For the first time ever, rather than answering the door to a 10 minute religous debate, I'm given a magazine completely unpredictably titled 'The Watchtower', and nothing else. They left. No complaining, no argument, no converting, ... no bribe. Has anybody actually ever been converted by a door-to-door Jehova's witness? I must admit this new method is pretty impressive. But I also must admit that after reading one section, I tossed it aside.

I live up the road from a Jehovah Witness hall and I can recall only one time when they actually came. I simply said I was interested and they left.

Possibly. Last month they came to my door at, I think, 6 in the morning? It was a polite old lady, and I would have yelled at her for waking me up if I actually WAS awake, if you get my meaning. She just left a magazine or something. Dunno what it was titled, never looked at it before tossing it. I actively despise religion, but I leave religious people alone if they don't tresspass on my property, disturb me when I'm sleeping, and leave crap on my doorstep.

Maybe they've learned that pissing off possible convertees is a bad idea.

I'm not a religious person myself, but I like to study religious texts to better understand the people who do believe and gain some insight on their interpretations of history and questions that are difficult to answer.

I got one of their special J-Dub bibles sitting on my shelf and I'll read it at some point in the future. I'll tell you what though, they give those out for free, and just holding it up and saying "still reading it guys" is like a free pass towards them leavin' you alone.

Only had jehovas withnesses over once. I said i was busy raping my cat and that they should come back when I wasn't busy. They never did...

I have guns, they dont come around these parts. So I wouldnt know.

yeah but at least their being honest. i still prefer the spam from the local mexican restraunts. they have coupons and limited time deals, things like that. so let it be known:

tacos>jesus.

I've actually started reading through this magazine now. It's pretty funny. It says that we can rest assured that throughout the remainder of time there will be no end to this world. God promised it to be the living place of humans and if it is destroyed, God's promise will be broken.

I have noticed this too, dad started letting them in and all they do is leave magazines\pamplets and go.

I tend to get more Mormons then Jehovas these days. They're almost always American too. Which is odd, since I live in England.

Saying that I'm interested and will pray on the matter tends to get rid of them though.

A Jehova witness once came knocking at my door, I, not knowing it was a Jehova witness, opened the door and saw this young woman with ehm one of those things you drive babies around in. Anyway, I opened the door and she was all like, Some great thing is coming your way and I was like, Well great! Then she handed me the watchtower thing and I realized it was a Jehova-witness. I thought she was some sort of paranormal type, don't believe in that stuff though, but I find people who do quite entertaining.

Don't really know what the point of this post was...

I was stopped once when I was out walking and considering the two were polite, I feigned some interest before saying admitting I was not religion. They surprisingly backed down, although maybe I just said I was not interested, it was a year ago so it has slipped my mind. Nevertheless I was amazed they did not attempt to convert me.

Well, in Germany here they also start out with the magazines, but if you take them, they assume that you're interested. So one they they come over for a 'talk'.
That's when I told them that they're getting on my nerves, that I'm not interested in their apocalypse-crap and that they shouldn't ring at my door again...

As a Christian, I love getting into theological discussions with Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses. We're so different it's fascinating! But they always leave me alone when they find out I know my scripture and just want to have a 'point - counter point' type conversation with them. Shucks.

Haven't had one in a while.

I've had a few years of learning the Bible with Jehovas witnesses before. Weekly discussions with the friendly neighbours about stuff in the Bible, with tea and biscuits. It was really useful for improving my English. I don't know about American Christians, but the ones I came across were good decent people. And here's a real secret, if you thought those door step 10 mins debates are tidious, well, some of them agree with you. They are human too, and sometimes just can't be bothered.

I had two of them come by once. They looked like a married retired couple, and I was 17 or so at the time, so the contrast was evident. They asked me if they could come inside to talk about God. My response: "Ehmm... no."

They just left. With all the stories I heard about people who practically needed crowbars to pry these people from their doorsteps I was rather surprised it was that easy.

we had them over once. they were young girls 14 maybe. don't like the idea of them getting people that young to go about converting, just pretended to be out. there's a girl in my tutour though who is a jehovas witness but she's nice enough....'sept we couldn't do secret santa because of it.

I love it on Black Books when he actually invites them inside and they don't know what to do. I've only had them once, and that was when I was younger at my parent's house. My parents weren't in so they just left. I do however live with a Jehova's Witness now at Uni so I guess I've technically answered my bedroom door to one many a time now. He just follows the rules of it (No Christmas etc) but doesn't talk about it, doesn't pray as far as I know (they do pray right?) and doesn't try to convert us.

I've had more trouble with Protestant friends, one of my friends spent ages trying to convert me when I was younger until I had to tell him to f*** off. Everyone always moans about Jehova's Witnesses pissing them off, I've been pissed off more by Protestants.

Nivag:
I've actually started reading through this magazine now. It's pretty funny. It says that we can rest assured that throughout the remainder of time there will be no end to this world. God promised it to be the living place of humans and if it is destroyed, God's promise will be broken.

Er, does the Watch Tower Bible have Revelation 21:1 in it? If so, that must make for some fascinating interpretation.

Baby Tea:
As a Christian, I love getting into theological discussions with Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses. We're so different it's fascinating! But they always leave me alone when they find out I know my scripture and just want to have a 'point - counter point' type conversation with them. Shucks.

Haven't had one in a while.

Ah, those halcyon days of discussing evangelism of the dead and annihilation of the soul. I would even settle for a strict Calvinist in the area; there must be one on this campus somewhere . . .

they can try and i am open to the concept of religion, i'm just not convinced by it. i was given something once to do with...something. i didn't read it but they were nice people.

nimrandir:

Baby Tea:
As a Christian, I love getting into theological discussions with Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses. We're so different it's fascinating! But they always leave me alone when they find out I know my scripture and just want to have a 'point - counter point' type conversation with them. Shucks.

Haven't had one in a while.

Ah, those halcyon days of discussing evangelism of the dead and annihilation of the soul. I would even settle for a strict Calvinist in the area; there must be one on this campus somewhere . . .

Oh man, I was raised Dutch CRC! Calvinism is all over the CRC. My and my dad have some good discussions.

They gave me an Afro-Jesus pamphlet once. Seriously they gave me this crazy pamphlet with a black jesus with a fro molesting children or something. I never thought Jesus looked like Kareem Abdul Jabar.

galletea:
I tend to get more Mormons then Jehovas these days. They're almost always American too. Which is odd, since I live in England.

Saying that I'm interested and will pray on the matter tends to get rid of them though.

Actually, being brought up Mormon myself, whenever you tend to let them know you're interested, they pay closer attention to you and will stop by more. So if you don't want them to come to see you more often just politely decline them and tell them to have a nice day.

Baby Tea:
As a Christian, I love getting into theological discussions with Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses. We're so different it's fascinating! But they always leave me alone when they find out I know my scripture and just want to have a 'point - counter point' type conversation with them. Shucks.

Haven't had one in a while.

I used to always get suckered into theological "discussions" (if you want to call them that) with people that I go to school with when they find out that I was raised as a Mormon. I'll talk with them and correct them when they state incorrect things about Mormons but I tend to avoid in-depth discussions mostly because they tend to devolve into "I'm right. Your going to hell. Nothing you say is going to change my mind."

So I dont mind discussions about the subject, I just avoid them when I can.

Edit: Also, it irks me when people seperate Mormons from Christian faith. Mormons believe in Jesus Christ and the Bible just like others, they just have other things that make them different. They are more of a denomination than anything else, at least I think so.

742:
tacos>jesus.

very good... presumably:

guacamole > holy ghost

I mean no offence, I am atheist, and I intend to stay this way. I have no issues with other religions, I am not claiming to be correct, and I'd appreciate if other religions follow suit.

Living in a student house with a geologist, 2 other physicists and a medicine student, all I can say is the Jehova's Witnesses had a bit of a lecture, especially after saying carbon dating was floored, that, was possibly the most fun half hour of Uni so far.

Not had a magazine through though, would be a better alternative to what they're doing

Honestly, none of you have had to be RAISED by a JW. My mom is one and is constantly on me about getting baptized and taking a bigger roll in the congregation. It's incredibly annoying. But the JW's are nice people, always polite and friendly if you ever get to know one. If they come knocking at your door, just listen to what they have to say, politely tell them you are not interested, and offer them a small donation of a few cents. It makes them feel like they've done something right and will most likely leave you alone.

P.S.
Don't try to trick them into thinking you speak a foreign language, they have this book that has several paragraphs about the JW's in about 70 DIFFERENT LANGUAGES!! They even have some I've never heard of before.

A Hot Hotpocket:

Baby Tea:
As a Christian, I love getting into theological discussions with Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses. We're so different it's fascinating! But they always leave me alone when they find out I know my scripture and just want to have a 'point - counter point' type conversation with them. Shucks.

Haven't had one in a while.

I used to always get suckered into theological "discussions" (if you want to call them that) with people that I go to school with when they find out that I was raised as a Mormon. I'll talk with them and correct them when they state incorrect things about Mormons but I tend to avoid in-depth discussions mostly because they tend to devolve into "I'm right. Your going to hell. Nothing you say is going to change my mind."

So I dont mind discussions about the subject, I just avoid them when I can.

Edit: Also, it irks me when people seperate Mormons from Christian faith. Mormons believe in Jesus Christ and the Bible just like others, they just have other things that make them different. They are more of a denomination than anything else, at least I think so.

Oh I hear you. I always kept the conversations civil. I wasn't there to convert them, just to learn more about it. I also understand how it may irk you that some (Including myself) would separate Mormons from Christians, but I would say 'Christianity' is encompassed around the trinitarian theology, where Mormonism and Jehovah's Witnesses aren't.

Now I don't want to derail the thread anymore then I have, so if you want a (civil) discussion about this, then go ahead and PM me. Otherwise, that's basically my position.

I was Raised a JW for 14 years. They mean no harm and are not dangerous they can be a little too nice but a polite, I am Not Interested is the best way to get them to leave. They keep track of these things and if enough people in your area say that...they stop coming there! Or, they send in specialist super convertors. Those people...are dangerous.

Opened the door naked. Things haven't really gone right for me since then...

I ran into a group while I was taking a walk one day, and being the kind of person that enjoys these kinds of debates, I had a... well I wouldn't exactly say friendly chat, but I wouldn't call it an argument either. We had a debate about the merits of religion versus agnosticism, and we both left honestly considering the other's point of view. Now, I remain agnostic to this day, and I somehow doubt that I converted him, but I will say that my one experience with a door-to-door converter (I don't think he was Jehova's Witness but still, same basic idea) was not altogether unpleasant.

I claimed to have converted to Buddhism, they thought it was just a scam (which it was) and started asking questions, I then shamed them with my knowledge of the religions of the world since then they never stop at my door. I see them walking past occasionally but they never ring the bell.

I have an airsoft gun that looks very real, maybe I could do something with that...how would you feel if you were knocking on my door, trying to convert me, when I come out of the woods, saying, "Whew there! I almost took your head off! Let me tell you, you look a LOT like a deer!"