Unexpected guests

[Robban]

Was busy at the computer today when the doorbell rang, so when I opened the door standing there was two ladies from JW.
They presented themselves and then they asked me If I had any views about the future. Sure, its gonna be great. Then they said something about, it is in the Bible that..... but then I beat them to it and said, I know, thats why its gonna be great. They seemed to melt like snow.
Then I asked them to excuse me as I was busy.
Anyone else here that have had such guests?

 

[Gwenyfur]

I've had 'em a few times...
In the past I'd invite 'em in and debate with them for a while...

These days I offer to cast a spell of protection for them

 

[xDenax]

I usually won't answer the door. Especially since it's often men and I'm home alone. Though, I won't answer for the women either.

 

[Supreme]

They are the most annoying people ever. They tried to convert my dad a few years back (who's an atheist). I felt rather sorry for them, as my dad was going along with it and stuff but they never stood a hope in hell. They even gave him a leaflet and then they started coming about every month for talks. Then we moved house. Without telling them. And I converted. But to Christianity. (-;

 

[Wicked Willow]

Yeah, they're the only doorstep proselytizers I've ever encountered, as evangelicals are a rather rare occurrence around here.

I kinda like their whacky pamphlets, as they're usually so over-the-top and kitschy as to be indistinguishable from a parody of the same. (They're quite tame compared to some of the stuff that's apparently circulated in the US, such as Chick tracts, but hey: as I said - they're the best we've got in terms of commercialized religion sold like an insurance).

 

[Lutherin]

Were they good looking?

I had one long ago, Philipino man and my friend from Ghana. Nice guys, can't remember what they said.

My drive way is too steep, too long, and the new spiked wall must be scaring them off. Also, the dogs that live around the naibourhood are free roaming, nasty buggers them dogs, nice to kids though.

 

[Quath]

I use to have some JWs who would show up regularly. I find it fun to discuss religion. Sometimes it was inconvient, but most times, I would chat for a bit with them.

One day they showed up and my wife was doing some housework. She had found some devil horns from the Halloween party and stuck them on her head while she cleaned. The JWs came by that day.

My wife is a little freaked out by religious people. She was raised non-religious and has a hard time seeing the difference between them (until she gets to know someone personally). She is worried that they will hear God tell them to kill her or something. When she gets scared, she turns very aggressive.

So when the JWs knocked at the door. She got nervous and scared. She opened the door wearing her devil horns and said "Get the **** off my yard!" I never saw them since.

 

[hikersong]

This story doesn't reflect well on me, but in my days at bible college sometimes we did door to door evangelism. I knocked on one door and said "It's alright, I'm not a Jehovah's Witness" (as though the alternative...me...was any better). The woman answering said "I am".

She was quite gracious about it, I remember.

 

[Gardenia]

Actually, I don't mind most of the JWs that use to come around. There use to be one woman who came around every month or two before I moved (with a younger member each time) who was really nice to talk with. She knew I had no interest in converting, and she never pushed it or anything, we just had nice conversation.

Only started to have problems after I moved. A group of three young Mormon men came by and the conversation was very one sided, it was hard to get any word in, and they made me pretty uncomfortable. (Especially when they said they could drive me to their temple right then when they found I don't drive. Err, no? I'm not getting into a car with three strangers...) I'd hope most of them are more polite, but I don't answer the door for any proselytizers here anymore. :/ A lot of my neighbors have signs saying basically the same.

 

[Fuzzy]

My wife grew up in a neighborhood with a JW family. They came over once to proselytize (to no success), and the rest of the times they were over was for secular neighbor stuff like barbecues and pool parties.

When I was young, I had a dog that sounded like a much larger dog, so most visitors left after the barking started.

At one point had a teenager living with us while she was going to community college (friend of my wife's). She'd go to local churches and fill out visitor cards, and they'd follow up to see if she'd be coming back. Only one got really obnoxious, the others were pretty laid back. And the obnoxious one was more a case of being pushy in general than any religious issue. Invariably, these followup visits occurred when the teenager was in class.

 

[Nostromo]

I used to live with JWs, and currently live with some ex-JWs, but never actually had a "visit" from them because they're still in touch and know not to bother.

I know that it must annoy people to be preached to on their own doorstep, but my experiences with them when they're not out "on the ministry" have almost always been good. I've met one or two really obnoxious ones, but the rest are without a doubt some of the nicest people I've ever known.

 

[Robban]

Thanks for your input folks, really amusing. In the sense that some situations sounded amusing.

 

[Van]

One question that I sometimes ask, if i feel up to a long discussion, is "Is the Spirit of Christ God?"

 

[Tatsukun]

In Tokyo we mostly get the Mormons. There is usually a white guy in a black suit (black tie, white shirt, name-tag) hanging out near each train station, and if he sees any other white people he invites them for coffee and tries to convert them.

They can be annoying, but if you want a free cup of coffee, they are a great resource!

-Tatsukun

 

[Aesjn]

Back when I was a Quaker-Baptist sort some came while I was asleep. We never get such people here, so I opened the door to figure out who the two old ladies at the door was. I only stuck my head our since I didn't have a shirt on. Surprisingly, they didn't immediately go away considering I was half naked, but talked and asked if I believed in the bible and such... in the end they never tried convincing me to become a JW and were just happy I read the bible. Was kinda confusing!

 

[Starcrystal]

I had a visit like that once in 1994. I mentioned about 5 scriptures to them and said I'd get a 10 page writing I had done. When I came back to the door they were gone in a hurry. Luckily I had been working with a JW for about 4 months every day and had some deep talks with him. They like to engage you in an intellectual debate over scripture verses and try to explain what they mean from their perspective.

 

[Arlais]

I always talk to them. Even if I don't agree with them (and I don't), I find it quite endearing how they're out so much talking to people about God (and not just because it's God; if they were Cake Witnesses preaching about frosting, I'd still find it endearing) -- to be so passionate about something that they've given up their time to go out and try to "help" (in their eyes, that's what they're doing; however misguided they may be). However, I can appreciate some people might not have the time for it and I understand that can be an inconvenience when one is in the middle of something else.

 

[Robban]

Absolutly Arlais,
In my case they may have thought I was some kind of eccentric type hair standing on end, they may even have had a chuckle themselves.
Robban.