The Faith & Religion mega Thread

Originally Posted by SigTerm And if the same missionary keeps knocking on your door again and again?

Haven't seen/heard of this kind of situation in the place I live. I fear the worst, if they go on knocking (again and again), the random doors, for preaching their religion in India!

Though we often hear about the cases where "poor" people convert to Christianity because the Church offers them clothes, shelter and food.

Originally Posted by Anisha Kaul Haven't seen/heard of this kind of situation in the place I live. I fear the worst, if they go on knocking (again and again), the random doors, for preaching their religion in India!

In the past, I had been bothered by Jehova Witnesses for a long time. Basically, if you ever open door to them (even to politely tell them that you aren't interested), that'll make them think that you're a potential convert and they will keep visiting again and again (it takes several years to make them give up on you). The most annoying thing about them is that they do not visit you to "discuss religion". Their only goal is to prove you that their belief is "right", and your belief is "wrong". In my opinion, whoever has the nerve to visit my home uninvited and wake me up (I sometimes sleep in) only to tell me that my beliefs are "wrong" deserves some kind of serious punishment.

That kind of situation AFAIK can easily give rise to riots and killings here in India and perhaps those missionaries know this, that's the reason, it is not a common factor here!

Originally Posted by Anisha Kaul That kind of situation AFAIK can easily give rise to riots and killings here in India and perhaps those missionaries know this, that's the reason, it is not a common factor here!

Witnesses are subset of Christianity, and in India christians are minority (not the case in my region). Obviously, they'll have to keep a low profile.

Originally Posted by SigTerm In the past, I had been bothered by Jehova Witnesses for a long time.

I had the same. Wearing black clothes, turning on Heavy Metal music very loud and holding a beer in my hand got me rid of them.

Originally Posted by TobiSGD I had the same. Wearing black clothes, turning on Heavy Metal music very loud and holding a beer in my hand got me rid of them.

ya, quite similar here. Back in Germany, they used to troll up and down the street once every few months and ring almost every door bell, including ours. The second time they came to our street, I prepared for them ringing by turning up the volume on some Black Metal, wearing some black metal shirt and smeared my blood all over my face.

The faces they pulled when I opened the door was priceless, and afterwards I've never seen them again near our house

Wouldn't it be better, if you would have told them gently, that you are a staunch follower of Christianity, even more fanatic than them and you don't have even time to answer the door bell because you are busy reading the Bible for 100th time and have started learning a foreign language too since becoming a Jehovah's witness is the main aim of your life!

That would perhaps satisfy them since that is what they want in the end!

Originally Posted by Anisha Kaul Though we often hear about the cases where "poor" people convert to Christianity because the Church offers them clothes, shelter and food.

It happens. I'm disgusted that it does.

Originally Posted by TobiSGD I had the same. Wearing black clothes, turning on Heavy Metal music very loud and holding a beer in my hand got me rid of them.

I only get 1 of those 3 (lots of black clothes here LOL) but the JWs (and 7th dayers as well) leave pretty quickly and tend not to come back.

Originally Posted by Anisha Kaul Wouldn't it be better, if you would have told them gently, that you are a staunch follower of Christianity, even more fanatic than them and you don't have even time to answer the door bell because you are busy reading the Bible for 100th time and have started learning a foreign language too since becoming a Jehovah's witness is the main aim of your life! That would perhaps satisfy them since that is what they want in the end!

IMO: I think that they'll try to get you into their organization anyway, but I can't guarantee that. They aren't mainstream christianity, they're a subset, so a "mainstream"(catholic/orthodox) Christian should be an another potential convert.

Originally Posted by Anisha Kaul Wouldn't it be better, if you would have told them gently, that you are a staunch follower of Christianity, even more fanatic than them and you don't have even time to answer the door bell because you are busy reading the Bible for 100th time and have started learning a foreign language too since becoming a Jehovah's witness is the main aim of your life! That would perhaps satisfy them since that is what they want in the end!

If you're already a believer in the same basic tenets, then there's the possibility you're open to their particular subset of beliefs, and they'd REALLY like to talk to you. You have to remember, a JW is convinced that if you're not a JW, you're going to Hell, and it's their duty to convince you that you're on the wrong path.

If, on the other hand, you open the door and say, "No thanks, we're not religious," then they'll leave just as fast as they can, because you're the devil.

I wonder what is their success rate? I mean, does the younger generation fall for them? Or they usually talk to older/retired people considering them an easy target? And if these people are proving to be such a big problem, can't you resort to police?

I guess they do their homework well before ringing the door bells. They know where they can get their victims. I havent had those at my place or anywhere near.

[Attempting to post again since my first attempt failed. Please forgive me if it ends up double-posting.]

My dad has a great story about JW missionaries incessantly bothering him and my mom when they lived in Colorado, before I was born. They would come to their home every Saturday at some absurdly early hour and drag my dad out of bed to answer the door and tell them he wasn't interested. One morning he decided not to get dressed first, and answered the door wearing nothing but his "birthday suit." Acting as if he were fully clothed, he once again politely told them that he wasn't interested. They didn't come back. X-D

JWs are not a subset of Christianity just like Islam is not a subset of Christianity. The key is the lack of Christ in the beliefs. They do not acknowledge the trinity, they do not acknowledge the divinity of the son so they are not Christians. They may believe in G/god but they do not believe in Christ as G/god so they are not C/christians.

The easiest way to move them on, especially if they have kids with them, is start talking to one of the 2 who is obviously "in training". If you can show the junior member that their theology is questionable the senior member will promptly end the visit. While they want new converts they are also highly protective, very much like the Brethren, of the weaker minds in the flock. This is of course only if you feel like an entertaining chat. If you don't and you see them coming you are probably better of not opening the door.

Originally Posted by DaneM [Attempting to post again since my first attempt failed. Please forgive me if it ends up double-posting.] My dad has a great story about JW missionaries incessantly bothering him and my mom when they lived in Colorado, before I was born. They would come to their home every Saturday at some absurdly early hour and drag my dad out of bed to answer the door and tell them he wasn't interested. One morning he decided not to get dressed first, and answered the door wearing nothing but his "birthday suit." Acting as if he were fully clothed, he once again politely told them that he wasn't interested. They didn't come back. X-D

Yep! Thats them allright!

Originally Posted by k3lt01 If you don't and you see them coming you are probably better of not opening the door.

I have half a mind though just to open the door in my undies if they do turn up early Sat. morning. Don't worry, if there is a young one with them though, then I might pull out some interesting Halloween costumes instead. Either way, doubt they would ever come back .