To just shut the door on religious door-knockers, with no comment?

[BeanQuisine]

I used to smile and say "I'm not religious", but a friend pointed out that this still confers some degree of social legitimacy on their absurd intrusion into my life.

I decided that a better tactic, when it becomes clear that a doorknocker is peddling religion, is to just silently close the door in their face.

Wondering how many people here agree that this is a reasonable response to unreasonable intrusion, and how you choose to respond to these people.

Sorry..
thank you for your question, just about to go to bed as have had a sad family situation to deal with :-(

All I can say is I have friends within my religion, & friends I care about that aren't part of my faith. 1 friend ( a former colleague from 10 years ago), who doesn't share my beliefs has had numerous hospital appointments over 2 years. I have taken her to every appointment, we've chatted, I've given her support.

I've never 'preached' just supported her the best I can...

I just tell them I’m a practising Catholic, which isn’t true but they usually just compliment me for a having a faith and then toddle off.

I knew someone who would invite them in, but specifically because they were about to start some religious ceremony in some non-Christian religion which they’re not allowed to do which made them run away very quickly.

@MistressoftheDarkSide
OMG that’s horrendous! What an absolute cunt! I am not surprised. I’ve got personal issues with some of them too although not as extreme as yours.
For the people saying it isn’t easy to leave. I don’t buy that, everyone has a choice, most of them grow up around other kids not in a cult, go to school etc. They grow up around normal people who don’t have their lives impaired by a cult, kids who have birthdays and are allowed to actually have fun and not be forced to go out knocking on bloody doors.

No, no need for rudeness at all. Either don't answer the door or answer and politely say you're happy with your own beliefs thank you/happy with your church etc.

I think I'd ask them if they'd seen the film Heretic.
But seriously, just say no thankyou and close the door.

Sorry, @Smiling2022 ! I don't mean to cause offence; it's just what I have read on JW sites, as I looked it up because I was curious how many hours they had to spend preaching. I hope that your family situation improves!

I have an issue with a religion that would have seen my husband die rather than him have a life saving blood transfusion last year. There are many things I can stay neutral on but that’s just not one of them.

This and NoEffingWay's post is why JW gets a door shut in their faces if they show up trying to preach about their cult to me.

I should probably just get a camera.

It's not rude to ignore a rude person. They are being inconsiderate, you are simply ignoring them. Nothing wrong with it, if that's how you choose to do it.

Back in the day when I answered phone calls to unknowns (haven't done so in years now) I would instantaneously without a single word hang up as soon as I realised they were trying to sell something. Nothing wrong with that either.

If you choose to approach a stranger to try to sell them something, religion or anything else you must and should expect this reaction.

The lord may even have mercy on it

I once said no thanks and closed the door on them. The man stood in the middle of our lawn and started praying very loudly to cast the demons forth from my house.

O for a remote-operated sprinler system at moments like this.

Did you pray for one, sinner?

Supposedly some missionaries once came to the door from a certain sect and offered my grandfather a copy of their fantastic book. He told them he'd been given a copy once before. He told them he'd read it from cover to cover with great interest. At this point they were probably feeling pretty hopeful that they might have a convert.

His final words as he closed the door in their faces were "...and then I burnt it."

I just immediately say “we’re not interested, thank you”, and shut the door.

No need to be rude imo. So what if I don’t agree with what they’re doing - still no need to be rude!

“I’m afraid I’m a regular blood donor. Can you tell your church I don’t want any further visits? Have a good day”

I just asked them to take me off the list and they never came back. I’ve done jobs which required knocking on doors (not sales or religion) and I’d say most people are pretty nice, open the door, listen, have a brief chat and give a yes or no or when doing something like census chasing promise to fill it out online and I cross my fingers and hope for the best.

I tell them my vicar husband will be delighted to have a chat with them, and would they like to make an appointment? They usually decline and go on their way.

I am so sorry to hear you received a message from someone saying they were a JW and left you that message, what a disgusting thing they said. All I can say is that person was NOT a true JW as the wording doesn't even tally up with our beliefs at all. And unfortunately with social media, people can claim they're anyone 😞

Death happens because we have imperfect bodies and get ill, it's not a punishment from God as was suggested. As for commenting on your lifestyle, we all have free will...

I just felt I had to reach out to you as I'm so sorry you received that message (obviously from some deranged person), especially after losing your precious partner just a few months previously. Absolutely awful....

I hope you're in a happier place now after the loss of your partner 3 years ago. Wishing you all the very best. 🤗

no true Scotsman…

I dont open the door to anybody anyway - trying to hide from TV licence man

This makes no sense. JW’s go to school and have science and maths lessons. Some of them are even maths or science teachers…

I usually just say no thank you as I'm shutting the door, but I have just rolled my eyes and closed the door before. And I did once utter a 'for fucks sake' after one lot knocked and rang the doorbell early on a Sunday morning, and I leapt out of bed to look out the window to see who it was, and seeing me at the window they then proceeded to knock louder so I assumed it was some emergency. As soon as I opened the door they got their book out and I was furious.

The thing that annoys me more about them is they take ages to tell you what they want (just like any other bloody sales people) - 'isn't it a lovely day' blah blah - and then they subtly try and produce their stupid leaflet.

My Mum once shouted at a woman who had dragged her 3 year old daughter down our road (in the middle of nowhere) through torrential rain to try and preach to her.

I just give them a big smile and say 'Oh, no thank you' whilst closing the door before they get into their stride. This works for all unsolicited callers including phone callers (minus the smile of course as they can't see it!).

It depends if they’re Mormons, I once had the Mormons knock and there were about 5 young men and they were drop dead gorgeous, they told me they’d come over from the USA to be missionaries or something, I wasn’t listening properly I was too busy trying to stop my jaw hitting the floor.