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?

Sorry - why you ever invited them in.

The most engagement I’ve had with them is to tell them they should have said earlier than they did, that they were JW, Mormons, Moonies or whatfuckingever.

ilovesooty

“ ‘Tell them to fuck off’

Do people really behave like this?”

If you annoy enough people, then yes, obviously.

Don't answer the door. Doesn't matter if they see you inside. Ignore.

Or answer and say no thank you then shut the door.

I’m not keeping snakes just to scare religious loonies off.

I don’t like snakes either.

Would a rubber snake do the trick? 🐍

I've got a no cold callers / religious sects sign on my door that does the trick. When I have been accosted by them before I can't bring myself to be spikey as they normally bring their children with them. I take their leaflets and magazine if they are thrust at me. They are utterly bizarre to read and are quickly used to line the cat litter tray.

Oh my goodness, you all need to woman up and say, no thank you, I'm not interested and I don't want you to come back. Stop it with all the long winded excuses, it's just confusing.

Get one of the stickers for door.. No cold callers, no religious groups etc.
I got mine on amazon less than £2

Just say, " no thanks I'm not interested". If they ask why, tell them loudly, " because I'm not!" Do NOT invite them in. I've had a few call round. I've listened and said whether l agree or not. I believe in god, jesus, angels and the spirit world. But not religion, its completely man made. Man can say anything and manipulate people especially women/children. Historically the number of sexual abuse in religious organisations are high.

Our mum used to make us hide behind the sofa or in the back bedroom when the jehovahs witnesses came round.

Door sticker.

I usually do have a chat with Jehovahs Witnesses although I am not one. This is because they, like some other religions disagree on some vital points with the main ones, like C of E etc. I believe they think it is more important that we communicate directly with each other, rather than let our opinions be formed by others views which is hearsay. I was impressed that their religion does not believe in going to war. This resulted in Hitler killing many of them in his death camps. If we all insisted on directly communicating with people to find out about them when we are told we must kill them in a war, I am sure we would quickly find out war is to enable powerful people to continue to control others, and NEVER solves problems but only makes them worse.

You don’t have to answer the door but you can just reiterate ‘I’ve already told you I’m not interested, I’m afraid I don’t know how to make it any clearer’

I have a friend with a degree in theology who invites them in for a cuppa and asks "enthusiastic" questions. Never seems to get the same pair twice.

I just tell them I'm not interested, because that is the truth.

You need to change your mindset. It's YOUR house. You decide who enters it.

I'm on their blacklist because I let my eldest step-son talk about the time he needed a blood transfusion, bless his heart.
He even went into details. and I stood behind him fighting my laughter the whole time

We have a carved green man in the porch and my ds told them we are pagans. Never saw them again.

I've had JWs telling me one morning at 9am that they would 'only keep me a minute' when I had approximately 5 minutes to get around the corner to catch my bus - they got a dusty response! It's not up to other people how you spend your time unless they're employing you.

I'm a people pleaser too, but I have said a fairly rapid (but friendly) 'No thank you' to JW on a couple of occasions. Both times they were lovely about it and went away.

When people lack the honesty to make their rejection of door-to-door JWs clear it creates problems for both sides, and it is a bit disrespectful of people who (however misguidedly) are trudging about trying to save souls. I think we owe it to them to summon up the courage to make it clear that we're not interested, rather than politely dissimulating, and then seething behind their back and planning lies and insults.

I’ve had some pretty full on JW’s knock on my door who won’t take a polite “no thank you” and return the next day and the next etc. So I have happily been polite and courteous when asking to be left alone, I don’t think all are as polite and accepting as you think Alpha.

I went to school and was friends with a Jehovah’s Witness and met her sisters, family etc and for a long while they all tried to convince me of their faith, I even attended a couple of their mass baptisms as my friend and the second eldest of the family asked me to. There I met a wide variety of people as you find with any gathering (religious or not). So yes, go with a polite, but curt “No thank you” as your first response, but if that doesn’t get them off your doorstep (as it didn’t when we had JW’s visit the week after my stillborn sons funeral) I think having a stock ‘reason’ for not being interested is fine.

Alpha, I will be as disrespectful as i like to arseholes who disrespect me by deciding my time should be spent listening to them drivel on about their hateful religion.

Show me respect and you will get respect. Preach at me and you will get the shortest of short shrift.

Open the door. Say politely but firmly “I’m really not interested. Please don’t call again. Thank you” and shut the door gently but firmly.

I think we owe it to them

Why?

Don’t they owe politeness - which means no unsolicited disturbances - to everyone else. Or can they do what they want because it’s in the name of religion?

You don't have to open your door even if people can see that you're in.

But if you do open it - and a crack will suffice - you open your mouth and the words will come out: "No thank you. I'm not interested.Please don't call again.'
Admittedly, JWs are persistent. They called several times here -always the same two who didn't seem to be getting the message. Until one day, I opened the door wide and shouted out loud, 'I thought
I told you not to bloody call here again.' They haven't been back since.
They are rude to keep calling so don't feel obliged to be polite in the face of persistence.