JW - Door knocking - how does it work?

[diannescruffy]

I've never accepted the magazines but it could be possible that DS has not sure, never seen any though. This morning she came and I didn't answer, DH was out in the backyard and after ringing the doorbell 3 times she actually went out the back and sung out hello. Fortunately for DH and his broken English (which he takes advantage of) says "no speaka da English", he comes in handy sometimes .

Regards,
Dianne

[Bumperstump Cummerbund]

LOL, I knew people used that to get rid of us! The easiest thing would just be to ask her not to come back, even if you don't answer the door she'll keep coming, she'll just try different times to try and get you home

Also, its not just when people take the literature that we come back - DH has called several times on a lovely Muslim man, they have huge conversations, seem to love setting each other off, LOL. We follow up any and all interest, because Jehovah says it is a matter of life and death. I heard a great illustration recently, about volunteers searching for survivors after an earthquake - they wouldn't stop because it was Sunday or because others made fun of them, because finding those people in time would mean their life. I hafta remind myself of that when I get a door slammed in my face

[Bathsheba]

Thanks for your perspective Berenice. I understand the "matter of life or death" issue.... I firmly believe that too many people neglect their spiritual well being... but the door knocking thing does, I have to admit, annoy me. But I am in two minds. Does it cross the line of what is respectful? People should be able to find sanctuary from the world, to a certain degree, in their own homes. People need to know that at home they can shower/ be intimate with their partners/ breast feed a baby/ grieve a loved one/ meditate/ have heated discussion with a partner etc etc etc and be fairly guaranteed that it won't be interrupted. I take the phone off the hook quite often here to this ends... but when somebody knocks on the door I find it very hard not to answer. I find it stressful to ignore... brings back memories of listening to my drunken stepfather being locked out at night by my mother for example. So I just answer it and get it over and done with. I have answered the door to JWs and accepted their magazines (and read them) but I did say that we attended another church and don't require ongoing help... and tried to do it with grace despite having just put down my baby for a sleep and hearing him cry... I can see both sides... but personally, knowing that I do try to look after my eternal soul by following the teachings of the Bible I would prefer to be able to chose the right moment to focus fully on the Lord and not have that moment chosen for me.... but then again maybe that's not how it should work! Not intending to be disrespectful to the largely good work the JWs do.

[meow]

Does it cross the line of what is respectful?

I think it does- for the same reasons you have said about home being a person's sancutuary and I think that should be respected. My MIL is a JW and when she joined the church she said she would never door knock. The scriptures that discuss going out and telling everyone to spread the word are too compelling for her though so she door knocks now too. I just wish they could "spread the word" in a public place. I expect to be swamped with information at a mall for example but I detest having advertising of any nature brought to my home without my consent. I've had this dicussion with her though and I think she said the scripture actually says to go house to house - is that right Berenice?

ETA: I found this info which details the scriptures...
The Bible says that: "Every day in the temple and from house to house they continued without letup teaching and declaring the good news about the Christ, Jesus." (Acts 5:42)

The apostle Paul was a fine example to the early christians and us as he was also active in the house-to-house ministry. He says at Acts 20:20, "I did not hold back from telling you any of the things that were profitable nor from teaching you publicly and from house to house."

[Bathsheba]

Yes, I was aware that it does say explicitly to go from house to house... thanks for posting the exact words Meow. This is why I am in two minds. The way it is worded though is more of a description rather than a command though isn't it? Or am I quibbling with words? I really don't want to be disrespectful to BB's JW community though... so I think it would be wise to choose our words carefully.

I just know that home visits have come at terribly inconvenient times though... it was a shame... if they weren't so unpredictable i could probably welcomed them in for a chat and a cuppa.... does not the unsolicited nature of the house calling work against them? Thinking aloud here...

[Indadhanu]

You can say what times work best for you though... Don't JWs usually have a 'section' of the area that the witness in?

[Bumperstump Cummerbund]

Not quite sure what you mean Leasha? We have maps that we work off, and we also have congregational boundaries, but neither of those affect the time we call. If you would prefer another time just ask the person who calls on you, and hopefully they will be able to call back at that time - but it wouldn't be noted on any map or secret file or anything, it'd just be between yourself and the person calling on you.

Have I misunderstood L?

[Bumperstump Cummerbund]

Yes, it does actually say house to house. That's how Jesus instructed the apostles to do it, to go in pairs to each house and speak to the people inside. Earlier in the 1900's, JW's didn't actually do the preaching themselves, they would walk around wearing sandwich boards or go from house to house with a portable phonograph and press play on a pre-recorded message. It is considerably harder to go from door to door, not knowing who is going to answer or what their reaction will be. Interestingly Bath, I have heard so many stories of people who were going through a very hard time, stories of people who had just learned of a loved one's death who felt compelled to answer the door to find JW's on the other side - and 90% of the time, have been comforted by what we've been able to show them from the Bible.

I met a young man last weekend, who came to our Sunday meeting for the first time, because the day before he had been called on and invited. He told me that when he heard the knock at the door, he had been making himself a noose to hang himself, because he just couldn't cope any more. He ignored the knock the first time, but then they knocked again, so he answered it. He stood at the door talking to the JW's on the other side for 2 hours, asking questions and just talking about Jehovah. Even if that young man doesn't become a JW, it's absolutely amazing to realise the power the Bible can have for people, the comfort it can bring.

We also do public witnessing, in parks, in shopping centres, in carparks, in letters, on the phone. We do business witnessing as well, and train/bus witnessing. We're very adaptable people Although I'm not so good at other types of witnessing, I prefer house to house.

ETA - Bath, if you would prefer them to come at a different time, just ask them! They'll be more than happy if there's something you wanted to discuss. Either that, or you and I can have 'virtual coffee' and Bible discussion one day

[Bathsheba]

I've seen public transport witnessing work to good effect... pairs of JW fellows striking up conversations with people who figure that they might as well have a chat as they didn't have anything better to do on their way home from work. I have no doubt that there are many success stories of JWs coming to people's doors just at the right moment... sadly for me not the case... 80% of the time as a SAHM I am desperately lonely and up for a chat (which is why I get on BB so often) but 20% I just don't want to be interrupted... I wonder why it's had to be that way? Hint: JWs probably shouldn't call after about 4pm... this is the worst possible time for anyone at home with babies and young children... Breast feeding mums feed at all times but anyone that knocks on my door after 4pm is always given short shift as even now my kids are very tired and noisey. I guess if they have to do then between 10 am and 3pm would be best.

[HotI]

Does it cross the line of what is respectful? People should be able to find sanctuary from the world, to a certain degree, in their own homes.

I think it does cross the line. And i believe religious door knockers prey on those who are vulnerable.

Out of interest, what good work do the JWs do?

[rhyb]

At the top of our street is a JW church so they quite regularly do the lap of our street. As DF is religious but Im not they know us and remember the names of our childrenetc. They seem to be very nice people but not my cup of tea. Im respectful to them and they respect my lack of faith and dont expect DF to take the LOs to church with him (he has gone there before)

[Indadhanu]

Sorry... my head added more to that post but my fingers must not have been listening!
Yeah, like certain areas that you witness in. So you generally have the same person come to your door, so you can ask them to come back at a different time.

[Sopdet]

Is there a way of getting on a "do not visit" list because I have asked time and time again for them not to come to my door (yes I even have a sign up), that I'm pagan (oh how I love the "spawn of the devil" comments & they just don't get when I say that the devil is one of their's, not one of ours), that I'm not interested, that I don't want their literature etc.

I respect other religions, I just have an issue with religions that don't respect my beliefs.

[skybie]

i open my door to JW's, i let them tell me what they have come to tell me, i answer their questions and just plain old talk to them.
I am not religious and follow no faith, but i do find the JW's very interesting and i like to learn.
unfortunately i grew up thinking u had to hide from the "bible bashers" and im glad that i have taken the time to speak to the JW's who often visit.
i had a young boy about 13 or 14 by the looks at my door the other weekend. he told me that god had an actual name and did i know what it was? he was VERY suprised when i answered his question correctly

[Toomanytoomany]

This thread is interesting to me as my daughter has just become a JW after marrying into the faith. I'm not really happy about it to be honest - the traditional gender roles, the opting out of public life (not voting, for instance), and the fact that she is being encouraged to go door knocking rather than earning a living... Yeah, not happy. But she's happy with it, and that's what I have to respect I guess.

(Oh, the "not happy" might also have something to do with the fact that my dh is an Anglican minister LOL.)

FWIW, we get JW's knocking at OUR door and it quite clearly says VICARAGE and we live next to the church! No, we are not converting any time soon, thank you very much!

[Inanna]

Mmmmm interesting & great that on the whole it's been kept respectful -

I am not a Christian either. I find the JW "bashing" figuritively) a bit much personally. I don't like the jokes or the way some people ae just rude. Slamming doors etc. I have only met pretty kind JW's. I have always been interested in religion and as such I guess I attract the conversation. My own mother was a "born again" Christian & I was intrigued by religion from an early age. I studied the bible out of curiosity & it intrigued me (still does!). I also studied with some JW's & Church of God, Mormans & of course other religions.

I see that the door knocking comes from a place of goodness - it's truly a belief that this is the way they are chosen to spread the news of Jesus etc etc.

I don't have an issue & I have always said thanks but no thanks. The 1 metre high Buddha at my steps is probably a give away...

If it's troubling anyone I would ask for a name as you want to make a complaint - but I would never think it's okay to turn a hose on someone or slam doors...

[Bumperstump Cummerbund]

Wow, don't check BB for a few hours and look what happens!

Sopdet: I'm very sorry for the experiences you've had. We are always told to be polite and understanding when someone tells us they have their own belief system. You're completely right, you should not be disrespected on your own doorstep, or anywhere else for that matter, not by us! I don't know a lot about your beliefs, but I think the problem is the fundamental differences in our two beliefs - I personally would not feel comfortable delving into your own beliefs as deeply as I have others, due to my own understanding of your Gods/Goddesses. Pagan beliefs are often misinterpreted by us, for the very reason. I'll PM you

For what it's worth, the particular name of the thread doesn't bother me, I am happy to answer any and all questions - after some of the reactions I've had at the doors, nothing on BB is going to offend me

TMTM: That's interesting about your daughter, and no doubt would've been hard on your whole family. I am curious as to what makes you feel that we're not encouraged to earn a living though? As I'm sure you already know, 1 Timothy 5:8 says, 'Certainly if anyone does not provide for those who are his own, and especially for those who are members of his household, he has disowned the faith and is worse than a person without faith.' We are under obligation to provide for ourselves and our families first, and then to 'preach the good news of the Kingdom'. Also, you'd be surprised at the amount of fathers/pastors/vicars who are regularly visited by JW's, at their own request Just having the Vicarage sign is not gonna stop us!

[Bumperstump Cummerbund]

I think it does cross the line. And i believe religious door knockers prey on those who are vulnerable.

Out of interest, what good work do the JWs do?

Wow Kate, I'm sorry you feel so strongly about it. It is certainly not our intention to 'prey on those who are vulnerable', we are simply doing what we believe Jehovah asks of us - moreover, we also know that what we preach can help people.

I'm not sure if your question is an actual question, but I'll answer it anyway. We don't do 'good works' the way other religions do, as in it's not our main focus. We believe that teaching a person about God's Kingdom and the promises it gives us is much more effective than spending all of our time physically helping others. That being said, we have also often been secularly recognized as life savers in times of natural disasters. Many times JW's disaster assistance teams and provisions have arrived before anyone else. We have an International Construction Team, as well as smaller Quick Build Teams who build our Kingdom Halls, and are utilised in the event of natural disasters to rebuild basic shelter and homes. I hope that answers your question?