What is your reaction to Jehovah's Witnesses calling?

[Posey]

We have a regular visit from one, he's been calling on and off for months. We are always friendly, I find him quite interesting but have no intention of becoming a JW. I think he probably knows that but he still calls.
My friend's mum, a very devout Christian, invites them in and they debate etc for an hour or more!

What do you do?

I usually smile and say, "Thanks but no thanks" and have not been hounded really.
Once a lady stood on my doorstep and said, "I'd like to talk to you about this awful world we live in and God can save us and send us to heaven"
I was in the midst of PND at the time and got cross with her saying something along the lines of, "I am finding life with a new baby hard enough as it is without people like you depressing me even more!"

Needless to say, she saw me as ripe for picking so she came back a few times, always with the same opening sentence ...
My answers varied: "No, I don't think this is an awful world and wouldn't it be sad if I thought that? How can I tell my baby that"
And "Surely you have your 144,000 by now?"
And "I really am past saving ... too late you know!"
All this just increased her vigour until finally I told her that I would give my child a blood transfusion if he needed one and could she please leave me alone now!
Didn't see her again ...

The blood transfusion issue was what eventually split us up. After 4yrs i got pg and as the due date got nearer my ex seemed to get more serious about his beliefs. He had given it up just before we met but now seemed to want to live his life by it again. He made it clear that if either the baby or myself needed a blood transfusion during the birth or after that he would not allow it. I went mad as far as i was concerned he had no right telling me what i was or was not allowed, the same went for my baby. When DS1 was 1yr old he left and we havent seen him since.

I have nothing against other religions but will not have their beliefs forced on me by strangers or even loved ones.

lol at some of the answers.

my Dad is great at driving them away. He invites them in and spends hours lecturing them on different philosophies and religions, and arguing about bits of their book until they're begging to leave!

I was one too, well actually I wasn't one at all I just had it rammed down my throat from age 11 til i ran away at 16. Grrr can't help being slightly rude, unless youngsters are there cause I feel sorry for them.

BTW, they keep a record (or used to when i was a kid) of all houses and response they get. So if you ar friendly, take literature I think they will always call back.

I always admire their clothes (secretly) - not usually to my taste but religious callers around here look so smart - polished shoes, ironed shirts, coats with not a speck of fluff on them. It makes me very respectful of them (aren't I shallow!). I am always polite to them and tell them we belong to a church already.

I must admit I find the 'cold calling' very off putting but am always polite to JW's and tell them that I have my own beleifs and have studied theirs and am not interested in learning more thank you. I have trouble getting my heard round the whole blood transfusion/transplants thing tbh.

I do understand why many people find it hard to understand why jw's don't accept blood transfusions. Firstly it is a command from God ( acts 15v 28,29 if interested) but its also the safer course of treatment. I am a staff nurse and many of the doctors that I have worked with wouldn't have a transfusion because there are safer options for treatment.
Their are lots and lots of alternatives to blood ransfusions that jw's regularly have. I have been a jw all my life and now at 28 I have never known anybody that has died because they haven't had a blood transfusion. In fact I know a couple of people who have survived terrible illnesses. My sisters friend has had a holein the heart and 2 brain tumours and is only 18yrs old and now after lots of op's is fighting fit.
Again I apologise for those witnesses who are pushy, they really are the minority.
SleepyJess: it is not God's will for anybody to die...I'm so sorry if that's what they said.

alicemama, just out of interest, what are the alternatives to blood transfusion? I have never heard of a doctor who would not have one (I count many of them amongst my friends and relatives). Dd had life-saving open heart surgery at 4 months WITH blood transfusion. She was on heart-lung bypass.

I sigh and say 'goodbye' and shut the door

well we accept minor fractions e.g albumin, coagulation factors, immunoglobins etc. Saline and ringers solution can be used to increase blood volume.
We also regulary use autologous proceedures like heamodilution, intra & post-operative blood salvage, heart by-pass.
JW's do actually have a video/dvd that explains what we are willing to accept and exactly what they involve.

I do understand why many people find it hard to understand why jw's don't accept blood transfusions.
I find it easy. Arbitrary prohibitions are the hallmark of organised religion, hence pork, alcohol, coffee, and beef have all been banned by large religions.

I am a staff nurse and many of the doctors that I have worked with wouldn't have a transfusion because there are safer options for treatment.

Transfusions carry non trivial risks, infection etc, and some subtle chemistry. You ever done chemistry ? Or do you think of ions as evil spirits?
I'm trying to work out whether you are lying or whether you genuinely are that stupid. Indeed for all I know you are someone who wants to make JWs sound stupid and malicious.

Many doctors are sceptical about treatments that are wholly mainstream and proven. It is the case that if you are deeply immersed in a discipline you have such views, since you see yourself as a peer of those who do the actual research.

Yes, doctors think about risks differently, and having been educated on what blood really is at a detailed level (but below that of a doctor), I'm glad I've never had to have an transfusion, since my intuition makes me suprised that they work at all.
But with all due respect you're a staff nurse, not a doctor. That's more than 10 years less education, and you have to be quite bright to even start that study.

lying about what exactly??

I don't understand how you think that it makes me sound malicious. I am just trying to explain that jw do accept medical treatment and want the best for ourselves and our families the same as anybody else.
I am not trying to make myself sound like an equal to a doctor or anybody else in the medical profession. I was just stating that there are alternatives availablt that many are not aware of.
my medical training is at a fairly basic level compared to many others but as it is something that affects me, i have done some research into non-blood patient management.
It is not my intention to upset or offend anyone, I was merely trying to shed a little light on the topic from a jw standpoint

my dad is evil. he lives accros the road from the church that we were all brought up in etc he lets them stand on the door step, spout their stuff, and points to the church and says "thats my church there" The JW faces are a picture!

You were advocating medical treatment, the nature of which you neither understand, nor have the emotional ability to accept.

That is not the act of a good or wise person.
You stated that you were a staff nurse, and that is not as hoenst as saying this is driven by your beliefs.

Even within your limited knowledge you are being dishonest.

Yes, there are alternatives in some cases to transfusions. In some cases t/f is used when another treatment would have been better. A study I read of treatment of combat injuries in Vietnam indicated that medics had in many cases put too much fluid into casualties that their bodies had trouble managing.

But in many caes, the best thing to do is a transfusion.
You don't want a transfuson ?
Fine, as a scientist I accept that as evolution in action.
But what about your kids ?
Simple test for your moral position:

Your child has been in a car accident. A proper grown up doctor, one who has read books and understood them, says she needs a transfusion, esle she will die.

What does your faith say you should do ?

What if the blood transfusion will prevent the child from suffering brain damage leaving her a cripple ?

We both know the answer to that don't we ?

I know what my moral position is but that was not the issue someone asked what alternatives we accept and I tried to answer as best I could.
I apologise if my answer is flawed in your opinion but as I said I was just trying to answer a question

dominiconnor, why do you regard ' being woken up as assault'? and why are you calling other posters ' stupid' and 'dishonest' ? your posts are verging on hysteria. Totally irrational and melodramatic.

my dd1 often wakes me in the middle of the night. Maybe I should ' do her' for multiple assault.....

Alicemama "SleepyJess: it is not God's will for anybody to die...I'm so sorry if that's what they said"

Alicemama, they didn't say he should have died in so many words. Before the day these ladies arrived on my doorstep I only knew about the blood tranfusion issue.. not that intensive care was not allowed either. I asked them about the fact that he had had a blood transfusion as it was considered vital because it was part of his intensive care treatment. They said 'we don't believe in intensive care.. if someone dies without it, then this is God's will...' So NOT in so many words, I should have allowed my baby to die?

(Not getting at you personally by the way.. I just can't and won't understand this stand point. And I also don't believe that God has all these requirements of us. I believe he actually has very few. We are answerable only to ourselves.. and I think God requires only that that be so!)

I tell them I am jewish

My mother and sister are baptised witnessess (sp?)
While I was pregnant I informed my doctors that I did not want a blood transfusion during birth.
I did have a blood disorder at the time but took injections twice a week to improve my blood levels, I read the research (not only witness based)and made my decision which was respected by doctors and midwifes alike I was closely monitored and well treated through out my pregnancy.

Dominiconnor what is your point? The same reason butchers don't eat sausages?(they both know the ingredients so don't partake!!)

So because your not a doctor you cannot have an opnion or make an informed decision with or without religious involvement? are you so blighted by your hate for organised religion (I have read your posts before)that you feel you can malign and insult people at will?
with all due respect your'e not a nurse or a doctor so what are you? (apart from an obviously sad, hurt and bitter person?)

Do you think you could accept that not everyone is as jaded, twisted or paranoid as yourself?

we both know the answer to that don't we?

treatment in intensive care is allowed. I mentioned earlier a jw girl who is friends with my sister has been in and out of intensive care most of her childhood thru a hole in the heart and 2 brain tumours. she is now well and full of life

I always smile sweetly and tell them I gave up believing in imaginary friends when I was 6.

If I'm in the mood I'll argue theology with them. Like Tommy, a degree in Religion is a joyful thing at times. I find Leviticus usually has them heading for the road.

well this is weird....one of Dominiconnor's postings on this thread says he/she is a staff nurse...but on another thread s/he "works in financial markets"....is this a troll alert????