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What I said to 2 JWs at my door today...


thankgodifinallywokeup
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Hello everyone,

On a scale of 1-10, how mean do you think I was today to the 2 JWs at my door?

My only regret was not saying, "Hey, guys, get a life! Don't you work all week! What are you 2 doing walking around trying to convert new JWs so the JW HQ can collect more tithes?"

But, I didn't. They said they wanted to talk to me today about the Bible. Noticed they were wearing their Sunday shoes, shined, nice longsleeved dress shirts, pants, and ties. It's 85 degrees today. I said, "No thanks, I've already been in a cult."

"Which one were you in?" they asked.

"The Way International," I said.

Scanned the Bible in closest one's hand and saw a WatchTower hanging out. Then asked, "Which one are you in, Jehovah's Witnesses?"

"Yes, we are in JWs, but we're not in a cult..." Big smiles.

I cut them off, "Well that's great, have a good afternoon." I felt good as I shut the door.

My reasoning: I've already spent more time with cults than I care to think about and there is just no more of me to give. I just don't have time for it.

Honesty feels good. Was I mean to them or is it good for them to hear it straight?

Edited by thankgodifinallywokeup
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*shrug* Sounds like you were just fine. Regarding what you wanted to say :P .... I remember way too many times out knocking on doors when I really didn't want to be there. I remember how uncomfortable I was and how I already felt bad enough without someone being rude to me.

I also remember how excited I was when I first got involved and wanted to share what I was learning with everyone I already knew and loved and cared about. I remember how absolutely deceived I was. I remember how rude, obnoxious, nasty or arrogant people pushed me further into TWI and caused me to become even more zealous, devoted and staked to the TWI doctrine.

I remember, too, that the people who made the most impact on my life, whether they realize it or not, are those who responded kindly to me - those who asked me non-threatening, but thought-provoking questions - those who showed me a more Christ-like behavior and response than the one I was trained to give to them.

I'm always kind to them when they come to my door. I tell them I'm not interested and don't accept the Watchtower but I do give them a few bucks after learning that they have to pay for those out of their own pocket.

But, then again, I'm also kind to the Mormons, the Girl Scouts, the neighborhood school kids when they come by. I'm also kind to telemarketers, but I've been in their shoes before and it doesn't cost me anything to be polite.

Edited by Belle
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top this one

maybe i wasn't nice but i was sick and tired of this one jw couple

they would come knocking at my door at least once a week

they always had thier welldressed little daughter with them

maybe this was wrong but i did it anyway and would do it again

i was getting out of the shower and they banged on the door

i did not even bother putting a towel around me

opened the door and invited them in

the plus?

never saw them again

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Thankgod..........you were very polite and honest.......not mean at all...

I had a neighbor in my first house after twi.....with whom i am still in love and in touch with to this day......who is a real salt-o-the-earth kinda archie bunker type....who always invited the jw's into his kitchen to discuss the bible with them......he is a roman catholic who goes to church every sunday.......he would always invite them in every time they came into the neighborhood, his wife, another wonderful salt-o'-the earth person, would fix them lunch or snacks while k would pour himself a couple of 7 and 7's (always offering his guests some) and dutifully hear them out......he kept a list of questions for them.....to which list i often contributed......and would fill me in on their answers........i am laughing as i type this.........to me it was a great service to the neighborhood, because he kept them there at his house for 3-5 hours every time they came....wearing them out and thus sparing the rest of the neighborhood!!!.....lol........i'll always be grateful to him for that!!!

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Once a JW came to my door. Here's how that went:

JW - Hello. Let me ask you, Are you a Christian?

Dooj - Yes I am.

JW - What denomination?

Dooj - I am a Christian. I don't claim a denomination.

JW - Well! That's a non-committal answer...

Dooj - As far as I'm concerned, that's the ONLY answer. I believe in God and that Jesus Christ is His son. You're just asking me what brand I smoke.

She left after that.

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top this one

maybe i wasn't nice but i was sick and tired of this one jw couple

they would come knocking at my door at least once a week

they always had thier welldressed little daughter with them

maybe this was wrong but i did it anyway and would do it again

i was getting out of the shower and they banged on the door

i did not even bother putting a towel around me

opened the door and invited them in

the plus?

never saw them again

ROFLMAO, cool chef!!!!

I know, I know. :beer:

I appreciate what you said, Belle. But, I no longer believe anything I do will cause them to get out or stay in. I'm just not nice anymore that way for whatever reason, lol. I don't care what they say as they walk away, either.

Thanks, Waysider :D

I liked the LDS missionaries, Notawafer. Invited 'em in, prayed with them, for them, offered to give them money, furniture, whatever. Told 'em I'd been a missionary with TWI. They said they didn't need anything. Haven't seen them since. The JWs irritate me. They keep coming, and coming, and coming.

Edited by thankgodifinallywokeup
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Here's a strange twist for you.

About a month ago, I opened a hand addressed, first class postage, envelope that was addressed to me.

Inside was a handwritten letter addressed to me. I am looking at it as I post.

Here is some of the first paragraph:

" I am engaged in a volunteer Christian ministry that is being done in 235 countries.

We were unable to speak with you personally, but I would like to share an encouraging thought with you."

It goes on to talk about paradise on Earth and quotes IS.55:11 and Psalms 37:29.

Enclosed were two tracts.

One was titled All Suffering Soon to End and the other was Would You Like To Know More About The Bible?.

I have to give this one an A+ for novelty.

Not only did the person have to buy the tracts, but she spent the cost of a first class stamp to send it to me.

Edited by waysider
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It is interesting to reflect on the fact that at one time, we were just as devoted and zealous to promote our ministry in the same way as the JW's and LDSers. And how were also taught to have distain and intolerance for all other religions, with special acknowledgement toward the Catholic church and others, a la the old victster and his predjudices. Funny thing though, Ive read that some posters here at GS are members of the LDS and Roman Catholic churches now.

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Here is some of the first paragraph:

" I am engaged in a volunteer Christian ministry that is being done in 235 countries.

We were unable to speak with you personally, but I would like to share an encouraging thought with you."

When I was with a missionary in Mexico they mentioned that JW were getting big because they were very active there.

Then I was talking with my sons fiances parents who are going to Uruguay as missionaries when their furlow ends. JW's are working hard there also.

To get back on subject you were nice compared to what they get sometimes.

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Unfortunately, the JW's are rather pushy around here.

They did not used to be like that. I went to school with a few of them, and they were some of the greatest people I knew.

We've tried to polite "No thank you, I'm not interested" route, only when shutting the door, having it slammed open and a Watchtower shoved into our house. That, and coming just about every other day.

I finally got them to stop coming.

I got a call from one of my neighbors, who said they were on the street. I quickly threw on my black jeans, black turtleneck, and an old black cloak I had. I answered the door, and they gave their usual spiel, to which I replied "HI! You're just in time. We're having a ritual. But we don't have a virgin to sacrifice. You wouldn't happen to have any lying around, would you?"

The woman with them screamed, and they all bolted down the street.

They haven't been back.

Yes, I'm mean sometimes. Don't shove your religion in my face. I had enough of that.

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There probably were nicer ways to phrase it,

but overall, I don't think that was impolite in and of itself.

It doesnt sound like they were rude, nor you.

I've had a variety of experiences like that, some of which weren't so polite.

But-they started.

I was awakened from a nap some years ago by a ringing of my doorbell.

(Early morning.)

I went to the door, asked who it was, and the person deliberately mumbled,

intentionally making it so I could not make out a response without

opening the door.

Obviously, their INTENTION was to force a conversation.

Obviously, they didn't think through what type of conversation would result

if they pulled a stunt like that.

So, having heard the mumble, I looked through the security peephole to

look at the person there. I saw a tie, and someone DODGE out of

line of sight of the hole. Obviously, he was DETERMINED I receive no

information about who was bothering me at my door before opening the

door. So, I opened my door, visually confirmed who it was, then

shut my door and locked it as he was opening his mouth.

I now had all the information I needed, and-based on his actions, that's

all the interaction I was interested in.

I then went back to bed.

I heard he stood there for several minutes, but I don't know why.

=========

Another time, a guy tried a new, equally dishonest tactic.

He said he was going around to encourage neighbors to read their

Bible. I thanked him, and said I already did.

His immediate response was "Well, many people SAY that..."

(A bystander asked me afterwards "Did I hear him call you a liar?")

Since he was challenging my reading of the Bible directly, I decided

to accept his challenge....which should have been accompanied by

a "dun-dunn-DUNNN!" in the soundtrack....

We then went all over the Bible in succession. He'd bring up a

subject, and I'd take him to books he was unfamiliar with,

and right to verses relevant to the subject.

Hey, if he really WAS reading it all the time, he should be able

to keep up....

He came back another time, and I told him directly that my

specific disinterest in what he had to say was due to his previous

words to me-which I quoted back, complete with context.

I let him consider that for a moment, and formulate his response.

Now, HAD HE accepted responsibility for his words, and apologized

as an adult, I might have reconsidered-which is why I paused.

(He was older than me, and should have SOME maturity.)

His response was right out of some people's twi playbook of

"never admit you're wrong."

He began saying that IF he said such a thing,

and continued with a further evasion.

I pointed out exactly what I was thinking- HAD he accepted

responsibility, I MIGHT have listened to him further, but it's

clear to me that whatever I need to hear, he doesn't have

within him.

I think the person travelling with him got the lesson, whether

or not he did.

No, not everyone is like that, but approaches of those kinds

will receive what I deem to be responses appropriate to them.

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Unfortunately, the JW's are rather pushy around here.

They did not used to be like that. I went to school with a few of them, and they were some of the greatest people I knew.

We've tried to polite "No thank you, I'm not interested" route, only when shutting the door, having it slammed open and a Watchtower shoved into our house. That, and coming just about every other day.

I finally got them to stop coming.

I got a call from one of my neighbors, who said they were on the street. I quickly threw on my black jeans, black turtleneck, and an old black cloak I had. I answered the door, and they gave their usual spiel, to which I replied "HI! You're just in time. We're having a ritual. But we don't have a virgin to sacrifice. You wouldn't happen to have any lying around, would you?"

The woman with them screamed, and they all bolted down the street.

They haven't been back.

Yes, I'm mean sometimes. Don't shove your religion in my face. I had enough of that.

When they're being VERY pushy, there's ways and ways of getting THEM to decide

to leave. Back when I was in twi, I remember one twi'er exploting their aversion

to speaking in tongues- he got one to run away.

Me, back in twi, I used them for Bible practice. I'd listen to them begin on a subject,

then we'd go to a different book and address the same subject.

(At a reasonable pace.) I did that partly for my OWN practice (I think that understanding

ALL the books is a laudable goal, and the more, the better), and partly to test

how well they knew verses outside their own approach. I disdain relying SOLELY on

knowing ONE approach with ONE passage. If that's all you know, you're not ready

to play with the big boys. Read up, and try again in 3-6 months to a year.

It was also a measure of their poise to see how well they dealt with the unexpected.

(Pretty well, mostly.) Anyway, I got some practice and some entertainment in,

and I think they learned something as well.

This approach may not work as well if your locals aren't up to this caliber.

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Thankgod,

Re:"The JWs irritate me. They keep coming, and coming, and coming."

If you really want to get rid of them (they keep notes on each address they call on) then you can do what I did once. Let me back up a bit. I used to have a lady that worked for me who was an ex-JW. She let me in on their secrets, procedures and lingo. JW's witness to anyone.... unless that person USED to be a baptized JW and has left. There are different degrees of digression and punishment. The first is for the person to be labeled "bad association". Actually, a "bad association" can also be a non-JW though a JW can talk to this person. But if a baptized JW has blasphemed enough then they are "disfellowshipped" by their congregation and the only JW that is allowed to talk to them is an elder... and only *then* if that person wants to start "studying" again to get back in the good graces of the church.

When I say "no JW" I mean no JW... and that means the person's own family. Father mother brother sister.... no JW may have anything to do with them. Its the ultimate mark and avoid. I say all that to say this... So here I know what all's going on with the JW's when lo and behold if I don't see a bunch of them out on my street about 15 years ago splitting up the houses for each of them to take and knocking on doors. So I decided I was going to test to see if what my dental assistant had told me was correct.

I was looking out the window really hoping one of them was going to come up to my door and I didn't have to wait long. Up the walk came one middle aged black lady with a child that had to have been a grandchild and rang my door bell. DING-DONG.. Avon calling. So I opened the door and let them do their "Do I believe the end of the world is near" bit. I got all excited and said,"Oh.. I bet you are pioneering!". Uh, I have to back up a bit again.. "pioneering" is a JW phrase for one of them that has dedicated above and beyond the expected time going door-to-door and usually, only another JW knows this term. So when I said that, the affable lady who was trying her best to get into my house, was taken aback and did a little nervous laugh. I then opened the door wide, beckoned them in with a wide wave of my arm and said, "Come on in and lets talk" to which she smiled and started on into the house. I then said (still holding the door open while the lady and the child were walking into the house) , "I used to be a Jehovah's Witness but was disfellowshipped a few years back".

Without missing a beat, the lady took the child by the hand, did a 180 degree turn and walked back OUT of the house without saying a word. Walked back to the street without even saying goodbye. The JW's all congregated not far down the street, talked and talked amongst themselves and looked at our house. They were making notes as they talked. And though I saw them back on the street from time to time after that, they never ever came to our house again.

I regret having done that on different levels. First off, I lied to the lady. I hadn't been JW nor was I disfellowshipped and I am not usually a liar. I wouldn't do it again. But also, I know that my lie must have caused the lady some distress thinking she was in the presence of an apostate. Hey.. the JW's are good people who have been sucked into a cult just like all of us were at one time. I regret having made life harder for this lady. She had what appeared to be a grandchild with her so I can only imagine what might have been going on in the family. Was this lady's own child disfellowshipped and taking on the responsibility of the grandchild? I'll never know now because I was being "cute" playing mind games.

If I had to do it again, I would be more kind and I wouldn't lie. Life is too short and too precious.

sudo
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Shucks. I'm kind and polite to everyone that comes to my door.

I figure (those witnessing), have had a hard day and could use a break.

They always seem to come in *twos*! :P

Have had a coupla Mormons drop by, a coupla Witnesses drop by, and --

a new Baptist church was starting up, and two of them dropped by.

I've invited them all in (if I've got the time), for their sake. :)

My front porch isn't *spacious*, but it's inviting so we usually sit there to talk.

I make it a point to offer cold drinks, bathroom privilidges, that sort of thing to them.

(Hey -- if they are out in the *hood* -- where's the public bathroom, eh???) ;)

I don't drink coffee around the Mormons, I don't smoke around the JW's, and

I don't drink beer when the Baptists were here.

Nother words -- I try to acomodate what THEY believe in,

since I (kinda know) where they are coming from.

Unless I'm in a hurry to go somewhere,

I NEVER consider it an impositon on my time to listen to them.

I've been there, and so have most of the rest of us.

It's always nice to be polite.

I was on my front porch swing picking banjo

when the two baptist ladies showed up.

Being as how it's a public sidewalk out front of my house,

I thought they were coming to my door to tell me how nice my banjo picking was! :biglaugh:

Then I saw the KJV bibles, and the denominational literature.

I knew I was in for a whatever-ya-may-wanna-call-it.

They had a *prepared spiel* (I kid you not),

that the elder of the two ladies read off word for word.

She paused occasionally to ask me a question (about what she had just read),

and after I answered, she continued reading.

Upshot of it all is (with those two), they left quickly once I mentioned speaking in tongues.

I didn't do it in malice (heh heh heh!!!), but once I did ---

they showed themselves the front door quickly.

Guess my point is in all this ramble is -- be kind.

Sure -- both you and I don't agree with them.

Fer what's it's worth -- I ALWAYS show them the door, while refusing.

But IT NEVER HURTS TO BE KIND TO THE INDIVIDUAL.

That's all I wanted to say. :)

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Oh --- and I might add a postcript here.

When the Mormons were here, one of the (two) young guys looked at my house.

He commented -- "Looks like your house needs to be painted".

I agreed.

He said "if you ever need help, give us a call. We'd be glad to lend a hand"

Needless to say I was impressed, though I never did take them up on that offer.

If they are going through what you and I once went through ---

graciousness and kindness is a GOOD thing to exhibit.

Probably will do YOU more good than them, eh???

Just a thot!!! ;)

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dmiller, that's exactly the way I feel, and I know I wouldn't have liked to be treated with distain back in the day of door to door witnessing in TWI...

Dmiller, you know the Mormon-LDS people are just like those two whom came to your door conveyed, at least the ones I know, they would and do paint people's houses for free, give people, even non-LDS-people free food, infact they run their own farms just for that purpose, to provide for the poor and the elderly.  

One LDS person I know will stop for just about anyone along the road and give them a lift or help them with their car if they're broken down by the roadside, this guy is one of the most honest and good charactered people I've ever met.  They believe it's part of God's will to help people in other ways than just preaching, too bad TWI never felt that way.  I've seen real love and faith out of LDS people.

Reminds me of the bible record of the good Samaritan...regarding who your brother really is.

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Oh --- and I might add a postcript here.

When the Mormons were here, one of the (two) young guys looked at my house.

He commented -- "Looks like your house needs to be painted".

I agreed.

He said "if you ever need help, give us a call. We'd be glad to lend a hand"

Needless to say I was impressed, though I never did take them up on that offer.

If they are going through what you and I once went through ---

graciousness and kindness is a GOOD thing to exhibit.

Probably will do YOU more good than them, eh???

Just a thot!!! ;)

You're a good man. Charlie Brown---I don't care what Lucy says.

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No I don't think you were rude at all. Just honest.

Once when we lived in NC, a couple in our twig had been contacted by JW's. They invited them to return on a Saturday afternoon, then called the TC's (us) and invited us over for the same afternoon. Whereupon, Mr. Garden, the male half of the couple, and our son promptly left, leaving me with the wife and daughter. I don't remember much of the details; it was a woman and maybe her daughter, I think, who came. Of course, the wife and daughter deferred to me, being under the impression that I knew more Bible than the JW's. Actually, I did know quite a bit, enough to put them on the defensive anyway, and encourage them to leave after about half an hour. I guess my PI was bigger than their PI!

Would I do it again? Dunno. Fortunately I live way out on a country road and people don't door to door out here much.

I worked with a JW a long time ago in a galaxy far, far, away. She was a wonderful person, and we could discuss things without getting upset with each other.

I try not to be nasty to anyone who does come door to door, because I've been there, done that, and almost been flattened by angry words and slamming doors. It is, however, one thing I got to do with Mr. Garden and we got to know each other better. Waysider may remember our first year in FLO when we were divided up and went to some little suburb of Cols. that was "a hu11uva place to send believers."

WG

Edited by Watered Garden
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Well, I find door to door "witnessing" to be the absolute pinnacle of rude behavior. Therefore, when and if somebody shleps up onto my porch to pitch me their god or their next Tupperware party or any other dubious product, the gloves come off.

As a result, I haven't had a JW or any other type of pitchman darken my doorway in MANY years.

BTW, if you really wanna keep the Dubs away, just let two words drop "disfellowshipped" and "apostate". They won't be back...

Edited by George Aar
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I don't think you were mean at all. You were just upfront about your feelings. In my experience, give an inch & they take a mile. Plus to continue a conversation with them to convince them they are in a cult seems as though it would be unfruitful as they are in denial. I think you did the right thing.

Vyctorya

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