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?

The last time ours came round I said I was a bit busy.... And sent them to my BILs house instead 😂

I was staying at a friend's house once when some knocked at his door. He told them we worshiped Satan. They said their goodbyes quickly and backed away. It may sound juvenile, but we were only 17.

A friend of mine who was raised JW told me that being polite but firm “no thank you we are not interested” should be enough. And never take the leaflets. She posted on fb about it because she was fed up at people thinking being rude and aggressive to JW was fair game. She’s right, it’s not. I’ve never felt the need to be nasty to anyone and none of them have ever bothered me again. They are pushy you just need to push back just as firmly.

No need for the “hilarious” comments about being off to donate blood or being into devil worship. Just say no thank you not interested.

I’ve been very non-confrontational in the past (have largely improved) but never had a problem with telling pests of any stripe - JW’s, save them whales, etc “no thank you” and closing the door. It’s your home, you don’t have to make up excuses. You also don’t have to answer the door if you don’t want to. So what if they can see you - they won’t be able to do anything about it and their opinion doesn’t count as they’re strangers (& it’s not wrong to not answer your door).

You might be onto something @WireBrushAndDettolMaam 🤔 if so they’re doing a stellar job.

The way my house is, they have to walk past my living room window and you can really see inside from where the front door is. So basically they would see me with DD doing whatever and more than likely wave me over to the door.

I watch JH walk past my window, they can see me sat on the sofa before they knock. I never answer the door to them.

Just tell them that if DD becomes ill, you would like to give the healthcare professionals the opportunity to save her life, what with you daughter being more important than their imaginary friend.

Job done. You wont be bothered again.

They rarely come here. They came last summer just after fil had died. I said we were not interested and one of the women said "we normally have a nice chat with the gentleman here", i replied that the gentleman had dementia and probably got confused and he had now passed away and they have not been back. In the past I have chatted to them and told them I am a Christian and don't hold the same beliefs as them and if I or my family needed blood transfusions then they would be receiving them. As years went by I became less tolerant and told them to get lost. I loved one poster who said as they answered the door their dh shouted tell them to fuck off! If they came around again if they didn't go straight away then I probably would tell them to fuck off!!!!

You have three choices op.

1. Ignore them and pretend they're not there.
2. Open the door and say "I've thought about it and I'm not interested."
3. Answer the door holding a goats head, say "All hail Baphomet!" and then chase them off your property waving the aforementioned goats head.

They go around giving people the opportunity to feel witty and smug and provide them with a tale they can embellish tell for years to come

I definitely told one set that I didn't agree with a religion that believed in letting babies die. Are you calling me a liar? I've mellowed since then and don't say that any more but I absolutely did say it in the past. More than once.

At least it's given you the opportunity feel smug and superior because your JW "friends" have claimed that they have never come across someone who has done any of the things on this thread. What with their huge experience of knocking if everyone's door in the UK. Maybe they're the ones "lying" to cover the fact that people don't like them knocking.

Anyway, this is ridiculous so I'm out.

I usually say with a smile " we are a Christian household but thank you very much for calling"That usually surprises them because often people are rude to them I think . I believe in God but had a bad experience with JW and that has put me off them . Why not just say to them when they turn up that you are sorry ,but you are not wanting to get involved ATM.Alternatively put a note on the door to the same effect .Just pull the curtains and they cant see whether you are in or not!

Just be polite. Answer the door, say you are happy with your beliefs and wish them a pleasant evening. No need to do anything else.

Morgan 12 My friends husband does this ! I am tolerant of all religions but was walking the dog ,and a well dressed older/younger lady stopped to admire my Dal .Not unusual I thought proudly as she gets lots of attention ,next thing they are whipping out copies of their book and asking if I want one! Gave stock answer and they walked off!

Tell them to fuck off. They won't ever knock your door again.

Get a friend to come round with a vicars collar and have them answer the door 😊

On a serious note I've been in this situation and I was a wuss, I hid from the lady. She then used to post the leaflets through the door with post it notes attached or little letters to me explaining bits and asking me questions (things like 'what do you think of the fact you could be influenced by blah blah blah'). Eventually she stopped but I now have a ring door bell so I can see who is at the door before I answer 😂

@ManonBlackbeak why do JW's disapprove of giving blood? Just curious. I give blood so they won't like me!

Op we had similar trouble with JWs last year. My fiancé (let's call him A, we own our own home together) was much too polite to them so they'd often knock and say things like "we'll keep a seat warm for you at our next service".

Once when it was just A in the house he told me that he saw them coming and pulled the curtains and didn't answer the door. It makes me angry that JWs are making some people feel they need to resort to these pretending tactics in their own home, it's not fair.

One day they knocked and it was me who answered. No-one else was home. They asked if I was A's wife. When I told A about this later he joked that I should've said "no, we just have sex!" oh how I wish I'd have thought of that at the time

Anyway, I was quite firm with them that one and only time that they knocked and I answered. I just simply told them we aren't interested and never will be. Maybe your 2 need to hear the "and never will be" bit out loud to get the message and not come back.

Alternatively I had some different ones knock a couple of months ago and when they picked my brains about my beliefs I made it clear that I believe that it's ok for gay people to get married. They were soon off on their way and never returned!

Good luck in dealing with them. It does make me angry that they are so persistent, it's not fair.

I definitely told one set that I didn't agree with a religion that believed in letting babies die. Are you calling me a liar?

No. Your comments aren’t in the slightest outrageous or unbelievable. It wasn’t anything you said that I was doubting. Not sure why you’ve taken my comments so personally.

At least it's given you the opportunity feel smug and superior because your JW "friends" have claimed that they have never come across someone who has done any of the things on this thread

1. why would I feel smug and superior about that? it’s nothing to do with me whether people are rude to people I know or not.

2. why is “friends” in quotations?

Havent read the whole thread but persistent god pushers would be told to pack it in and something useful with their lives . Your mistake was giving them an opening . It has to be shut down immediately on the doorstep or even better, dont answer the door if you spot the pack heading doen the street.

Moved into a neighbourhood where there seems to be a nest of them. I've told several sets (in a calm and polite-ish) tone that I'm not interested and they're not welcome on my property. Then I shut the door. I get they are doing what they think they must, but they don't respect boundaries when drawn softly so firmly they must be drawn.

I don't tolerate them. One time they came I was really busy and answered the door noty knowing it was them.
I just said no thank you I'm quite happy with my own religion and shut the door.
Another time I said not so politely please don't bother me again and shut the door.
Put a sign up saying NO JW thank you. If they come just point at the sign and shut the door.

OP I was in exactly your position some years ago when I too was a people pleaser and found it impossible to say no.

One JW kept coming back to my house and eventually we got to the stage where she'd invited herself to visit me one afternoon and spend some time in my home chatting to me about their beliefs, beliefs in which I had no interest whatever.

I really didn't want to spend time talking to this woman. I was going through a lot of things in my life and just didn't want to sit and be lectured by someone in my own home, so in the end I just go in the car and went for a drive. It was a narrow road and actually passed her as she was driving in, I could see she was a bit taken aback when she saw me driving away.

She turned up at my house a week or so later and told me she was annoyed that I'd not been at home when she'd called.

I wouldn't normally do something like that but if someone is just so pushy that you can't say no to them it's their own fault if you're as rude to them as they're being to you.

Close the curtains and don't answer the door when she comes. Or better still, open the door and just tell her that you're really not interested.

@Lauriepop95
I have 3 strategies for dealing with Jehovah’s Witnesses all well developed and quite effective in various ways when I lived unfortunately close to one of their nests.

1 - “No, Not interested” & shut the door. Give them no space to argue, do not talk to them, just shut the door or if your going out walk away. (This may be the one one for you).

2 - I was given an air horn for Christmas as a joke present by someone and set it off virtually every time they tried to speak to me. I enjoyed this. Ie “Hello do you believe in” HONK HONK. Then finally “ Are you mocking us?” HONK HONK HONK HONK!

3 - In the early 1990s I was working nights and was on the morning of the day they rang the bell 6 I repeat 6 times waking me. By this point I had to get up as obviously no one would do such a thing unless it was life threateningly vital they spoke to me. When it became apparent that my house was not on fire or that 35 children had not been run over outside my house and I was therefore not needed to call for help the torrent of hatred and a abuse I unleashed make me proud to this day. They fled. Just as well really, as I screamed rage and hatred at them till they turned the corner of the road a good 150 yards away. I think they listed our house as one to avoid and didn’t come back for about 3 years.

I suppose the moral is just say no and give them no space to argue.

Open the door, look them in the eye and slam the door shut.

Probably quicker than waiting for them to give up knocking.

Tell them to fuck off

Do people really behave like this?

I don't know why you never invited them in. Just tell them you're not interested and close the door.