What To Do When Jehova's Or Mormons Come To The Door?

[add]

I just had two jehova's witnesses (JW's) come to the door.  They rang the doorbell once, I ignored it.  They rang it again and I answered.  I didn't want to engage them.  I explained it was very bad etiquette to ring a stranger's doorbell twice and I asked them to leave. 

 

I've also had JW's sneak up behind me in a hotel parking lot once.  I was loading my car and the guy came up behind me without giving me a verbal heads up.  At first I thought I was getting robbed or assaulted and if he were a step or two closer (within arm's reach) my reflexes might have gotten the best of me.  In that case I too had to explain that you don't sneak up behind people in parking lots. 

 

Based on these experiences, the JW's seem to lack basic common sense and ettiquette, at least when they are in proselytization mode. 

 

How do any of you handle these situations?  I frankly have no idea what JW's believe, so I don't really feel prepared to engage with them on religious matters.  I also consider them an cult and given their strange behavior, I especially don't want to invite them into my house.

 

I've never had mormons come to the door, but I'd imagine they'd practice a lot more common sense.  I also have an idea how I'd engage with them (along the lines of "where is Joseph Smith in the new/old testaments?", "have you read new/old testaments that weren't translated by J.Smith", etc.) if people have their own thoughts on how this would work, I'd love to hear them.

 

Any thoughts or experiences would be of interest to me!

 

i engage them by asking them to say "Hail Mary"

every time that Ive asked this of my visitors they become scared and leave as fast as they can.  i have on occasion continued to talk as they turn around and leave just to see how they react

its funny :hehe2:

[Anastasia13]

Lots of Mormons here. My husband and his Dad did a book on Alberta Mormon politicians. What always weirds me out is that I have more in common with Mormons and Muslims in how I live my life than I do with Methodists or Lutherans.

 

Fascinating. Can you share something of how so? Diet, gender, clothing?

 

http://youtu.be/Jd73S4mZA5s

[BG45]

 

After our conversations with the missionaries, one of my husband's coworkers who quite shamelessly (in a funny way, not an anger-inducing one) had been trying to get us to convert all of a sudden stopped. So, at the very least we got across the point that we are devout and loyal Catholics.
 

This made me laugh.  I once worked under a Mormon Bishop and his wife, and I didn't get any missionaries during the years I worked with them.  Then up here, I don't get them, but have a gaming group full of Mormons.  I think there's a great deal of civility really, when it comes to turning down conversion attempts, that's based in the "We tried, now let's live by example and see if that helps".

 

 

yup. done that with Baptists, JW, Mormons, etc that come to my door. 

 

I've had a Baptist preacher twice now. :|  "Lemme just ask ya a question.  When ya die, are ya goin' to Heaven?" after finding out I'm Catholic.  "Yes I was Saved back when I was a member of your denomination reverend, the whole Roman Road and all that.  Tell me, do you do as Paul instructed the Philippians and work out your salvation with fear and trembling?"  He's not come back since.

 

Fascinating. Can you share something of how so? Diet, gender, clothing?

 

http://youtu.be/Jd73S4mZA5s

That is my favorite Canadian show ever.  Was so upset when PIVOT moved it to 2pm.

[Anastasia13]

 

 

That is my favorite Canadian show ever.  Was so upset when PIVOT moved it to 2pm.

 

 

It's on Hulu, mostly on Hulu+. I think I have seen one month free trials offered for Hulu+. Maybe spring break?

[Eilish]

I would ask them if discovering that Joseph Smith and all of his witnesses to the Golden Plates did not in fact see and hold them, but rather "saw a vision of them in their minds" gives them uneasy moments. I would also ask if discovering that Joseph used a seer stone in a hat to transcribe the BoM rather than translating from gold plates gives them pause, particularly since he had been arrested and charged with fraud in 1826 for using the stone and hat to offer to 'find' gold and jewels for people for money, 4 years before the 'golden plates' story surfaced.

I would ask how they feel about his having married 51 women, two of whom were only 14 years old and 11 of whom were already married to other men at a time when divorce was either extremely rare or often illegal. I would ask if the massacre of more than 120 men, women and teens at Mountain Meadows will ever be atoned for or answered.

[Eilish]

Yeah, I admire them and am a bit envious. In two years they learn a language, are sent to a foreign country, get intensive training, then go around the country-side selling their product... and when they come home at night it's to a disciplined environment. There's no boozing or anything. Oh... And they don't have to pay for it.

It's a very successful training program that matures them quickly (at least in some ways.) I'd more or less agree with this.

If I have kids I'd very much like to send them abroad for a year or two doing something like this at Catholic missionaries.

[Eilish]

Oh, they DO have to pay for as much as possible, then ward members are asked for the rest - over and above the 10% tithes, of course. They dole them out a very, very meager budget, about $140 monthly for food. They're starving!