Doorbell chimes. There were two Jehovah Witnesses on my doorstep holding a bible and a JW flyer.

I point to the "No soliciting" sign on my door that is conspicuous as can be. They say "We're not selling anything." I tell them "Yes you are. I have my religion, and am not interested."

They turned and walked away.

Note, they're tracting on a Sunday. Aren't they supposed to be in church?

Bad, bad, bad.

They are certainly selling something.


To sell (religious) ideas is to sell.

I was a salesman (as a Mormon missionary) and I promised never to sell anything again.

That kind of behaviour pisses me off no end.

I am known to just slam the door in people's faces when they have the nerve to ring my doorbell inspite of the very well visible sticker.

It's right beneath the bell. You can't miss it for crying out loud! and it says (roughly translated from Dutch) :

No salesmen, no religion, no charity(s)


Clear enough you'd think?
If I want to buy something from you, I'll find you. If I want to donate to your charity, I'll also find you. And as far as religion is concerned.... just fuck off..

It's usually pretty quiet at my door, with the exeption of a hard headed idiot every now and then.

I don't know as JW actually practice sunday rest by the way..

They also often ask for donations if anyone takes one of their Watchtower pamphlets.

Oh man i just put up a no soliciting sign maybe i should add a no proselytizing sign as well.

A good door poster would be this

Invitees only
Due to the high cost of ammunition warning shots will not be fired!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/10/2017 11:27AM by desertman.

That would scare me away for sure.

I take just the opposite approach if my TBM wife is not home. I invite them in and we talk religion. It is amazing to me what people can believe.

Since I live in Utah most of the couples I have invited in are where the husband is normally an exmo.

That makes for quite an interesting discussion on how they can trade Joseph Smith BS for a Bible of myths and a preacher that claims no connection to God via supernatural means at all!

The discussion normally gets down to why trade 'Mormon bondage' for 'Christian bondage' when it is all the same unsupported 'myths' they are based?

It's very annoying to say the least.

Have looked for signs that incorporate "No proselytizing." Unless I order one online haven't found some to choose from locally. Plus, the signs themselves muck up my doorway especially the more space they take up.

What don't these idiots understand?

I get the young Mormon missionaries more than these older dopes. Because the young mishies have been totally brainwashed or otherwise totally controlled by their parents &/or church.

JW's are older. They have to be held more accountable for going door-to-door selling their version of the truth.

They don't respect "no" for an answer. That is what really agitates me about them the most. I'll probably call the JW church this coming week and complain. This is the 2nd time in less than two months they've shown up (that I know about.) :(

Had a similar experience several years ago w/JWs. Also have "No Solicitors" sign in 3 of my windows and they still knocked on my door. When I pointed that out to them, they responded they weren't "Solicitors". My response was: "Yes you are. You are soliciting my time and I don't want what you're handing out. It would only go in my File 13." Nowadays when I see multiple people with baby strollers, I stand at my windows scowling visibly.

The JWs in my area recently mailed me a pretty long handwritten letter inviting me to one of their services. Junk mail for sure, but I'd rather they communicate like that than come to my door. It's a quick trip to the recycling can.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/10/2017 03:40PM by want2bx.

I tell them God is out in the shop if they want to meet him. No takers.

He answered the door when they rang, and as they ramped up their sales pitch, he kept making "listening" noises, like "Hmmm," or "Really?" which seemed to encourage them.

Finally, he said, "Hey, hang on for a sec, bro." He ducked away from the (locked) security door and grabbed an old, dusty BoM from a long-unused room. He said, "Tell ya what. I'll read your Watchtower stuff if you'll read my Book of Mormon!"

You never saw such a hasty about-face.

My son turned back toward me, eyes dancing with mischief. "That Book of Mormon's got some powerful juju there, Mom!"

We have laughed about the BoM "juju" many times since then.

That's a great idea, Catnip.

My BoM's are long gone by now. Could see my son doing something like that given the same opp.

:)

My former JW neighbor is totally terrified by mormons.

JUST THIS MORNING at 8am local time, two "publishers" were hanging out on a neighborhood corner at a bus stop.

Problem is, at 8am on a Sunday, there's very little auto traffic, and nobody walking on the sidewalk, and only one bus an hour that stops there (transit is rare anywhere at that time, as TRAX in SLC doesn't start until later).

They're doing that here too. They put their folding chairs ON the sidewalk and put two literature racks on the sidewalk about 6' away and just sit there for hours. I'm tempted to call code enforcement and ask them to clear off the sidewalk. Either that or ride a bike along there and accidentally crash into them.

Do they have literature in Arabic there? I'm wondering if Muslims are a hotbed for conversions?

One all-purpose sign: No trespassing

Amyjo, they will have been to "church" (Kingdom Hall) or will go later (their services are split up into a.m. and p.m. like Mormons, to fit them all in during the day).

Correct, they do not consider themselves to be solicitors so ignore those signs.

Adding "no religion" to the signs seems like a good idea.

In my area they don't seem to want to chat any more. They just put leaflets through the mailbox at times of gatherings such as Easter and summer conference. I do see a huge increase in the incidences of the street vendor style, with the stools and the literature racks. They don't seem to try to talk to passersby but just smile at anyone who looks at them. That's different from past years when they attempted to personally engage everyone who walked by as they stood on street corners.

As for asking for "donations", that's a new one on me. I think they used to ask for a few coins for a magazine "to cover the cost or printing" or something like that. Then they started just giving them away. That would seem the more agreeable way to do it.

I know it's irritating to be approached by people we don't want to interact with but I feel pretty much the same when I get incessant knocks about re-paving my driveway, cleaning my gutters, painting the house, mowing the lawn, pruning the trees, sponsoring someone's education. The only people I welcome are the local sports teams wanting to collect bottles. Saves me a trip to the recycling depot and is an easy way to support the kids.

Not that there are that many bottles at my place. True enough it was a sacrifice as a Mormon convert not to wet my lips with alcohol of any kind, no matter the occasion, but even now back in civilization I remain a modest tippler at best.

Whatever you think of JWs, at least they don't ban alcohol. Intoxication yes. Booze itself, no.

As for doing the "Sunday thing", no. They don't celebrate a do-nothing style "Sabbath".

They seemed quite moderate and "normal" to me when I wuz one. Still I think so, compared to the Mormon playbook. (No offence intended).

One of my cousins joined JW for a time, converting over from Mormonism to do that. He'd been an alcoholic for much of his life, and JW helped him to clean up his act.

Finally he ended up leaving that too, and is today an old cowboy in his waning years.

He was a very talented artist at one time. He sold many of his paintings of nature landscapes in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

Nightingale Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

>
> They seemed quite moderate and "normal" to me when
> I wuz one. Still I think so, compared to the
> Mormon playbook. (No offence intended).

The ban on celebrating birthdays is a bit much. (Even if God himself or herself came down and said that birthdays are not to be celebrated any longer, my wife would probably insist upon celebrating our kids' birthdays regardless.) I wasn't thrilled with the results of the most recent presidential election, but I think the right to elect our leaders is a good thing. And while I don't especially like war, Hitler needed to be stopped.

I wouldn't exactly call the religion "moderate."



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/13/2017 11:59AM by scmd.

i take the crime watch approach, i go out to their car and take pics of the vehicle dmv plate and then pics of them for the police if any break ins take place in the neighbor hood

That's been another concern of mine.

When I've gotten house calls from a young teenage male who came by one month selling Andersen Windows. Then another month as a Verizon salesman. Each time he looked past me through a storm and security door, to see what was behind me in my living room. That's what led to my getting the no soliciting sign, as well as the pesky missionaries.

So far the sign has been working for that kind of 'solicitor', thankfully. Also have a security system in place for protection.

Amyjo, I would talk to unknown people through your closed and locked door. There is no need for you to open your door to them.

I only sold myself. As a political candidate I got in 98% of the time. I guess I look innocuous. And I wasn't selling religion or something to buy.

Yeah Summer, agreed.

My storm door doubles as a security door, and is locked. That's the one I spoke through when they rang my doorbell.

Pointing to the 'No Soliciting' sign as I was speaking to them. That was when they spouted they aren't selling anything. Well right there, they are liars.

I wouldn't even give them that much. Why let them peek inside your home? Keep the main door closed and locked as well.

If I didn't answer the door, I wouldn't know who is there.

I told them to go away. If they can't take a hint, they're dumber than they look.

I don't give JW the time of day. Or anyone else who comes to my door uninvited.

Unless it's my neighbors. We look after each other.

Ask! "Who is it? What do you want?" You can talk to people through a closed and locked door. My neighbors always ID themselves even if I do have a peephole, and I do the same for them. There have been a few times even in my condo building (which has a secure entry,) when I have not opened the door to a non-neighbor.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/14/2017 06:34AM by summer.

I yell through my door as well but i think my sign is working.

I don't have a problem opening my inner door, and talking through the storm door. It's secure enough.

I prefer telling them to their faces I'm not interested. If they're really 'inspired' they will get the message. It helps me as well to ID them if needed later for filing a police report.

"JW's unknowingly attest to the deity and majesty of the Lord Jesus Christ by worshiping Jehovah God on Sunday, the Lord's Day."
I asked this Q about JW and Sunday and this is what came up.

Wow, what a cult!

When they come to my door I tell them I used to walk to high school with a nice neighbor who was a Jehovahs Witness. She was a smart girl but her parents told her it was not worth going to college because the end of the world was coming soon. After graduation she took a job clerking in a store to wait for the end of the world. We graduated from high school in 1958! I ask the people at the door if they know what happened to Carolyn.

So Carolyn would be 77 by now. Wonder if she's still in JW? Hopefully she was smart enough to see her way out of it.

Haven't had JW recently (we live only a 1/2 mile from their small no-windows meeting bldg).

However, I do get regular manure-for-my-lawn sales persons on a regular basis (non-English speaking).

Which is worse?

(BTB, the manure is full of weed seeds, and smells awful.)

Do the manure salesmen actually bring the manure with them when they go door-to-door?

That's crazee!

There has to be a health law against that.

Which is worse? They're both as bad IMO. As they both stink. One figuratively. The other literally.

The local KHall is near a freeway exit here (Sequim,WA), and the parking lot is often full, especially on Sundays...

The KH has only the minimum amount of Windows, I believe that's to reduce vandalism costs.

I've never been to any of their 'services' , their zeal amazes me, but proves that (if I'm correct about them) the parallels with MoMism still have an audience.

Is there a video of one of their meeting(s) online? MIGHT be interesting.

ExMo here. I went to one of their meetings in SLC (out of curiosity and education) and it was very similar to LDS sacrament meeting. Everyone was dressed up and gave talks (they have their own lingo like Mormons do...and always mention "Jehovah God") At the end of the long meeting me and my friends got up and ran out while members were quickly approaching us. We got in the car and drove off.

Could be heresay, but it was my understanding the Kingdom Hall has no windows so when the "second coming" happens they'll be protected in the church from the fire and light from "Jehovah God".

I lived in NYC for a few years and would always see them walking around the city pulling their magazine rack on wheels (folds up) behind them. And then standing in the subway terminals with their magazine rack. But I never saw anyone ever talking to them. They would stand their with perma grins on their faces and looked like LDS missionaries. Also, JW headquarters was right across the Brooklyn bridge in Brooklyn.

Cults are very fascinating to me. Scary, but fascinating.

JW's are just a poorer version of Mormons and less educated or even uneducated too.

They think the watchtower publications have done all the academic theological research for them, so they don't know the watchtower lies to them and the academic research is far from it and actually very deceptive and at worst outright lying. They knowingly lie and omit facts. It's quite scary when you check up on watchtower publication contents and find how deceptive it is.

The poor JW thinks he/she is in 'The Truth' and that they have achieved the ultimate goal in life by being in 'the truth'. It's worse than Ponzi scams and destroys families.

Many are leaving the JW scam and this years theme at their annual convention (conference) is 'Don't Give Up'!

Just like Bednar recently warning the young adults not break the chain of cult indoctrination.

Bednar can kiss my ass is all i have to add to this. Carry on.

Do the JWs have local (paid or unpaid) clergy?

Do their leaders go to divinity college?

Untrained leaders, call them clergy, priests, ministers, pastors, or Rabbis > TROUBLE A BREWIN'

Unpaid "clergy" as far as I am aware. Their leaders in the congregation are called "elders" - the senior men (no women), not like with Mormons when the young men/missionaries are called elders.

They call each other brother and sister so the leaders are not called Elder as a title, rather it's a position. It's like "Brother Brown is an elder" (due to his longtime/lifelong membership and so-called knowledge of the faith.

Leaders do not go to divinity college. Rather, some of them go to "Bethel" where they are trained in the WatchTower tradition. As young JW females we were most interested in the brothers at or from Bethel as partners.

Regarding "main services on Saturday", that is true of SDAs but not JWs - they have their main meeting on Sundays, one evening meeting during the week, and gatherings on Saturdays to prepare to go out preaching. This could have changed since I was there as we never did the magazine rack thing (which is a step up, imo, from just standing on the corner holding up the magazines and asking for a quarter for them). We were supposed to try and talk to people as well. The ones today seem to just be content to sit or stand and smile at passersby. It certainly makes them less threatening. You can pass by without fear of having to engage with someone standing in your way or directly addressing you.

As for lying: I don't see that they condone The Noble Lie or The Pious Fraud model a la Smith and Young (perpetuated today by leaders who teach missionaries in particular that it's OK to lie to get someone baptized). In my experience, what makes it so hard to reason with a JW, much less help them see a wider worldview, is that they really, really, really believe what they are preaching. (It may be harder for many now, when Armageddon seems as far off as it's ever been, despite their dire predictions of imminent destruction coming in 1914, then 1975 and etc).

(Come to think, maybe "Armageddon" *is* on the horizon, what with current events in today's scary world, if nobody can talk down the principals from their heated stances).

JWs are like Seventh Day Adventists and come from the same background. They have their main services on Saturday.

Do the JWs publish - disclose their financials?

If their literature is anything like LDS communication -
information, it's so General, so ambiguous, it might be a challenge to call it Lies...

I'm also betting not many of them are Naturists -Nudists, so that's pretty much a No for me.

I may be mistaken, but I think they believe (or used to believe), that there is a limited number of person who will get into heaven (some 500,000?)--a figure they derived from their bible.

(Note, even far less than for only-temple-endowed Mormons.)

At least a decade ago, I invited a couple of women into my home to talk awhile. These ill-informed woman commented that I didn't have a real bible, but a "Mormon" book.

While informing me of this misunderstanding, she held in her own hands their Leader's copy of a Bible (a slim version of picked-over-and-chosen 'scriptures').

When I pointed this strange juxtaposition out to them, one of them couldn't comprehend what I was saying (she appeared to be in a stupor of thought), although the other one seemed able to do so.

The one who believed in the J.W. scripture in her hand explained that "yes, our leaders know these things, while the Mormon bible does not contain 'real' scriptures".

The small J.W. temple near us has a big turnover of members, and I don't have any trouble knowing why. (It appears they even changed now to wearing all-white cloths.) The men also carry a briefcase with them. (Bigger thinkers?)

Oh what we choose to do when we don't choose to use our brains when it comes to religious doctrines.

The number of heaven-bound JWs is 144,000. All the rest of blessed humanity will live on a (restored) Paradise earth.

In the briefcases they carry are magazines, books and Bibles (New World Translation - their own) to give away to anyone who expresses interest in discussing their beliefs.

They use the King James Version of the Bible, with some scriptures "tweaked" to more clearly support their theological beliefs. One of the big ones is John 1:1 - "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God".

The JW "translation" adds the word 'a', so the verse reads: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a God".

Their rendition allows for their non-belief in the Trinity. It is accepted that "the Word" is Jesus Christ. Therefore, if "the Word was God" then He would be equal with God the Father. That can't be true if you are unitarian. (JWs teach that God the Father is Supreme and Jesus Christ is lesser than; hence the need to change that scripture).

Supposedly, some Bible scholars accede that it is possible to put the 'a' into that verse although that is not a widely held view of the correct translation. JW leaders have latched onto that "possible" to insist their version is not wrong, and in fact the most right, thereby upholding their unitarian teaching of God the Father being Supreme rather than there being a Trinity of co-equal gods.

There are only a few other examples, that I know of, of verses in the KJV that JWs have changed to match their theology (rather than using the accepted approach of the theology coming out of an accurate translation). I did a comparative study one year of the various translations but I've forgotten most of it now.

But these are just some of the types of reasons why adherents think they have an academic basis for their beliefs.

Thanks Nightingale, I learned a lot from that.

You folks here get all the luck. After my wife and I stopped attending some 7 years ago, one set of missionaries came over and as they were leaving, said that they could not answer my questions. Never saw missionaries again, even though I occasionally mention that to my tbm neighbor. And no JW's have been to our house in 15 years, although I have recently mentioned that to my wife's active JW friend. In the last several years I have studied a lot about Christianity and would love a good discussion. Maybe I could pray for visitor. Oops! That's right, I am definitely not a believer in praying to the invisible man in the sky wearing a white robe with white whiskers.

They go to church on Saturday I think..

He wasn't going to live long (which I learned after I adopted him, but sure glad I did adopt him). We turned off the doorbell because he'd get all excited anytime someone would ring the doorbell and then cough and cough and cough.

We haven't turned it back on and my little dog died over 2 years ago. I'm one of those who didn't answer the door unless I knew who it was anyway. People who know me know how to let me know they are at the door. I also usually know someone is at the door when my 2 little dogs bark, but then people don't know I'm here just because my dogs bark.