Hellobee Boards

My ILs are JW.

Yes, people convert..scary haha.
They definitely come back. Dh said they kept a list for which houses to skip and which to return to.

He hated going w his parents - hated it!

@AmandaB8: the JWs definitely want to "save" everyone...you may just be lucky lol! Their purpose in going door to door is pretty much to tell you why their religion is the only legit one and to help you save yourself and your family by realizing the 'truth'...summarized roughly by dh lol. He hates when I grill him..but it's crazy fascinating to me

I don't open the door. I just shout "No thank you!" through the closed door. That's how I handle any uninvited sales call, whether it's from Verizon or a religious group.

We don't answer the door. DH always threatens to answer the door naked!

We haven't had any at our house, but my parents get JWs all the time. My mom always answers the door and accepts their literature and listens to them do their little readings and then says "Thank you" and they leave. She figures she's helping THEM by listening to them.

I usually just let them give me their pamphlet, thank them and that's that. Other times, when I can, I just pretend I am not home.

Our church is very focused on spreading the word, but we do it in a very different way. We feel that there are much more effective ways of leading people to Christ. Namely actually taking interest in peoples' lives, providing charity and services, and things like that.

The first time, I listened to the spiel, took the literature and told them I was Catholic and already go to church. My understanding is that they consider the door-to-door part a big part of their mission, so I felt I'd help out by listening. I mistakenly thought that would end it. They kept coming back and when I told them I already "had religion", they would quiz me on it and even sent someone who converted from Catholicism to Jehovah Witness! Then I had to get more firm to keep them from bothering me.

We only get JWs. DH will answer when he's home because he likes to talk to them. We are absolutely not in agreement with JW beliefs. I don't answer because they're so persistent, and I have a hard time getting them to leave while LO is trying to climb the curtains or escape through the door.

I tell them we are not interested and please don't come back. Yet they still do. The one time they knocked on our door at like 6 in the morning. DH gave them whatfor and they haven't been back since.

I open the door and let them talk. Then I say thanks for the info and have a good day.

They usually come during the day when we're at work, so I just come home to pamphlets wedged in the door. We once had a handwritten letter from a JW who lived in town and was disabled. He explained how important it was to him to spread the word, etc, and that this was his way of participating since he couldn't go door to door. I thought that was interesting.

But honestly, nothing someone on my doorstep could say to me would get me to join an(other) organized religion. I was raised Catholic and I'm barely hanging on to that, soooo I would just ignore the doorbell.

I usually don't answer the door, I had an aggressive person once when I was first in college when I tried to turn them away and say no thank you, and ever since then I get scared! DH will answer andsays "please keep your phamplet so it does not go to waste, we have aleady secure in our faith" and closes the door.

I usually answer the door. We get both JW and Mormons. There is one girl that came and must be terrified of dogs because she gave me a pamphlet and ran.
I try to be REALLY nice to them, one because I'm eternally curious about religion, and two, I'm an friendly, happy atheist that is trying to change general the perception of atheists.
I let them do their spiel and take the literature if they just give it to me, but if they offer, I politely decline.

ETA: This is just my experience, but when you tell them you are atheist, they have fewer questions.

Funny story, a couple years ago my family was all in Texas for a HUGE family reunion..I'm talking we didn't even recognize or know half the people. Well I guess some JW rang the bell and when my family member answered she thought they were family and welcomed them in! They were there for like 15 minutes talking to everyone before we realized they weren't family! My crazy old grandma chased 'em out of the house..I felt bad for them! They were probably stoked that people actually welcomed them in and then next thing you know, they're thrown out

But back to the original question, I usually don't answer the door. Or if I do, I'm polite and listen to them/take what I need to. My husband is much more direct.

I used to (pleasantly) debate with them, and they stopped coming after a while. I guess they figured out that I was t interested in becoming a JW!

If the dogs are barking like crazy and threaten to (or actually do!) wake the kiddo up I open the door, tell them I appreciate this is a part of their belief and ask them not to bother us. Last two times (like on cue) as soon as I say that you can hear a screaming baby over the crazy dogs barking! @MsLipGloss: I'm the same... you are TOTALLY wasting time at my porch.

@prettylizy: I also feel like my home is my sanctuary . . . if I am interested in something, I will seek it out. I don't want it peddled on my doorstep. Just because someone shows up doesn't mean that I am obligated to greet them or even open the door.

@wheres_c: I used to tell them "no thank you" politely but they kept coming back. My husband said it's bc they know I'm home and everyone else is at work. I eventually told them "I'm not interested. Can you put me on the list that I don't want anyone from your church coming to my house anymore". They have not come back since. Try it!

Ugh, the JW come pretty much one Saturday every single month. They came on a Sunday at naptime the last time and I was rude because it was Sunday and my kid was asleep. I don't understand how they haven't found some other neighborhood to harass yet. Drives me nuts. I sometimes answer the door and I'll chat with them every once and a while, but I really don't understand why they can't accept that I'm not interested. I never take their literature and always explain that me and Jesus are cool, so no need to keep coming by. I need tips for getting them to stop visiting!!