<p>About two months ago, a lady visited our house with information about the Bible. She was saying something about War and God that I thought was interested. So I took it and read it. I figured why not? Can’t hurt?</p>
<p>When I later researched it, I discovered that she was with the Jehovah’s Witnesses and was trying to convert me. I’ve never had this happen to me before, and I didn’t even know that this is how JWs operate.</p>
<p>Well, for the past few months, they’ve been knocking on my door. They’ve come three times to my house. I usually ignored them hoping they’d go awayA, but they persisted. So I decided today to confront them and end this once and for all.</p>
<p>When I saw them, I thanked them for their time. And I told them that I had no idea that they were not associated with Catholic Church (my church), and that since they are not Catholic, I can’t continue. We started talking. Can you believe that I let them convince me into taking one of their brochures? Stupid me!</p>
<p>They said they were coming back next Thursday to talk. But what I want to do is end this once and for all. I was born a Catholic and plan to stay a Catholic for the rest of my life. I don’t mind reading about other religions, but I have no plans to convert. Absolutely NOT!</p>
<p>The two ladies who came were really nice, and I don’t want to offend them or their faith? So how can I tell them FIRMLY and ASSERTIVELY that I’m not interested without being rude? I thought of saying a quick “No, I’m not interested” and just shutting the door. But that seems awfully rude. </p>
<p>Have you dealt with JWs before? If so, how did you get them to see that they will not convert you without being abrasive? What do you recommend I do this late in the game?</p>
<p>If you don’t want them to call you or show up at your home, simply tell them that you don’t want them to contact you anymore. You don’t need to apologize. You don’t need to give them an explanation. Just tell them that you don’t want any more contact with them and they are not welcome on your property.</p>
<p>Sometimes it takes being “rude”. Say no as you are closing the door… do not stop closing the door if they begin talking. Since you took some packets, you have been identified as “interested”, so you will need to say more than a polite “no, here’s why I don’t agree” from here on out, and a consistent, firm and even a bit rude “no thank you” and close the door and walk away.
I made the same mistake once when home with a new baby and lonely. This isn’t a friendship thing, it’s a sales thing.</p>
<p>This happens several times a month at my house and has for years. They are used to people being told that they are not interested and usually don’t persist and let you end the conversation. In my area if you put up a no-soliciting sign it is illegal for them to come to our door and they know that, you may see if there is a similar ordinance where you live. If you don’t want to just say you’re not interested and shut the door, explain that you are a devoted catholic and are not interested in converting and ask them not to come to your house anymore. Be prepared for them to ignore you. They are not supposed to, and most don’t, but a few will. In that case you have to be assertive and shut the door. Those that are not responsive to “not interested” can be very persistent, and we have had to go so far as to call the police to get someone off our doorstep-- and they still keep coming, but we haven’t had any incidents like that again.</p>
<p>I don’t know much about JWs, but I am under the impression that their religion calls for them to do these things, or at least they think so, and they feel they are being helpful. Most will understand if you tell them you are not interested in their help, but don’t let them walk all over you if they don’t.</p>
<p>I agree with nysmile. They are being persistent with you, without regard. If they contact you again, politely say thank you, but you have read their materials and it doesn’t coincide with your personal beliefs and close the door. Sometimes just being upfront rather than wishy washy is the best approach.</p>
<p>DH (Jewish) once got into a protracted theological discussion with a Jehovah’s Witness who approached to proselytize in a coffee shop. At the end of the conversation, the JH said “You’ve given me a lot to think about.” One of my favorite stories.</p>
<p>Funny story. Just out of college I couldn’t afford a single apartment, and moved in with 3 other girls. One was a zionist Jew who went on missions to Israel every year and was learning hebrew. One was a lapsed methodist, one was an atheist lesbian, and I was a lapsed Catholic. We had a family of JW who used to come to our door. They were pushing their 16-ish daughter to proselytize and it was obvious she didn’t want to, but they were rather nice, in general. I used to let them in sometimes just to chat. Their heads swam when they left our heathen abode, let me tell you :).</p>
<p>I once had a coworker who was a non-pushy JH and shared pamphlets with me and we discussed them. </p>
<p>So now when these people catch me (I usually just ignore the doorbell) I tell them I am familiar with their message through a friend who gave me Watchtowers…(I say this as I am smiling and closing the door)…and they go away.</p>
<p>Of course it is a sin to lie but you could maybe tell them that you have learned about their teachings from another source and please don’t come to your house again.</p>
<p>That’s what I do. Why does that seem awfully rude? You are doing them a favor by letting them not waste their precious time with you so that they can reach out to someone who really wants to hear their message.</p>
<p>Had a friend who used the line “Satan get ye behind me” but that may be a little on the rude side… But I can understand how listening to someone telling you that you need to beleave like they do or your going to hell gets a little rude too… But to be fair they are not the only religion with that message…</p>
<p>Here’s my experience…
I live in a rural area and to come to my house, which is on a dirt road, you have to drive down a long driveway and would never be able to walk here. It is very quiet in this setting and so I often can hear if a car is driving up as it is so unusual. If I look out the window and suspect it is Jehovah’s Witnesses, I may not open. Of course, one can’t always tell but sometimes I can as they are always in a small group of two or three and never just one person. This doesn’t always work, however, as we have no curtains where we live (typically do not need 'em for privacy as there are no neighbors close enough to see in). But my job is at my computer which can be seen by the windows that are by my front door and so if I don’t hear a car coming ahead of time, once someone knocks on the door, they may have seen me and so I can’t fake that nobody is home. :)</p>
<p>But the main thing for me is that in this tiny town, the JH that always come by is a woman I know (though I don’t know her “companions” and fellow JH’s). And this woman was the one on one babysitter for my older D as an infant at this woman’s home when I worked full time for six months (not to mention coming here in the middle of the night when I went into labor with D2 in order to stay with D1). So, unless I have enough notice to fake that nobody is home, I feel compelled to open the door for her and to be “friendly” (this is the ONLY time I ever run into her!) What happens is that we spend most of the time “catching” up with what my grown girls are doing now and so on. They do keep coming back, (ugh)…but I try to be polite and if they ask me if I have read the Watchtower issue or whatever the handout booklet is, I accept to take the copy but I state that I respect their religion but that I am Jewish and have no interest in learning about their religion or desire to alter my own, but am willing to take the handout (which I trash after closing the door). They tend not to get super religious on me and it tends to be more of a “visit” but I admit if I can hide and fake that nobody is home, I try to do that if I can get away with it!</p>
<p>PS…I am sooooooooooooooo not into someone from ANY religion trying to convert or push their religion onto others. I respect differences and their beliefs but want them to respect mine. I can’t relate to this behavior, and would never dream of pushing my religion on someone else.</p>
<p>If I’m caught off guard, and answer the door without knowing Jehovah’s Witnesses await me on my front porch, I simply smile and tell them, “I’m sorry, but I have already survived involvement in a manipulative and controlling cult, and I’d rather stick a fork in my eye before repeating the experience”. Then I shut the door in their faces. Rude? Yes. Effective? Yes. Do I feel the least bit guilty? No!</p>
<p>I grew up on a 6 home cul-de-sac in SoCal, and when my mother would see them coming up the street, she had a sign, held by string to hang on the front door saying, " go away, not interested, we’re Catholic." It actually worked.</p>
<p>Never take the pamphlet. Like a previous poster, I made that mistake once when I was home with a new baby (I was likely sleep deprived), and then the group was on my doorstep on a weekly basis. I finally answered the door again, told them firmly that I was not interested and shut the door. Probably rude, but so be it.</p>
<p>I think it’s ruder to waste their time with clever repartee designed to put them in their place than it is to say, “Not interested, thank you” while you are shutting the door. If I get a junk phone call, I do the same – I say that I’m not interested and hang up the phone. I agree completely with ellemenope.</p>
<p>I always look out the window and if I don’t know the person standing on my doorstep, I don’t answer the door. </p>
<p>Really - they chose to walk up to your house - you didn’t invite them. How rude is that? I don’t think that a firm response is at all rude under those circumstances. I also believe in hanging up on unsolicited phone callers. That’s been necessary all month and I can’t wait for the freaking election to be over already.</p>
but you could maybe tell them that you have learned about their teachings from another source and please don’t come to your house again.</p>
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