# Anti-Jehovah's Witness tactics (need answer fast) **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [May 14, 2009, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-jehovahs-witness-tactics-need-answer-fast/496434 "2009-05-14T18:12:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Happy\_Booker\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/71c47a/32.png) [@Happy\_Booker\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Booker_1)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2009, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-jehovahs-witness-tactics-need-answer-fast/496434/81 "2009-05-15T18:58:01Z")
“I am an orthodox Druid. Please be careful of the tree as you leave.” Or there’s the approach that my wife encountered when she was knocking on doors for a political campaign. Next to the front door was a glass case that contained a shotgun. It was clearly labeled “Break glass in case of Jehovah’s Witness” ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2009, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-jehovahs-witness-tactics-need-answer-fast/496434/82 "2009-05-15T20:45:59Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > If you cannot even pretend to be polite, leave. Yeah, you may not agree with their theology or their tactics, but your roommate invited them into your home and you are COMPELLED to either be polite or not be there. > > Be rude to them? Question their beliefs? Were some people here raised in barns? :mad: I don’t think it’s rude to invite them in a challange thier beliefs. They came to your door univited to share them didn’t they? I don’t think it’s productive to do so but you never know how informed or interesting they are until you make the attempt. It would get rude if you brought them in to ridicule them rather than discuss. ---
**Author:** ![meanoldman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@meanoldman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/meanoldman)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2009, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-jehovahs-witness-tactics-need-answer-fast/496434/83 "2009-05-15T21:30:07Z")
> [@Ponderoid](#): > > That passage appears to apply just to publicly doing good deeds and giving to the needy, not public witnessing/proselytizing. I’m sure most denominations draw a distinction between them. > > \*\*\* Ponder \ If witnessing isn’t essentially the same as praying in public, I don’t know what is. Going around telling other people how your are saved and they could be too, if they acted like you …seems like what the passages are aimed at. Go to your room and pray quietly, not door-to-door. Or you forfeit your reward. If I feel like wasting time, I will actually engage any sort of fundie in conversation. I will not only ask them about Matthew 6 1-8; but also ask them to point out exactly those spots in the New Testament that says they should not practice kosher anymore. And for the Mormons, I tell them they can’t come in to talk unless they have a household recommend. I’ll talk to them outside, but they can’t come in without proper training.😛 ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2009, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-jehovahs-witness-tactics-need-answer-fast/496434/84 "2009-05-16T00:39:09Z")
> [@meanoldman](#): > > \ > > If witnessing isn’t essentially the same as praying in public, I don’t know what is. Going around telling other people how your are saved and they could be too, if they acted like you …seems like what the passages are aimed at. Go to your room and pray quietly, not door-to-door. Or you forfeit your reward. The passage means if you’re praying just for show, for the recognition of other people, and to appear religious or pious, then you’re reward will be only that. The \*appearance \*of being spiritual and the attention of men rather than any heavenly reward. It’s not an injunction against witnessing and/or proselytizing. It seems clear Jesus did that and asked his followers to do the same. I’d say he asked them to witness by _example_ first and foremost. ---
**Author:** ![Locrian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/locrian/32/14146_2.png) [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2009, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-jehovahs-witness-tactics-need-answer-fast/496434/85 "2009-05-16T03:20:22Z")
I posted this before in another thread. The one time I was confronted by JWs I told them I’m sorry, but I am a strict Mixolydian. I asked if they knew what that was, they said no. I wrote it down for them and said, “look us up online.” At least they got a little music lesson. I’ll add I think it’s nice you want to welcome them, not join them, but not offend them. A better thing to do than just slamming the door. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![raindog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@raindog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raindog)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2009, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-jehovahs-witness-tactics-need-answer-fast/496434/86 "2009-05-16T03:59:00Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > Given that I am (are there any Millerites present?) unimpressed by their theology, or the people presenting it, I have to defer to my wife here: Invite them in, offer them a cold drink because they are obviously parched, listen politely, and buy a Spanish version of Awake! (¡Ayuda!) to keep ones hand in the language. These are not people trained in theological debates. They cannot handle anything but stock retorts. In my experience, they are neither theologically adept nor particularly bright. The Christian (yeah, that cuts out many of you) response is to be mildly and generally supportive while GENTLY guiding them back to whichever theology to which you prescribe. If you succeed, that’s points for you in Heaven, (or NOT, depending), and if you fail, you can either be holy and gracious and seek another encounter, or you can blow them off, pointing to either their eternal damnation or a vague state in which you simply stop caring about their fate. Make your choice, though it might not matter. :eek: In what way would _ **you** _ determine that they are ‘theologically inept’? ---
**Author:** ![BMax](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bmax/32/4267_2.png) [@BMax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMax)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2009, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-jehovahs-witness-tactics-need-answer-fast/496434/87 "2009-05-16T05:06:28Z")
The best way to make sure that Jehova’s Witnesses never come back is to be very drunk and try to make out with them. It worked for me. ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2009, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-jehovahs-witness-tactics-need-answer-fast/496434/88 "2009-05-16T05:25:20Z")
> [@raindog](#): > > Maybe, just maybe because that’s the version of “Christianity” Christ and his followers performed? :dubious: I don’t think i’d agree with that. The message is not the method of getting the message across. And even if you’re correct it still doesn’t have any effect on the offensiveness of the act. That would be an answer, perhaps, to “Why have they selected this method?” but not “How is this method the least offensive?”. I think you may be too eager with an answer you like. ---
**Author:** ![raindrop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/74df32/32.png) [@raindrop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raindrop)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2009, 6:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-jehovahs-witness-tactics-need-answer-fast/496434/89 "2009-05-16T06:11:10Z")
> [@Ponderoid](#): > > And hmm… I might have accidentally given them my old cellphone number rather than my current one… Oh well. 🙂 FWIW that’s not a nice thing to do to the person who has now been assigned your old phone number. I get lots of calls asking for the person who previously had my new cellphone number, (her old number). And it’s not fun. I also have wondered if she is still presently giving out her old number, just because she doesn’t want to say “no.” :dubious: BTW once I printed out a tiny sign that simply says NO JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES, stuck it on the door, and I haven’t been bothered anymore. In fact, it’s been years. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2009, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-jehovahs-witness-tactics-need-answer-fast/496434/90 "2009-05-16T12:04:36Z")
> [@meanoldman](#): > > \ > if i feel like wasting time, i will actually engage any sort of fundie in conversation… But also ask them to point out exactly those spots in the new testament that says they should not practice kosher anymore. Acts Freakin’ Ten! ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2009, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-jehovahs-witness-tactics-need-answer-fast/496434/91 "2009-05-16T12:34:09Z")
> [@FriarTed](#): > > You really don’t know your JW’ism, do you? JW’s believe that Jehovah is the one and only god but Jesus is another god but he’s not Jehovah but Jehovah is the one and only god but Jesus is another god but he’s not Jehovah but Jehovah is the one and only god…ad infinitum. ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2009, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-jehovahs-witness-tactics-need-answer-fast/496434/92 "2009-05-16T14:34:27Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > JW’s believe that Jehovah is the one and only god but Jesus is another god but he’s not Jehovah but Jehovah is the one and only god but Jesus is another god but he’s not Jehovah but Jehovah is the one and only god…ad infinitum. No. JW’s believe that Jehovah is the one and only God but Jesus is a god, the Word/Image/Son of Jehovah God, but not Jehovah God. I totally disagree with them, being a Trinitarian & believing that Jesus & the Holy Spirit are fully YHWH God with the Father, but I do understand their theology & don’t feel the need to caricature it. In fact, I’ll admit my own theology is more vulnerable to similar caricaturization. I could be accused, I’ll also admit, of employing the same tactics in describing LDS theology. But some stuff Smith & Young said make it WAY too vulnerable, moreso that Russell & Rutherford did. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2009, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-jehovahs-witness-tactics-need-answer-fast/496434/93 "2009-05-16T16:14:47Z")
> [@Locrian](#): > > I told them I’m sorry, but I am a strict Mixolydian. Your username suggests otherwise. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![hroark2112](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6a8cbe/32.png) [@hroark2112](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hroark2112)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2009, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-jehovahs-witness-tactics-need-answer-fast/496434/94 "2009-05-16T16:45:42Z")
When I was in the Navy I lived in Vallejo CA for a few years. My roommate & I had snakes as pets, including a 15’ reticulated python named Rex. Nothing was less welcoming to those who came to witness to us than the sight of Rex over one of our shoulders as we answered the door. Now though, I just say no and close the door. I used to waste their time arguing, but now I figure they have their beliefs, I have mine, and rather than waste their time and mine, I just say no thanks. I get far more Baptists at the door than JWs here in the South. ---
**Author:** ![raindog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@raindog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raindog)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2009, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-jehovahs-witness-tactics-need-answer-fast/496434/95 "2009-05-16T17:47:42Z")
> [@Revenant\_Threshold](#): > > I don’t think i’d agree with that. The message is not the method of getting the message across. True, the message and the method are different things. But, the fact remains that Christ and his peeps used proselytizing-----evangelizing----as their preferred method. In fact, it wasn’t just preferred. It was _commanded._ Comments like **BrandonR** ’s seem routinely unaware that this is _exactly_ the way Christianity was spread. > [@](#): > > And even if you’re correct it still doesn’t have any effect on the offensiveness of the act. That would be an answer, perhaps, to “Why have they selected this method?” but not “How is this method the least offensive?”. I think you may be too eager with an answer you like. Apparently it was offensive enough to get Jesus Christ crucified, and his **direct** followers routinely beaten, jailed and martyred. There is no shortage of secular history that speaks to first century and later Christian proselytizing that involve sundry unpleasantries for Christian evangelizers. In spite of this, Christianity did grow. Because of this, the question of ‘what is least offensive’ is rendered moot. It is the model practiced by Christ and his followers. As to it’s true effectiveness, JWs have learned that the greatest response is benign apathy. Some small percentage will be ‘offended’ (with a larger portion on internet message boards experiencing this) and a small portion showing genuine interest. In any event, they care about matters like this, but in the end they choose to follow the Christian Model. (fully aware that Christ himself stated that carrying the message about him would be unpopular in some quarters) ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2009, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-jehovahs-witness-tactics-need-answer-fast/496434/96 "2009-05-16T18:02:59Z")
> [@raindog](#): > > True, the message and the method are different things. But, the fact remains that Christ and his peeps used proselytizing-----evangelizing----as their preferred method. > > In fact, it wasn’t just preferred. It was _commanded._ Comments like **BrandonR** ’s seem routinely unaware that this is _exactly_ the way Christianity was spread. Does this generation’s proselytizing somehow become less annoying because they come from a long line of proselytizers? If not, I don’t see what your point is. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2009, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-jehovahs-witness-tactics-need-answer-fast/496434/97 "2009-05-16T18:35:17Z")
> [@Ponderoid](#): > > Sorry about the short notice. My housemate just sprung this on me. > > The Jehovah’s Witnesses… They’re coming back for another visit. In about an hour. They’ve been back several times, and my housemate has a big problem saying “no” to them, and keeps letting them come back. She won’t let me stand up for her and say “please leave” either. That’s unfortunate, because that is, in fact, the correct answer. It is also the polite answer. If your roommate wants to talk to them let her, but it doesn’t oblige you to let them in if you answer the door. “Thank you, but I am not interested. Good day,” or some form thereof is the correct response. ---
**Author:** ![raindrop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/74df32/32.png) [@raindrop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raindrop)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2009, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-jehovahs-witness-tactics-need-answer-fast/496434/98 "2009-05-16T19:10:27Z")
Regarding the OP I also remembered **Voyager** mentioned something in another thread. We were discussing proselytizers, including JWs, and Voyager wrote this… > [@How to Talk To Atheists](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-talk-to-atheists/479255/100): > > I don’t have a problem with these people, for they come to my door only once. I think I’m on some sort of proselytizer blacklist. I’d actually welcome more proselytizers, since I love to debate and feel I could give them some of the points in the article directly. **But they all run away from me.** [bolding mine] I was very intrigued about how to make JWs “run away,” and when asked more about it he wrote this… > [@How to Talk To Atheists](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-talk-to-atheists/479255/105): > > When the JWs came, I politely said, “sorry, this is a devout atheist household” and that was enough for them to run. No one has bothered me since. Polite but outrageous seems to do it. IOW the simplest solutions are often the most effective ones. ---
**Author:** ![raindog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@raindog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raindog)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2009, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-jehovahs-witness-tactics-need-answer-fast/496434/99 "2009-05-16T19:22:41Z")
> [@Grumman](#): > > Does this generation’s proselytizing somehow become less annoying because they come from a long line of proselytizers? If not, I don’t see what your point is. No it doesn’t, unfortunately. My point is twofold (which was apparent in my last post, frankly). First, they do it because (among a couple other reasons) Jesus himself did it, he commanded it, and his followers did also. Secondly, not all are annoyed. Many are not annoyed at all, and others welcome their visits. In any event, while popularity is a wonderful thing, (and they would like it as much as anyone) it is [necessarily] _subordinate_ to the command to talk to people about Jesus Christ. ---
**Author:** ![Revenant\_Threshold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2009, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-jehovahs-witness-tactics-need-answer-fast/496434/100 "2009-05-16T19:42:38Z")
> [@raindog](#): > > True, the message and the method are different things. But, the fact remains that Christ and his peeps used proselytizing-----evangelizing----as their preferred method. > > In fact, it wasn’t just preferred. It was _commanded._ Comments like **BrandonR** ’s seem routinely unaware that this is _exactly_ the way Christianity was spread. But proseylatizing doesn’t necessarily mean going door to door with the Word. Jesus seems more the “gather an interested crowd” type of guy. I am sure your command of the Bible is much greater than my own, so when I say the only time I can recall doors being mentioned in this kind of context is in the marking of some during the plagues I could have missed out a “And then Peter and James went down the street, knocking on all the doors in turn to speak to the residents”, but in all honesty, I think it’s pretty fair to say that door-to-door evangelizing was not Jesus et al’s preferred method. > [@](#): > > Apparently it was offensive enough to get Jesus Christ crucified, and his **direct** followers routinely beaten, jailed and martyred. There is no shortage of secular history that speaks to first century and later Christian proselytizing that involve sundry unpleasantries for Christian evangelizers. In spite of this, Christianity did grow. I was under the impression that it was supposed to be more a fear of power being lost to this popular gentleman, rather than actual _offense_ at the words. > [@](#): > > Because of this, the question of ‘what is least offensive’ is rendered moot. It is the model practiced by Christ and his followers. As to it’s true effectiveness, JWs have learned that the greatest response is benign apathy. Some small percentage will be ‘offended’ (with a larger portion on internet message boards experiencing this) and a small portion showing genuine interest. Might I ask why you put “offended” in quotation marks? And where you have gotten the impression that internet message boards and offense are correlated? > [@](#): > > In any event, they care about matters like this, but in the end they choose to follow the Christian Model. (fully aware that Christ himself stated that carrying the message about him would be unpopular in some quarters) Going door-to-door is not the Christian Model. And it being declared unpopular does not mean that all steps should be taken to make sure it’s as popular as possible. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-jehovahs-witness-tactics-need-answer-fast/496434.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/anti-jehovahs-witness-tactics-need-answer-fast/496434.md?page=6)