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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To get a little snappy with the Jehovah's Witnesses

98 replies

UnquietDad · 17/01/2008 11:21

OK, so I was going to post this in Philosophy/ Religion/Spirituality but I'd rather shove it somewhere more connected with the real world.

I've just had the sodding Jehovah's Witnesses at the door. DW made the mistake of being nice to them once and now they won't leave us alone. WHY do they think they are going to get anywhere with me? Pressing their mawkish little pamphlets on me and wibbling on about Adam and Eve. FGS, I have probably done more reading about religions of the world than the idiot woman who was proselytising to me. I mentioned Thor, Apollo, Zeus and Ra and her eyes glazed over! In the end I cut the "conversation" short (I use the word in its loosest sense) and shut the door on her.

I think they deserve about a minute of polite debate for having the chutzpah to door-knock. But it always degenerates into them quoting the sodding Bible at me. I'd rather have political canvassers - at least you can ARGUE properly with them....

OP posts:

gibberish · 17/01/2008 15:44

Now that would be telling

Aimsmum · 17/01/2008 16:23

Message withdrawn

ravenAK · 17/01/2008 20:33

Dh is a Buddhist, I'm a Bright: I get enough religious drivel this side of the front door!

(Actually I don't - he refuses to discuss his beliefs with me on the grounds that all I do is take the piss...)

However, I can recommend brandishing Buddhist tracts at JWs & offering to swap for Watch Tower. They bugger off sharpish. I'm told RC parish magazines are still more effective.

UniversallyChallenged · 17/01/2008 20:54

Amazing the amount of time someone on this thread has said "tell them this and they scarper" "shake a broom at them, they'll go" or "tell them you're a RC - they soon go" as tho they are scared little rabbits shocked at finding other people have different faiths

yet others say they cant get rid of them whatever you say to them - which is it?

once again it seems to me they cant win whatever they do!!

ravenAK · 17/01/2008 21:02

Well, they could maybe take out adverts in the national press.

This is who we are, this is a bit about what we believe, here's our website url & if you ring this number we'll arrange for someone to visit you for a chat.

That might be a slightly more C21st way of proselytising, & a damn sight less irritating to boot...

HAPPYMUMOF5 · 17/01/2008 21:08

Why dont they then Raven? Have you ever asked them? They must have a good reason why they would prefer to knock on our doors, facing who knows what when they could be sitting at home with a cuppa waiting for the phone to ring! am sure they arent masochists who do it for fun

ravenAK · 17/01/2008 21:21

I teach a JW lad, actually. I'll ask him tomorrow & report back.

Being cynical, I suspect it's because they know that doorstepping is more effective - why do double glazing firms hire salesmen & staff cold calling centres? Because it's worth annoying 99 people if the 100th gives in & buys what you're pushing.

A lot of people take Watch Towers/engage in discussion simply to avoid giving offence or in the mistaken belief that this'll get rid, thereby ensuring themselves repeat visits.

Personally I don't mind being reasonably robust with nuisance callers, but there are those who squirm at the thought of being even a tiny bit rude to a nice friendly religious chap standing on the doorstep in a neat suit...

HAPPYMUMOF5 · 17/01/2008 21:30

will watch for your response from the lad!

Elasticwoman · 17/01/2008 21:53

Slightly off at a tangent, I was wondering today whether anybody knows if there are any JW doctors practising medicine in this country. I was thinking that with their views on use of blood and blood products, they wouldn't get on with the medical establishment here. I'm talking about conventional doctors, not alternatives.

UQD - did you know any JWs at college? I wonder how many of them have higher education. I notice Calzone never came back and supported her view with any arguments.
I bet you knew a few Catholics and Muslims at college even if they were lapsed.

Aimsmum · 17/01/2008 22:44

Message withdrawn

Aimsmum · 17/01/2008 22:46

Message withdrawn

Original poster

UnquietDad · 18/01/2008 00:46

elastic - I knew plenty of born-again Christians and a few lapsed Catholics. No Muslims, although a few Muslim graduates since. And one Sikh and one Hindu in postgrad days.

OP posts:

discoverlife · 18/01/2008 00:50

I have a statue of Budda in my front garden about 3 feet from my front door. I havn't had a serious attempt by a JV yet.

dooneygirl · 18/01/2008 01:03

Really, Aimsmum? England must be a lot different then here in the U. S. Having gone to several congregations due to moving and such, I only knew 3 Witnesses who went on to College. And one of them felt so much pressure to not go, she ended up getting a nervous condition and dropping out. There were more who had gone to College and then become Witnesses, but not anymore that did it as Witnesses. It has been 9 years since I've been one, but all my family still are, and from what I can tell, a large percentage around here are home educating and definitely not going on to College.

MumtoCharlotteMay · 18/01/2008 01:35

I hate it when people try and force their religious beliefs onto others. I mean, I really dislike it. You're not saving me, you're annoying me. Go away.

We have them coming round to us all the time. Loads of them. All dressed up. You can tell when the JW's are coming because everything goes quiet - everyone's hiding! Blinds are shut at an atstonishingly fast rate, no door is opened and even the postman jumps in the bushes for cover.

I don't care what people want to believe, you do what you want. Don't impose it on me though. It's rude. I don't go knocking on peoples houses telling them I think religion's a bunch of bollocks, why would anybody, seriously believe any of it blah blah blah. So why do they feel the need to come round recruiting? It irritates me.

I was once chased through Carlisle city centre by a JW screaming 'You will be saved my child. You need to be saved. Come here, I'll save you.' I've never run so bloody quickly in all my life. It baffles me. They're not helping, they're harrassing.

bamamama · 18/01/2008 02:00

sorry, just skimmed thread....however, only yesterday I was accosted in the street by a couple of smart young men (who I took to be JWs) who asked me if I'd ever thought about the meaning of life. I smiled sweetly and said "my husband is a philosopher, so yes" in a way that asked for further discussion. They backed off sharpish and wished me a good day.

Oh, and many years ago my exbf's father had a visit from the JWs on Christmas day. He was a CofE vicar and lived in the rectory by the church. Bless 'em they do like a challenge!

bamamama · 18/01/2008 02:01

Oh, and many years ago my exbf's father had a visit from the JWs on Christmas day. He was a CofE vicar and lived in the rectory by the church. Bless 'em they do like a challenge!

bamamama · 18/01/2008 02:01

sorry - don't know what happened there. Act of God?

MummyPenguin · 18/01/2008 08:47

We used to have Jehovah's calling all the time. There was this one woman in particular and DH once made the mistake of being pleasant to her and then she started calling all the time. It got to the point that whenever my doorbell went I wouldn't answer it, it was getting silly. In the end DH made a notice which has a bold heading NOT THANK YOU and then says, Jehovah's Witnesses, canvassers etc (we used to get a lot of that too) and it's worked a treat. For anyone who doesn't want them calling, that's what I'd suggest, make a notice clearly saying that you don't want them ringing your bell and attach it next to your door bell. They've never rung here since.

MummyPenguin · 18/01/2008 08:48

sorry, NO THANK YOU

MummyPenguin · 18/01/2008 08:55

There's a young woman lives across the road from me and she's a JW. She never calls at my house or anything, she's friendly with the woman I mentioned in my first post. The other day I went to put some rubbish in my bin and they were sat in a car talking quietly. When they saw me, the JW woman who used to call here said really loudly "WHATEVER WHATEVER." Practically shouted it, and it obviously wasn't relevant to their converstion.

Not only a pain in the arse but childish too.

Elasticwoman · 18/01/2008 19:20

Same with me UQD - many different religions represented in higher education but I never came across a single JW student.

The only one I ever met at work was a Cockney jewish Jehovah's Witness salesman, of whom it was said, he'd sell you his grandmother for sixpence if he thought he could make a profit! But he never tried to convert me. He did think I ought to get on with it and have children - I was in my early 20s and married - but so did a lot of people. I remember he used the Xmas hols to get his decorating done.

MrsSpoon · 18/01/2008 22:32

"I was wondering today whether anybody knows if there are any JW doctors practising medicine in this country" Short answer to that is 'Yes'. In fact a friend of ours is a GP, used to be a Dr in hospital but found the crazy hours and long shifts difficult when they had children, I'm sure he's not the only one.

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