to be direct.

Or you could stop being weird and just tell them you're not interested.

OP do you have any tattoos, have you ever given blood or had a blood transfusion? These are all big no-one's for JW, even if you haven't tell them you have they will leave you alone.

The mistake people make is not wanting to seem "rude"
Don't be outrageously rude, obviously.
But who cares if they know you are at home and you don't answer the door? They won't care and will move on to the next person.

It's like charity chuggers in the street- people don't want to appear rude, so they stop to make excuses. Just keep walking and ignore them. They won't care.

The problem is that by inviting them in and engaging, you’ve given them the impression that you want to talk to them.
You say ‘I’m busy’ they hear ‘I’m busy now, please come back’.

You don’t need a clever and amusing excuse. You’re not interested is a legitimate reason to not talk further.

Give them a polite ‘I’m not interested, thank you’, close the door and carry on with your day.

This is a good start to of the non people pleasing you!

They are as bad as Lib Dem canvassers.

Tell them to fuck off, don’t hide

But none of this happens

It most certainly does.

I live in perhaps the most Catholic bit of Scotland, around 40% of the population here are Catholic and telling JWs you are Catholic really does send them packing, and I have seen my grannie argue with them with my own eyes, albeit this was some time back as she died in 1996.

Just because your friends haven't personally experienced such things doesn't mean they don't happen.

Tell them you’ve seen The Book of Mormon in the West End and especially liked the bit where the suppressed gay JW dreamt he went to hell and sucked Adolf Hitler’s cock.

Ring the Kingdom Hall and tell them to put your name on the Do Not Call list. It exists (the man you probably didn't notice supervising them from the street will have a copy on him).

It is quite unkind being mean to the women. JW is a cult based on misogyny and they are abuse victims whose role is to serve the men. When people are rude to them on the doorstep, it allows the men to reinforce their position as being there to protect the women (i.e. make decisions for them).

@ManonBlackbeak I am Catholic and have told them this. Still they persist.

You can buy a sticker for your door/window which pretty much says no cold callers are to knock on your door. I've had one knock since I put it up, pretty much pointed out the sticker and then closed the door.

Example. Amazon has loads or variety.

What you need, OP, is one of these...

www.amazon.co.uk/Callers-Calling-Window-Adhesive-Sticker/dp/B01M27MYWB/ref=asc_df_B01M27MYWB/?hvlocphy=1007064&linkCode=df0&hvptwo&psc=1&hvnetw=g&hvadid=309941771417&hvpone&hvlocint&hvpos=1o1&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl&hvqmt&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&hvtargid=pla-699281981694&hvrand=5199027454118439959

Stuck one to our door three years ago and we've had nothing but peace since.

I am also Catholic. Usually I answer the door with a cheery ‘Ah, we’re Catholic, and we’re happy with the God we’re with at the moment, thanks!’ Then shut the door. This has happened twice in the 10 years we’ve lived here. DP unfortunately is an atheist and likes to get into a debate while they’re stood on the doorstep. If I’m feeling kind I usually intervene and give them the chance to get away. Also only happened a couple of times in the last decade.

I didn’t realise the Catholic thing was an actual thing though.

Draw your curtains so they can't see in and leave a note on your door saying you're not interested, not to call again and that you've contacted the local Kingdom Hall to remove yourself from the list.

Then email them to get yourself off the list.

That sticker looks good so maybe get one of those as well.

This shouldn’t be allowed!!

I’m all for choice and if people want to believe in a god then that’s up to them..... but to go knocking on people doors to preach is bang out of order. That oversteps the mark so much that it should be made somewhat of a public offence, breach of the peace or something similar.

Bang out of order to try and shove your beliefs down other folks necks when they’re at home relaxing!!

Had a visit from Mormons ages ago. Lovely sunny summer day, I was in the garden. Told them I wasn't interested but took pity on them as they were in suits on a warm day so offered them a cold drink. Sat out for a while chatting. They talked of their home and missing family etc. They were quite a nice couple of lads, would have considered letting them get to know my girls, if they weren't Mormons and the girls weren't about four at the time.

In my experience Mormons are much less pushy than JWs and usually very young and far from home. I get the urge to 'mother' them too.

Just go about your business. Actively let them see you are in but not answering. Ignore the waves, the polite taps on the window... act like you don’t even see them. They’ll go away eventually.

I tell persistent ones that my dd has had 3 blood transfusions, and they would have rather seen her dead than alive, and for that reason we will never agree.

Last time we had one knock at the door, it was a woman with a little girl of about 10, on a bitterly cold day. I felt so sorry for the child. Just said ‘It’s a cold day for you to be out so I’ll stop you there - it’s not for us, thanks’. Haven’t seen them since, and I’m a SAHM so would get ‘got’ if they were going around.

You’re perfectly within your rights to politely say ‘No thanks, not for me’ and close the door - no need to slam or anything. You don’t owe them anything beyond the basic courtesy we all owe one another, op.

Perhaps you could borrow Birdie badge and get them to sort it out.
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/3798666-My-child-has-a-badge-that-sees-ghosts

I once told them my kids wouldn't have a mother if I was a jw as I'd had numerous blood transfusions in emergency situations that saved my life and would accept a blood transfusion again if it meant it would save my life - they quickly made their excuses and left never to be seen again think I may be on their blacklist - which I'm not complaining about😂

It doesn't matter whether they can see you in your house or not, you still don't have to answer the door.

Agree with pp, next time you get a different lot, either ignore or say you're Catholic. Seems to work!

I have had a run in with some today. I always asked not to knock and they said would write it down on a list. Long story why i dont like the religion but i lived next door to some who always tried to preach it and told me when fanily member died that wld have helped her not dying if joined!! Not knocked for years but today a man knocked asking if i reconsider. He knew i was on list. I told him no etc and angry he knocked. Going to find a number to complain monday for local church.