Religious preachers shouldn't be shouting and screeching in the street..

[Theblacksheepforever]

I was out with my children today walking down the high street with my two children, reception age DS is autistic and my other DC is a little baby.

A religious preacher with fliers who we hadn't noticed - started shouting at the top of her voice about God and jusgement day as we walked past her. It scared DS stiff and an hour long meltdown ensued. I was annoyed.

My child aside, does anybody else think this shouldn't be allowed? It's antisocial and technicallg illegal given that shouting and screaming in the street is contrary to section 5 of the public order act, so why is this allowed?

AIBU?

Its a shame your child was upset. But I don't think they should be banned.

There is an evangelical Christian type who preaches regularly outside Waterstones in our town. She doesn't shout or scream or threaten judgement day. But OMG she has the most ANNOYING voice. It has this sort of up and down cadence and it just goes on and on and on until you want to run screaming from the shop. OK when the doors are shut but in summer they have to have the doors open and it is almost unbearable. I don't know how the staff have not gone mad and killed her!

Free speech fair enough but surely at some point you become a public nuisance

@Dairymilk50

And people with kids can't walk past also? It's exaggeration here OP is not in an enclosed room with the church preacher.... it can be annoying for a matter of a minute literally and then the church preacher is out of sight surely.

Causing distress really you see lots of disorderly behaviour in public places all the time. I would just move away promptly with my child.

Comparing a church preacher to someone with mental health is not remotely the same scenario! It's annoying at times yes but to imply they are similar to someone with mental health is wild also.

Feels like an enclosed room where you're stuck on the bus and one starts bellowing right in your ear, though.

Then they really do sound rather like somebody who has mental health issues manifesting as an obsession with religion.

It is irritating and can come across as very intimidating to some. YANBU

Ah yes, we just love the christian preachers round here loudly informing the public that sodomites should be stoned to death.

But hey, apparently thats just free speech and we should be happy about it.

@NeverDropYourMooncup report it to the must driver in future..

Not sure why you're getting slated here OP - it is an issue, and you'd think being on the doorstep of the largest police station in London (I believe) someone might have a word? I'm picturing this happening outside Primark/McDonalds, that end of the high street, am I right?

Maybe once they redevelop the high street they'll move elsewhere. www.fromthemurkydepths.co.uk/2022/03/15/lewisham-shopping-centre-demolition-new-consultation-underway/

I'd be interested if they ever "convert" anyone it puts me right off.
I don't like the shouty street preaching either, people seem to tolerate it though because it's religion, I'm not sure they'd tolerate me shouting and condemning passers-by on any other subject.
Personally I think they look foolish as the beat an acient text and try to make it relevant to life today. Pity they don't make more effective us of their time.

It's free speech. If we all stopped doing anything which might possibly maybe upset someone we'd never leave the house.

I don't think street preachers intend to cause harassment alarm or distress, they intend to save your soul.
But they do mean to cause alarm and fear. They need people to fear the hellfire and if they give their soul to the lord they will no longer have that fear.

Personally I think that any kind of street preaching, shouting, any activity which involves approaching people should be banned, as should knocking on people’s doors.

So if you want to spread the word have a stand with fliers, people can pick one up if they’re that way inclined. if you want to preach the word of God then people who want to listen to it can do so in the churches provided.

Similarly if you’re collecting for charity. People who are fundraising with collecting tins aren’t allowed to shake them for instance, so by the same token chuggers shouldn’t be allowed to walk up to people and harass them for direct debit donations.

And if you banned door knocking then not only would you get rid of the chuggers and the JW’s, but you’d also get rid of the scammers as people would know it was illegal for them to be there.

Growing up as an awkward teenager in Lewisham, I have so many memories of women rushing up to me, grabbing me, trying to shove flyers in my hand while insisting "Jesus saves! Jesus will SAVE YOU!!!!" as I tried to extricate myself. If anyone did that to my kids walking alone at age 12/13 I'd lose my shit.

So not sure that the flyer ones are harmless either.

We have them on our town. Normally just roll my eyes and walk on but I'm thinking of reporting them now.

My 12 year old dd3 was in town with a few of her friends yesterday and they were targeted by one of these groups, shouted at, followed down the high street, leaflets thrust in thier hands and told that in order for thier souls to be saved they had to join this church. It scared them tbh and according to our local fb group they weren't the only people this happened too.
They are a menace, I don't mind them shouting etc etc but don't force that shit on people especially kids.

Just the shouting etc is totally fine, as others have said it’s an important part of free speech. Targeting disabled people and teenagers would potentially be harassment (if it happened more than once) and could be reported to the police.
OP I sympathise with your DC, but really if you live in London he’ll experience worse I’m afraid and it’s not a reason to get the police involved. I used to live in a naice part of west London which football fans used to use to park on match days, some of the groups of shouting swearing supporters would have been far worse. And what about legitimate protests- I imagine he wouldn’t like those? Are there ways he could try to get used to this sort of thing if you intend to carry on living where you do?

I don't think anyone should be choosing to shout and screech in the street. I don't care what they are shouting and screeching about. I say choose because I know some people cannot help it.
To those who say it doesn't cause distress and you can easily move away - try moving a shrieking, self injuring, punching and biting teenager when someone starts making that sort of noise.

I do think it's highly inappropriate to be standing on the street in the middle of the day declaring that we're all going to hell if we don’t love Jesus. I'm trying to enjoy my day out shopping, pal. Bugger off.

I'm sorry your son experienced such distress. These street preachers, the really hard-line ones, have no regard for people who are neurodiverse or have sensory issues. All they care about is what has been indoctrinated into them at Church.

I know they have a right to preach in the street and their Bible tells them to spread the word but they can do this without frightening people.

I live in the Borough of Southwark so I understand what OP is on about. Quite often preachers scream at people in Camberwell Green and around Peckham. It sounds so hateful and oppressing. Ii don't think they do the faith any favours, to be honest.

YABU- freedom of speech is something we do not want restricted for so many reasons.

Yelling and shouting is unnecessary however and isn’t likely to win anyone over.

Completely agree. I told someone on the bus that we didn’t want to hear it when they were shouting and ranting and ruining everyone’s journey. I also told another person they were being offensive and homophobic because they were. I don’t think it is their right to ram their opinions down people’s throats, regardless of whether it is legal or not, when you are in a situation where you didn’t ask for them and you can’t easily get away - eg on a bus. Sorry for your child.

We used to have a couple of these on the high street where I used to work, they weren't there every day and weren't usually there at the same time, one of them would tell at everyone that Jesus loves then and God was good (strange phrases to hear yelled so aggressively), the other was more of a the end is nigh/ you're all doomed type.

One day I realised they were both on different ends of the high street and heading towards each other, I was gutted my boss wouldn't let me go out and wait for the inevitable meeting of the two

To add to what I said before, organised protest is different.

Yeah I do wish they’d piss off, though I understand why they aren’t banned.
There used to be one who stood outside my bank frequently, it was bloody annoying.

@Alwayswonderedwhy

I always think they must have poor mental health so not something they can really help. They probably genuinely believe they'll convert people and sadly some vulnerable people will be taken in. It is antisocial too

Don't be so ridiculous Why assume that a preacher has 'poor mental health'?

I do believe in freedom of speech and expression. However, I agree that it’s threatening and disrespectful to everyone who has to hear this nonsense, especially when I am told that I am a sinner and going to hell for eternity. Maybe these so called self professed preachers shout so loudly because they are desperately trying to convince themselves of this “truth” that they are yelling about.

Hahaha free speech! Harassment, brain washing, extremism, intolerance and public nuisance are not examples of free speech. I am 100% with you OP! And yes, seriously believing there is a ‘judgement day’ is extreme. I remember the Muslim and Christian preachers of Birmingham city centre, shouting (with megaphones!) hatred about gays and women. They were revolting extremists, and in all seriousness, after sitting and listening to them for a while, I concluded that they may possibly have mental disorders.

Being tolerant of intolerance is not the answer.

I think it shouldn't be allowed and I am saying that as a Christian. It gets all of us a bad name.