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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

I reported an aggressive Jehovahs Witness to the police….. AIBU?

173 replies

MistressoftheDarkSide · 22/07/2022 09:04

Long story short, my DP died in January after a three week illness - turns out his brain bleeds were caused by almost symptomless oesophageal cancer that had metastised to his lungs, liver and brain.

I’m still reeling but have no choice than to continue the retail business we started together to make ends meet - he had his own niche career and was well known locally- I have had a lot of support and although I feel as if life is utterly pointless I have family and friends who have also suffered so I try not to pile on the agony and pretend I’m more ok than I am (I’d love grief counselling but working full time makes it tricky).

My business is an alternative Gothic / witchy shop with lifestyle accessories because that was our lifestyle together.

Recently a young female Jehovah’s Witness - 25 - who was on our friends list on FB but who I don’t believe we ever met personally has kicked off because she claims we are Satanists. she doesn’t want to see Goth stuff on her feed and it’s wrong to promote our “Satanic beliefs” on the internet.

Actually we’re not Satanists (can’t believe I’m having to say that) and the social media I do is to promote our stock…..

She put up a comment on a business post that included the gem that God took my DP to punish him for his unGodly life, then it vanished before I could respond. So I didn’t do anything except have a vague moan, not naming her, on my personal feed.

She then started messaging me more of the same , told me I was possessed by the devil when I reacted very angrily (yeah, did get a bit feisty) and stupidly I engaged enough for her to tell me I’m going to hell, and I should hold my loved ones closer as their days would be numbered as God will punish me for my lifestyle and also that I will lose my business and everything cos…, God.

I’m a pretty tolerant person, but I saw red when she started this and did call her out publicly - my admittedly profane post was removed and I got a 24 hour ban.

I reported her to the police who may or may not make contact, but Victim support have been in touch, but what I really want is someone to have a word with her because:

if I was a different person I might have done something stupid - I’m angry and know everything she is spouting is offensive bollocks, but what if she targeted someone less robust? She claims (at the ripe old age of 25) to have saved 25 people from demonic possession….. is she targeting vulnerable people?

She sounds unhinged and may benefit from some intervention.

I know on one level I should not have engaged (over twice her age) but I don’t always have the capacity to think rationally especially around the subject of my DPs death, and implied “threats” to my future and the well-being of my family absolutely pushed my buttons.

The police have not yet made contact though I have given them my movements for three days as requested or they might phone?

AIBU?

Or am I just as bad as her?

OP posts:
Blossomtoes · 22/07/2022 12:19

Saying you don’t believe in God is fine. Calling religion fairy tales isn’t. If you genuinely can’t tell the difference @donquixotedelamancha, perhaps an intelligent discussion isn’t the place for you.

BruceWaynettaSlob · 22/07/2022 12:22

JW's don't believe in devil possession. This woman is mentally ill on top of being in an extreme religion.

mam0918 · 22/07/2022 12:24

People have called me 'goth' and 'satanist' all my life and I have zero idea why, yes I like some rock music (Bon Jovi and GNR rather than say Ghost or Cradle of Filth) but majoritively I listen to Carrie Underwood and dress in pink sparkles and wear crosses, attend church a few times a year and even have a christian tattoo.

I have no idea what it is about me that brings the psycho out of the few religeous nut nuts but some of us just seem to give of that vibe.

But maybe they know something we dont, I have always deemed myself christian (dispite not 'believing' the bible, people take that WAY too seriously when its just several thousands of years of chinese whispers - I think faith is more the belief and acceptance that you dont understand everything) yet when I have had theology convosations I do tend to be on Samaels side so while I dont even believe its more than fun stories maybe I am secretly satanic and they somehow get that vibe lol.

Im certainly not going to sacrafice chickens and kidnap virgins though, whose got time for that and frankly its about on par with discussing the houses in harry potter for me... no one should really be fighting over it because it doesnt matter.

The ironic thing is if there is a god and a devil her selfrightous, threatening, nasty behavior would be what is punished not what clothes you choose to wear or sell.

donquixotedelamancha · 22/07/2022 12:24

If you genuinely can’t tell the difference @donquixotedelamancha, perhaps an intelligent discussion isn’t the place for you.

Really? Asking questions is part of discussion. If you are going to assert that a comment is morally wrong a discussion usually involves giving reasons rather than saying only those who agree can participate. Could you explain why it's nasty?

If that is your line, do you feel similarly about people supporting veganism (with inevitably much more graphic arguments)? Do you feel that religious people should not preach their truth, which can be much more offensive than that comment?

User2145738790 · 22/07/2022 12:26

pointythings · 22/07/2022 09:46

@Staffy1 here you go

These people are the good guys.

Lol was a lot of that copied and pasted from the Green Party website?

MistressoftheDarkSide · 22/07/2022 12:28

Actually I think all faiths and religions are basically fairy stories…. so much of it comes from our ancestors trying to make sense of a pre-science world…..there are interesting things in there not yet explained, but convincing yourself it’s an anthropomorphised deity with absolute power is quite 😳

Religion is as much about power as anything else, and that’s where it becomes abusive, because power corrupts.

We hardly understand anything about anything really, we just make as good a stab at explaining it all as we can - it makes me laugh because it even says in the Bible that God’s actual name is off limits and no-one can know it….

Essentially God is shorthand for something we don’t understand….

Just my tuppence worth…..

I do quite like the concept of the Demiurge though….

OP posts:
Blossomtoes · 22/07/2022 12:28

It’s nasty because it’s blatantly mocking other people’s beliefs. Surely that’s patently obvious?

Soubriquet · 22/07/2022 12:29

I’m not religious at all. I do wonder why some religions like Norse, Greek and Egyptian died out, whilst Christianity, Muslim etc survived.

donquixotedelamancha · 22/07/2022 12:30

JW's don't believe in devil possession.

That's not true at all. They believe Satan is literally real and here on earth. It's one of the key differences from Christianity.

There is huge amounts of fretting about Satanism in their practice.

Lol was a lot of that copied and pasted from the Green Party website?

Nah. The green party are more evil and much more religious then the Satanists.

MistressoftheDarkSide · 22/07/2022 12:33

Older and Pagan religions were consumed and incorporated into the new monotheistic religions as far as I remember, which is why alot of Christian festivals mirror the pagan ones….. it was a concerted effort to convert by offering appeasement to rowdy locals ….

And it was about establishing political dominance with a side dish of invisible fear to back it up - humans being humans……

OP posts:
donquixotedelamancha · 22/07/2022 12:34

It’s nasty because it’s blatantly mocking other people’s beliefs.

It's comparing them to silly fiction. I don't really see that's any worse than saying they are silly fiction.

I certainly don't think it's worse than the discussions on eating meat, Brexit or a thousand other topics.

Why is saying religion is a fairy tale so mean? Unless you believe in it, it is. Christianity thinks most of the Qur'an is fairy tales. Both of them think Buddhism is entirely fairy tales.

Don't you see that we could never discuss anything if everyone called people nasty for having a different view?

RJnomore1 · 22/07/2022 12:36

Oh JWs definitely believe in demonic possession.

They do not however as I said earlier believe in hell, I found that extremely odd.

oakleaffy · 22/07/2022 12:36

MistressoftheDarkSide · 22/07/2022 12:28

Actually I think all faiths and religions are basically fairy stories…. so much of it comes from our ancestors trying to make sense of a pre-science world…..there are interesting things in there not yet explained, but convincing yourself it’s an anthropomorphised deity with absolute power is quite 😳

Religion is as much about power as anything else, and that’s where it becomes abusive, because power corrupts.

We hardly understand anything about anything really, we just make as good a stab at explaining it all as we can - it makes me laugh because it even says in the Bible that God’s actual name is off limits and no-one can know it….

Essentially God is shorthand for something we don’t understand….

Just my tuppence worth…..

I do quite like the concept of the Demiurge though….

I agree, Religion of any sort seems to be about power and control.
So many different belied systems in the World, all believing they are the One and Only true Religion.

I'm really sorry about the loss of your husband, and for anyone to suggest that 'God' took anyone to 'Punish' them, that's just so wrong.

Stephen Fry got angry with an ardent Christian

This is very true.. What Fry says about disease and parasites.

BruceWaynettaSlob · 22/07/2022 12:37

donquixotedelamancha · 22/07/2022 12:30

JW's don't believe in devil possession.

That's not true at all. They believe Satan is literally real and here on earth. It's one of the key differences from Christianity.

There is huge amounts of fretting about Satanism in their practice.

Lol was a lot of that copied and pasted from the Green Party website?

Nah. The green party are more evil and much more religious then the Satanists.

Well they don't believe in hell. I was thinking of over the top The Exorcist style possession. They don't believe in that kind of thing.

donquixotedelamancha · 22/07/2022 12:39

Older and Pagan religions were consumed and incorporated into the new monotheistic religions as far as I remember, which is why alot of Christian festivals mirror the pagan ones

Obviously every religion borrows from its surrounding culture but neopagans make a lot of shit up on this topic.

Every religion in the Roman empire had a winter feast. The dates of Christ's and Easter were set from the Jewish calendar long before they happened to coincide with pagan feasts which they co-existed with.

Blossomtoes · 22/07/2022 12:41

It's one of the key differences from Christianity.

Hate to tell you this but JW is a Christian religion. Bible based to the extent that they take it literally.

NanaNelly · 22/07/2022 12:41

marrymeadam · 22/07/2022 11:03

@CallOnMe I got a fb ban for 3 days for saying that the bitch who bullied me and made me suicidal should fuck off (not to her, on a private group). They ban people for all sorts of stupid reasons.

Yes. I was banned for calling someone who was targeting me a Haverin Cuddy.

If I’d known I’d be banned for being diplomatic I’d have called them a blethering arse from the get go.

pointythings · 22/07/2022 12:42

@User2145738790 I doubt it, it's a US based international organisation and they're quite capable of coming up with their own (secular) ideals. I don't see what you're lolling at, unless you don't think treating people decently and taking care of our planet are things we should be doing.

MistressoftheDarkSide · 22/07/2022 12:44

There are lots of crossovers between religions and festivals and I stand by my comment that some of that was due to the new religion enticing the old practitioners by allowing some elements of the old to remain … quite clever psychology at play here.

OP posts:
Shehasadiamondinthesky · 22/07/2022 12:44

She's mentally ill probably I'm afraid OP. We get a lot of very sick people here in Glastonbury storming the shops and kicking off because we have so many witch shops, it's incredibly irritating and offensive.
I would just call the police every single time she kicks off. And block her on everything.

RJnomore1 · 22/07/2022 12:45

BruceWaynettaSlob · 22/07/2022 12:37

Well they don't believe in hell. I was thinking of over the top The Exorcist style possession. They don't believe in that kind of thing.

Oh they do!

crwnhgow · 22/07/2022 12:48

Soubriquet · 22/07/2022 12:29

I’m not religious at all. I do wonder why some religions like Norse, Greek and Egyptian died out, whilst Christianity, Muslim etc survived.

Christians and Muslims persecuting the followers of pagan religions probably didn't help.

EveryFlightBeginsWithAFall · 22/07/2022 12:49

I love anything gothic!

You are no where near as bad as her! You are recently berieved I'm not surprised you lost it with her a bit.

I'm really sorry for your loss

clarepetal · 22/07/2022 12:49

I'm so angry reading this on your behalf!!!!
You have not done anything wrong at all, she sounds unhinged

CharlotteRose90 · 22/07/2022 12:50

religion is mumbo jumbo. People can believe what they like to believe, I’m a none believer and no one will ever change my mind.

ive had a few run ins with JW’s. Even been called the devil myself over the fact I’ve had blood transfusions. Makes me so angry and I lose my temper now if they speak to me. It’s a cult and everyone knows it. The sooner it’s shut down the better.