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.

They shouldn't be intruding on people's lives by knocking doors with their 'message' anyway. It's incredibly annoying.

I think they're lucky not to be told to fuck off, never mind a polite 'No thank you', which I assume is what most people, including myself, do.

If I get a Reform canvasser knocking on, they are absolutely getting a fuck off, I can tell you that much.

So basically you're just rude to anyone you don't know who knocks on your door?

Nothing dramatic about not wanting a total stranger who could be on day release to knock on your door spouting religious rhetoric. Why on earth would anyone want that? It's so obnoxious.

Is everyone feeling ok? People on MN are actually admitting they open their front doors when they don't know who's outside? 🤣

I find you obnoxious but I'm still talking to you

Our dear dog, who is a complete softy who loves all people, looks and sounds like a hound from hell as soon as the doorbell goes.

I politely say no thank you' to' all unwanted sales people of whatever description.

If they still try to engage, I quietly say 'Do you want me to let the dog out. or will you leave nicely?' They go.

This works on religious salesmen, blokes who want to cut the hedge, blokes who want to sell me over priced cleaning goods, and dodgy types that want to tarmac the drive.

I think it’s more meno/post meno ‘my field of fucks is barren’ energy tbh.
I don’t ever swear at doorsteppers, but a simple ‘no’ to whatever odd question they open with is sufficient. Saying ‘thanks’ for being interrupted (I do wfh) would be lying.

@NoisyMonster678 i have one that says unsolicited caller's will be charged £100 . Some young sales rep knocked on the door and I asked him for the money 🤣🤣🤣 he scarpered pretty quick 🤣🤣

I ask to be put on their do not call list. It seems to have worked and we've not had a JW knocker for years.

I'd say it's more effective than telling them to fuck off.

They're the rude ones to me.

I got a ‘no callers’ sticker for my door after I pretty much shouted at the poor young JW that knocked on the door one morning, just as the bacon was done and the eggs needed lifting out of the pan. I still feel guilty. I didn’t shout anything bad just a very snappy and irate ‘I’m cooking breakfast!’. The poor young woman did look a bit shocked though. I’ve only had two sales/charity people call in over 5 years thanks to the sticker. One chap walked past my window yesterday then obviously saw the sticker as he just turned and walked back down the drive without ringing the bell.

It was a Saturday morning when the JW’s woke my husband up after he’d done a 12 hour night shift - I’d taken our own kids out to the park so they wouldn’t wake him. He was knackered and so angry that he stood on the doorstep in his boxers lecturing them and asking their kids (who they’d brought along for the door-to- door fun) if they would’ve preferred Mummy to have taken them to the park or the pool instead. Poor kids. They must’ve blacklisted us after this though as they didn’t come again !

Really? What an over-reaction.

Sales people are just trying to make money to live, it's not exactly going to be many peoples first choice of job and there's no need to be rude to them just because they haven't managed to find a better job yet.

Religious people when to the extent of JW are on par with having a mental illness, I wouldn't be rude to them, they believe they're trying to help people, and are also pressured to do it through their religion (its part of the requirements to try to enlighten others, they are likely scared of the consequences of not doing it)
Again, no need to be rude to them, have some sympathy for them wasting their lives away living under rules at fear of the consequences and politely say you're not religious and wish them a nice day.

I think it's rude. You may not believe in it but it's part of their religion to go on mission and spread the word. They are away from their family's for months on end, people being nasty to them, swearing and slamming doors in faces. I feel for those youngsters. I always take the leaflet explain we are Catholics in this house but wish them luck on their mission. I wouldn't like someone slamming the door in my child's face so I wouldn't do it to someone elses. Just say sorry I'm not into it but have a good day doesn't hurt anyone does it.

If I'm ever unfortunate enough to answer the door (I have a clear view of the driveway from the window - so will just ignore) I'm polite but tell them that I'm pagan. For some reason it scares the crap out of them (we are currently on the blacklist).

All the posters who have sworn at, been rude and running after them taking notepads off them...do you find you get lots of targeted hate towards your property and/or yourselves? Guessing you may be the neighbours from hell with attitudes like that.

I am polite to everyone who knocks my door, provided they take my 'no thank you' the first time and with good grace. I'm not going to ruin a perfectly pleasant person's day just because they want to talk about religion/charity/whatever. I don't like to pass on bad feelings, they always get carried forward to someone else.

A wee girl from the church of latter day saints put a handwritten letter through my door once. She must have written so many exactly the same. I kept it, still have it, felt terrible throwing all that effort in the bin.

I've also lost it a few times. Once with a conservative party canvasser who just wouldn't leave my doorstep, and another time with a Nottingham knocker who called me a bitch so I chased him down the road in a menopausal rage.

But yeah, generally I am zen about it. Everyone is just trying to make their way in life.

I just pretend I don’t speak English

It's super rude to just shut the door in someone's face.

Saying "No it's not for me, thanks, bye" achieves exactly the same thing, so why not do that instead?

The only answer is that you actually want to be rude

I just tell them I’m on the middle of an occult ritual and I currently have Bartzabel contained in a triangle, could they be quick because it really needs my full attention to keep him there.

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

@Whippetlovely tbf it’s pretty rude of them to interrupt someone’s day and inflict their beliefs on someone. I wouldn’t go and knock on someone’s door, or grab them in the street, and tell them to believe what I believe!

I wasn’t purposely rude, just stressed and busy.

Just like other annoyances, they should be opt in only. Otherwise, they're spam.

Aw, they are irritating but at the same time they do think that they are doing good and helping people. I give them a sad little smile and say, thanks but we're not interested, and close the door.