How to handle unsolicited religious callers?

[allthingsinmoderation]

I am working from home today ,well working from my bed due to a broken ankle.
I had a sleepless night due to discomfort and not in the best mood.
Just had 2 women knock (very persistently) at my door, so i struggled down stairs and was greeted by 2 smiling gurning stepford wives dine up to the nines asking me "How due you view the future"?
i was discombobulated from lack of sleep i think and almost entered into a discussion about world events but something about them was weird and i managed to blurt out that i was busy working, they were undeterred and went into a full religious speech. i stood my ground and and maintained that i didnt a have time to discuss,they wanted to make an appt to return and i felt pressured .
When i tried to evade,they pressed further.They werent rude or impolite just doggedly persistent and unnervingly odd looking.
After a while (felt like forever) they thrust some pamphlets into my hand and left.
AIBU to be annoyed by the intrusion?
Or should i be more tolerant?
How is it best to handle these people?

Tell them once politely you are not interested and if they don't leave then tell them to fuck off.

You don't need to be nice to these people.

i feel sorry for them now!

We do not take cold calls. Please do not call again and ask anyone else from your group not to do so. Close door. Problem over.

Get a camera doorbell and only answer to people you know! They can leave their leaflets in the letter box and you can throw them in the recycling.

You should have said 'I broke my leg giving the last cold callers a kung fu kicks to their heads. You'd best leave now ladies, because I still have 1 good leg left' 😆

My DM lived up the road from a Mormon church so used to get a fair few of those. The only way to deal with them is to hide upstairs and pretend to out but even so they are persistent little blighters.

Crikey!

I read somewhere that being rejected is helpful as it reinforces that they are the ones and the rest of us are terrible, won't be saved etc. This was Jehovas Witnesses. I find the one outside with the little stands fascinating, they don't attempt to speak to anyone, they just chat between themselves, again is that proving to them that we are all damned?

But yes as everyone else has said, shut the door, Why are you painting yourself as having so little agency? Similarly when chuggers call out, just ignore and walk straight on - assuming you are female you get more of those anyway as they don't tend to approach men as much - but you don't owe anyone a conversation. No rudeness needed.

‘No’ and shut the door in their faces

And if they knock again, a simple ‘fuck off’ generally suffices.

I have a sign on my door, right under the knocker, reading, "No Junk Mail, No Cold Callers". It doesn't deter them from knocking completely, but it does mean that I can wordlessly point to the sign and avoid engaging in any conversational gambits, and then I simply close the door.
I bought the sign when the front of the house was being redecorated, and was astonished by the rich variety of signs which were available when I googled, some very forthright indeed!

"Ah, no thanks. I'm not interested but good luck!" And smile as you close the door. Whilst ignoring anything else they say.

That's what I do. Then you haven't been rude but you have established a boundary.

How about reframing it as far ruder to let them speak and waste their time than let them get on with knocking on the door of someone who might be receptive to it?

I have one of those fuck off cold callers stickers on the porch and if anyone sales/religion/politics etc happen to not notice it (idiots,) then I point at it and close the door. No awkward conversation needed. I used to live in a working class area and when I went middle class I genuinely could not believe how targeted we became as they assume everyone is loaded. That's when I got the fuck off sticker and it works a treat, hardly any now and if they do they get the above. 🤣🤣

I was just describing my opinion of their appearance as it was unusual for the rural local area. 2 women dressed in smart vintage style fitted clothing with bright lipstick and laquered pristine hairstyles is really unusual here.
Perhaps it was rude of me to describe their fixed smiles as gurning,so i apologise for that.
But,yes you are correct pain probably made me short tempered.

A village a few miles from here has a Kingdom Hall. Some houses have No Jehovas Witnesses signs on their doors or gates.

If any religious canvassers come to my door I say I'm perfectly happy being a heathen, smile and then shut the door firmly.

You can be as rude as you like to people who come to your door

Tell them you’re a satanist. They’ll leave pretty quickly.

The last lot came round when I did have Covid (I looked ill as well). ‘Hello would you like to discuss our Lord?’ ‘no I have Covid.’ Leaflet thrown in my direction as they stepped back, waved and they left. End of.

But responding to either is easier, quicker and less stressful than waiting for the phone to stop ringing or the caller to stop knocking, and gives you control.

"No, thanks. Not interested.

Cut them short and tell them you’re busy and shut the door, even if they’re still speaking. I allow myself to come across as rude to unsolicited doorstep callers!

Do you really care about being rude with pushy people when you are in pain?

If it’s a frequent issue, how about writing a firm rebuttal on a post it note a keep it stuck to the back of the door. You’ll see it as you open the door so it’ll be fresh on your mind as you come face to face with religious zealots, salespeople, etc and you can quickly announce “I don’t engage with anyone who knocks on my door”, then shut the door quickly.

Im beginning to see (Thanks MN) that this is a me problem.....

You should care more about yourself than what random strangers think.

I hope you feel better very soon ❤

If they are Mormons who politely introduce themselves, I tell them I’m not in the market for a new religion but wish them well for their mission.

If they are JW is just say ‘no thanks’ and shut the door.

If they are anyone else, or just start talking at me. I stare at them unnnervingly in silence and when they stop for breath they get “who the fuck are you and what do you actually want”? Or if I’m busy I shut the door. Works well for political activists too.

No need for bad manners or rudeness, just say you're happy with your own beliefs/church and wish them a nice day. Simple, polite and makes it clear you don't want any information on converting.

I understand that if you ask to be put on their 'No call's list, JWs stop calling.