Jehover's Witness question

[Bumperstump Cummerbund]

If thats how you feel aussienic, you need to either ring your local Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses, or wait until someone comes to your door again, and tell them you would like to be on their 'Do Not Call' list. From then on, you will get an annual visit to check that you still would like to be left alone

The reason we go door to door is because Jesus commanded us to. Matthew 28:19,20 - "Go therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit, teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded you. And, look! I am with you all the days until the conclusion of the system of things." We feel we have a message that will mean the difference between life and death, and we have been instructed to tell as many people as possible. Going from door-to-door used to be the most effective way to meet people, but for a while now I have found that most people aren't home. We also do other forms of preaching, like public transport, business, and shopping centre witnessing.
There are of course other scriptures that go in to more detail, such as Luke 10:1-12, where Jesus first teaches his apostles how to preach. I don't want to go into too much detail here unless asked to, I would prefer to answer question privately, so as not to inadvertantly upset anyone.

[Lulu]

I saw a wonderful doco on JW a few months ago. It really gave alot of insight and information, especially on the door to door thing.

I didn't understand it myself before and I would never be rude to them when they came to the door but now - well I really admire their commitment and it seems they just wanna share the joy they have found themselves.

If they repeat the doco (think it was SBS), I'll let you know, its worth watching.

[Bumperstump Cummerbund]

I saw a wonderful doco on JW a few months ago. It really gave alot of insight and information, especially on the door to door thing.
If they repeat the doco (think it was SBS), I'll let you know, its worth watching.

This doco is called 'Knocking' and you can buy it from ABC shops. I found it fascinating as well - despite being fairly well known, there's a LOT of weird stories about JW's, so it was refreshing to have the story told correctly. I think people also appreciated both sides being shown, with the grandmother who wasn't a JW telling her experience of when her daughter became a JW.

[Ca Plane Pour Moi]

I have a LOT of respect for the JWs - the abuse they receive is huge for what they do, and they're nicer than the sales reps (and easier to get rid of). They're actually doing worthwhile work too, unlike the sales reps. DH, on the other hand, hates anyone who knocks on doors so is very abrupt with people like that (in fact, I have to peep out to see who's here before I ask DH to answer the door!).

But I do feel bad when we're having a chat (and yup, I not only invite them in but make cake and coffee!) and I really disagree. Because I can't agree with some of their teachings but I do feel a bit bad about it; if they were from a religion that wasn't Christian then I'd not have that problem.

[Heaven]

Just wanted to say thanks to sunflowa for answering everyone's questions!! I've learnt a lot reading this thread!

[Bumperstump Cummerbund]

Just wanted to say thanks to sunflowa for answering everyone's questions!! I've learnt a lot reading this thread!

No problem - I hear some very strange stories about what JW's supposedly believe, so I'm happy to show that we're (almost) normal!

[paradise lost]

What makes me saddest is that in my area all the JW's who call are middle-aged men and i'm too SCARED to answer the door! On the few occasions i have, they were always really friendly, but i live in an area where prostitutes work and there are a LOT of dodgy men around at all hours of the day. I'm a single mum with a little girl. It's sad but unless i'm expecting a visitor i NEVER answer my door to someone i don't recognise. I kind of know this is a fallacy because really a rapist or murderer could as easily get a postie's uniform as a stack of leaflets, but still...

If a JW woman or a couple came i WOULD let them in for coffee and a chat! I'm not looking for spiritual input, but people are people, and you never know WHO you might meet. Stranger things than faith have thrown people together into life-long friendships!

You can get signs for the front door - my mum had one when she was ill and unable to be up and down to the door. It said something like "We are not seeking goods, services or religious instruction. Thankyou for treating our decision with respect. Please close the gate as you leave." We lived just up the road from where the annual JW convention was, and still never got callers after putting up the sign.

Bx

[Bumperstump Cummerbund]

But I do feel bad when we're having a chat (and yup, I not only invite them in but make cake and coffee!) and I really disagree.

Gee, wish you lived around here!!

[HotI]

If thats how you feel aussienic, you need to either ring your local Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses, or wait until someone comes to your door again, and tell them you would like to be on their 'Do Not Call' list. From then on, you will get an annual visit to check that you still would like to be left alone

So, how do you get out of the annual visit, without being rude?

I think some churches who do door to door are just working on people who do not want to be rude, and the weak and vulnerable who are unable to say no.

I would not want to 'convert' someone through pressure (and i see even an annual visit as pressure), because i would question the reason's for a person's conversion.

[Bumperstump Cummerbund]

So, how do you get out of the annual visit, without being rude?

I think some churches who do door to door are just working on people who do not want to be rude, and the weak and vulnerable who are unable to say no.

I would not want to 'convert' someone through pressure (and i see even an annual visit as pressure), because i would question the reason's for a person's conversion.

The annual visit is to see if your stand is still the same. Circumstances change, the person may have moved, or had some event over the past year that has made them rethink their stand. It's not a huge visit, all you have to say is that you're still not interested, and you have no more visits for another year.

I'm curious as to why you view one visit a year as pressure? Our instruction is only to preach to people, not to convert, because only Jehovah can do that. I'm sorry if in the past you've had bad experiences with JW's, but we certainly don't go out with the intention of converting people through pressure.

*Everything said with the best of intentions and no offence intended - please don't hurt me!*

[~StarBright~]

I must say i also applaud the determination of JW's who go to great lenghts to spread the word! I used to live in a VERY remote place- and the first time they visited i could not beleive they went to soooo much trouble!! The road to my house was a very steep rough dirt road, and the first visit they came in a small hatch back that very nearly didnt make it- i had a great chat to them and then recieved visits fortnightly after that- and they gentleman who visited every time was smart and drove a 4 weel drive after that!!

I never invited them inside- (usually coz my house was a shocking mess!) but we had plenty of good discussions in my front yard- they never tried to "convert" me- and when i told them that while i appriciated their visits- that i had no intention of joining the church- my visits got slowed to monthly- then they stopped- until i lost my baby half way through my pregnancy- it was like they had a radar and knew that my life was a mess and they appeared again to see if i was ok.. weird, but at the same time i was kind of grateful, most of my "friends" couldnt be bothered to come and visit me- but these almost strangers seemed to know i needed support and were there... still didnt get me to their church- but it was nice to know that some how they knew and that they cared.

[Macca79]

I used to receive regular visits from some nice JW families but I have to hand it to them they could be very persistent. I even had a visit when we were in the middle of a cyclone warning. It was the only time I have invited them inside as I was worried about their safety. My offer was politely refused and they went off down the street to see another couple. I never saw them again after that though.

[briggsy's girl]

no offence to any JW's - but some of the ones that have come to our area have been REALLY pushy! i have been polite on most occassions, asked that they not continue to visit - but a few weeks later, they've been back. if we've said no, the next time they send kids to the door and then the adults follow just after so that you answer the door to the children. this might not be the case everywhere, but it's definitely happened regularly around here. i now just tell people i'm not interested, if they don't listen, i close the door on them.

as a kid, i was out delivering catalogues with my brother, and in one day, the SAME people stopped us three times and just wouldn't leave us alone. now, we were 10 and 12 - there is no WAY we should have been "ambushed" - at that age, you're not mature enough to make decisions about your religious beliefs and they shouldn't have stopped us at all

i'm very much of the belief that i will make decisions about my religious beliefs in my own time in my own way - i don't need people knocking on my door (of ANY religious persuasion) to try to preach to me. BTW - i'm exactly the same with sales people! if i want something, i'll go looking for it - don't need you harassing me!

[aussienic]

SG: I guess for me and maybe a lot of people the whole door to door thing just isn't what we want.. I don't even like charities coming to my door because I feel bad saying no.. if I can afford to i will give money when I can..

same with religeon if I am interested I will seek it out..

Now i understand it is your faith to go and spread the word but IMO wouldn't it better be done via putting up flyers inviting people to see you.. or be at the shopping centres rather then go to peoples houses..

[Bumperstump Cummerbund]

as a kid, i was out delivering catalogues with my brother, and in one day, the SAME people stopped us three times and just wouldn't leave us alone. now, we were 10 and 12 - there is no WAY we should have been "ambushed" - at that age, you're not mature enough to make decisions about your religious beliefs and they shouldn't have stopped us at all

I completely agree with you BG, that shouldn't have happened. I know it used to happen, but we have since been instructed not to speak to children under at least 16 years without parental consent. Obviously we can't ask everyone their age, and I have gotten caught a few times asking very young looking women if I can speak to their Mum only to find they ARE the mum! But we are definitely supposed to put in the effort to speak only to adults - I often get told 'Mum and Dad are asleep', to which I say someone will visit them later.

Your point about not being mature enough to make decisions is completely true - this is also why we don't practice christenings (just as a side point).