# Re: Jehovah's witnesses at the door **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [April 22, 2011, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-jehovahs-witnesses-at-the-door/579394 "2011-04-22T19:30:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Powers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Powers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Powers)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-jehovahs-witnesses-at-the-door/579394/101 "2011-05-30T18:20:05Z")
> [@Michael\_of\_Lucan](#): > > What makes you think it is “widely considered to be civil behaviour” by anyone except the ill-mannered people who sell religion from door to door? Why, Miss Manners herself, of course. [http://tlstage.ny.atl.publicus.com/article/20020306/NEWS/203060324?p=all&tc=pgall](http://tlstage.ny.atl.publicus.com/article/20020306/NEWS/203060324?p=all&tc=pgall) > [@](#): > > You have ignored my previous suggestion. If you genuinely believe that your presence is welcome, then that is easily demonstrated. Before you make your next ten calls, write to the occupants and ask for their permission to call. You don’t have to spend money on a stamp - just drop a note in the door. You’re operating from several false premises. First of all, I never claimed “my presence [was] welcome”, so an experiment proving otherwise is silly. Second of all, I never claimed to present myself door-to-door in the first place. You’ve been making a lot of assumptions about me, none of them correct. Powers &8^] ---
**Author:** ![Powers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Powers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Powers)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-jehovahs-witnesses-at-the-door/579394/102 "2011-05-30T18:22:05Z")
> [@Troppus](#): > > If a very persuasive atheist forermed with literature bearing proof of scientific facts about the age of the earth that contradicted your own beliefs, evidence supporting evolution, and snappy answers to objections appeared at your door while you were in the shower and peppered your 13 year old daughter with scientific facts that convincingly contradicited the teachings of your chosen faith, how would you feel about the intrusion? Considering I _am_ an atheist and have no kids, that’s too many hypotheticals for me to usefully conjecture upon. Powers &8^] ---
**Author:** ![Powers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Powers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Powers)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-jehovahs-witnesses-at-the-door/579394/103 "2011-05-30T18:23:33Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > Well, how much more annoying do you think it is to have that random pushy stranger standing on your doorstep, invading your personal space Here’s one fundamental misunderstanding. Your doorstep is not your personal space any more than the sidewalk is. It’s semi-public space, even though privately owned; it’s there for the use of the public. Powers &8^] ---
**Author:** ![AtomicDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ac91a4/32.png) [@AtomicDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AtomicDog)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2011, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-jehovahs-witnesses-at-the-door/579394/104 "2011-05-30T22:08:46Z")
> [@Powers](#): > > Here’s one fundamental misunderstanding. Your doorstep is not your personal space any more than the sidewalk is. It’s semi-public space, even though privately owned; it’s there for the use of the public. > Powers &8^] Cite? ---
**Author:** ![raindog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@raindog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/raindog)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-jehovahs-witnesses-at-the-door/579394/105 "2011-05-31T02:32:12Z")
> [@AtomicDog](#): > > Cite? Start [here](http://www.csmonitor.com/2002/0226/p01s02-usju.html) and [here](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watchtower_Society_v._Village_of_Stratton) although there are likely a dozen or two SCOTUS rulings that establish the right of canvassers to ply their trade. It’s one small way that a free society works, ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 8:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-jehovahs-witnesses-at-the-door/579394/106 "2011-05-31T08:05:21Z")
> [@Irishman](#): > > **dougie\_monty** , I wasn’t trying to suggest that it is up to you to singlehandedly start a campaign to stop JW door-to-door visits. My comment was meant to apply to the practice of reading obits and showing up at the families’ houses during funerals/wakes/etc. Even you agree that is abhorrent. Finding out if any of your local members do that and discouraging the practice if they do does not seem beyond your abilities. In any case, I am not likely to consider the door-to-door ministry out-of-date, whether the language in the _Authorized Version_ is out-of-date or not. I have Strong’s\* Concordance \*and can compare any of the words, in _koiné_ Greek, as used in Strong’s dictionary. And for the record, Acts 20:20 reads thus in the \*New World Translation: \*“while 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.” \*\*Originally posted by Erdosain \*\* \*This is a great point and very true. Door-to-door calls are only going to get less and less socially acceptable. I think this is a large reason Mormons are trying to get away from it (that, and the fact that it’s terribly ineffective). Unfortunately for the JWs, door to door canvassing seems to be a tenet of their faith and dutifully accepted as a trial to be borne. We shouldn’t forget that while the JWs and Mormons don’t like the hostility provoked by door-to-door proselyting, they do like the bonding and camaraderie that abuse provides. Getting publicly mocked does wonders to cement group cohesion and engender group loyalty. Not to mention reaffirming distrust of outsiders. \* Call it what you will: Jesus frankly told his disciples what they were in for–Matthew 10:34-39. When you read this, keep in mind that I personally have never made a serious effort to be popular, even when I knew scarcely anything about religion. ---
**Author:** ![Cheshire\_Human](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cheshire\_Human](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheshire_Human)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-jehovahs-witnesses-at-the-door/579394/107 "2011-05-31T14:09:30Z")
**dougie\_monty** , Why did you quote **Irishman** ’s post, then make a rather long “reply” that did not in any way address his point? Seems kinda strange… After all, his point was that he wasn’t suggesting that you get JWs to stop going door-to-door, just stop the goulish practice of showing up at the doors of people who just died. ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-jehovahs-witnesses-at-the-door/579394/108 "2011-05-31T16:34:28Z")
> [@Cheshire\_Human](#): > > **dougie\_monty** , Why did you quote **Irishman** ’s post, then make a rather long “reply” that did not in any way address his point? Seems kinda strange… After all, his point was that he wasn’t suggesting that you get JWs to stop going door-to-door, just stop the goulish practice of showing up at the doors of people who just died. Its called “Theocratic War Strategy” – google it - its fun stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-jehovahs-witnesses-at-the-door/579394/109 "2011-05-31T16:34:53Z")
> [@Powers](#): > > Why, Miss Manners herself, of course. > > [http://tlstage.ny.atl.publicus.com/article/20020306/NEWS/203060324?p=all&tc=pgall](http://tlstage.ny.atl.publicus.com/article/20020306/NEWS/203060324?p=all&tc=pgall) That article is addressing how you politely respond, not whether knocking on a stranger’s door is polite. Also, Miss Manners is a poopyhead. She’s worried about being rude to a masked gunman. By those standards, a door-to-door proselytizer could be just as offensive as a masked gunman and she still thinks you need to be polite. Ergo, the cite does not support the assertion. > [@Powers](#): > > Here’s one fundamental misunderstanding. Your doorstep is not your personal space any more than the sidewalk is. It’s semi-public space, even though privately owned; it’s there for the use of the public. Here’s one fundamental misunderstanding - I was not asserting that the doorstep was your “personal space” from a legal perspective. You will note people cited instances of JWs showing up and walking into the person’s house. Are you now asserting that a person’s house is not personal space? Besides, “personal space” is also a social construct as well. I once met a guy from New York who complained when I sat down next to him (we were talking) because I was too close for his comfort. I didn’t object to moving over to give him room - it wasn’t crowded and I didn’t intend to make him uncomfortable. But my close proximity made him uncomfortable even though I bore him no ill will. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-jehovahs-witnesses-at-the-door/579394/110 "2011-05-31T16:48:54Z")
> [@Two\_Many\_Cats](#): > > Has anyone here had a Jehovah’s Witness not desist politely after being told that you weren’t interested? If anyone has been actually harrassed by a Witness, they aren’t witnessing correctly, and you can complain to your local Kingdom Hall. I assure you they will find the person, and have a talk. > > Otherwise, these folks honestly believe they are doing good. It costs you nothing to be polite. Just say you’re not interested. They’ll leave. Piping in late to agree with this as well. I’m about one of the most virulent atheists you’re ever likely to run across, but on the two or three times in my life that I’ve had J-Wit at my door, I’ve said, “Not interested. Have a nice day,” and off they went. Then I had a neighbor who was a Jehovah’s Witness. I worked with the wife, and hung out with the hubby. I went to their kid’s birthday party (which I’ve been told JW’s don’t celebrate, but these did), BBQ’s, baseball games, etc. … religion never even came up. I’m at a quandry with this. I don’t like door-to-door witnessers, but when they leave when you tell them to fuck off, what’s there really to complain about? ---
**Author:** ![villa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc79bd/32.png) [@villa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/villa)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-jehovahs-witnesses-at-the-door/579394/111 "2011-05-31T21:27:59Z")
> [@dougie\_monty](#): > > Jesus authorized his disciples to be witnesses of him “to the most distant part of the earth.” I am sorry you consider it disruptive but it has divine authorization and is beyond your ken to suppress. --Acts 1:8; 5:38, 39; 20:20. 🙂 Ah, but I call your attention to the Book of Villa, 4:17 > [@](#): > > And the Lord spake this; ‘Villa, thou shallst toil by the sweat of your brow for five days a week, for that is the will of the Lord. Some weeks, thou shalst toil for even six or seven days, if the partner I hast placed above thee wishes to engage in the Holy art of golf. When thou toilest not, however, and the evening shalt be Friday, thou shall hie theyself to the local hostelry, where thou shalt consume beer and liquor until thou shalt speak in tongues.’ > > But Villa spoketh to the Lord: ‘Lord, when I drinketh of the beer and liquor to such a degree, my head feeleth the next day as if the Philistine horde hast established its latrines inside it. And when I sleepeth off such a feeling, Thy servants from one of the myriad of denominations Thou hast seen fit to establish poundeth on my door as if the last trump was sounding, and telleth me that my soul is lost.’ > > The Lord answered: ‘I seeeth thy point, me old chum. Feeleth free to empty the contents of thy night soil upon their heads.’ See - it is in my sacred text that I should dump human waste on your head if you wake me up with a hangover. Does that justify it? ---
**Author:** ![AnalogSignal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/analogsignal/32/1085_2.png) [@AnalogSignal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnalogSignal)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2011, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-jehovahs-witnesses-at-the-door/579394/112 "2011-06-01T02:32:28Z")
> [@dougie\_monty](#): > > The Witnesses calling on you at your door are perhaps a petty distraction taking two or three minutes of your valuable time. Not much comparison, is there? :rolleyes: In order to prove your point **dougie\_monty** , why don’t you post your home phone number here? This would give Dopers the opportunity to contact you at your home at various times of the day and offer their viewpoints on matters religious or otherwise. You would be free to politely tell the callers you are not interested in speaking to them. This would be no more than a petty distraction taking a few minutes of your time. If you are unwilling to post your phone number, please explain your reasons. ---
**Author:** ![Troppus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a587f6/32.png) [@Troppus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troppus)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2011, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-jehovahs-witnesses-at-the-door/579394/113 "2011-06-01T04:26:49Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > Piping in late to agree with this as well. > > I’m at a quandry with this. I don’t like door-to-door witnessers, but when they leave when you tell them to fuck off, what’s there really to complain about? But…they don’t. Though her companions varied, I had the same woman (of unmistakably memorable physical attributes) show up at least 15 times for two years. Each time, I told the visitors firmly, "I am not interested. I do not want you to come back here. Except for the one time the solicitors stuffed the Watchtower and Awake under my windshield wiper as I looked on, pamphlets were left in my newspaper box. When I called the Kingdom Hall in my city to complain, I was directed to 3 other churches. On the 3rd call, I finally reached someone from a Hall 38 miles away who recognized her by my description. I was told “Situations change. You may have experienced a death in the family, the loss of a job, an illness, or a happy event like the birth of a child that causes you to rethink your feelings about faith. We want to be there for you if you have questions.” Translation: too bad. Since you didn’t receive the message with open arms, you are clearly destined for Hell so my ilk will keep knocking and smugly disturbing your family and there is nothing you can do about it. I was also accosted at work several times by a man who worked my shift, and who actually jumped into my car at 5 one day when I used my remote to unlock my vehicle. It took a good half hour to convince him to get out of my car, and I have to admit I was furious at the invasion of my space. Squelched it, but absolutely infuriated. I was treated to a long-winded discussion about the watchmaker/intelligent design/it is not for us to know spiel. There isn’t anything new to add here. Witnesses will swear that they are divinely obligated to invade my space, my privacy, and insult my intelligence and sense of peace and kindness to my fellow man by forcing their views on me. And when I protest, they claim persecution because I don’t want their views forced on me. I’m not the first and won’t be the last to make this complaint, which will fall on deaf ears or worse: onto those who get off on my rejection because they are programmed with a persecution complex. The only winner here is the trespasser who claims divine right, and in some cities and counties, a legal right to attempt to brainwash me and my family into joining their cult. Your neighbor and co-worker sounds like a cool guy with a casual relationship with the Kingdom Hall, which is something unheard of in my region. If JW’s are evolving into a more accepting group: awesome. Can’t wait until the laid-back, open-minded JW’s infiltrate the Halls in my area. ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2011, 8:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-jehovahs-witnesses-at-the-door/579394/114 "2011-06-01T08:47:08Z")
> [@AnalogSignal](#): > > If you are unwilling to post your phone number, please explain your reasons. Gladly. I grew up in a telephone-company family and by sheer osmosis I learned a set of rules about telephone courtesy that I apply to this day. Besides, I am not looking for trouble. By the way, to the poster who asked, I agreed about the issue of not calling on people who have recently had a death in the family. But I would have to know about it first (and I’ve looked at the obituaries, as noted, since we started getting the _Daily Breeze_ in late 1971.) ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2011, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-jehovahs-witnesses-at-the-door/579394/115 "2011-06-01T14:13:18Z")
> [@dougie\_monty](#): > > Gladly. I grew up in a telephone-company family and by sheer osmosis I learned a set of rules about telephone courtesy that I apply to this day. Besides, I am not looking for trouble. > > By the way, to the poster who asked, I agreed about the issue of not calling on people who have recently had a death in the family. But I would have to know about it first (and I’ve looked at the obituaries, as noted, since we started getting the _Daily Breeze_ in late 1971.) > [@](#): > > \*\*\* Yearbook 1995 p. 47 Worldwide Report _ **Now 94, she is still busy witnessing. Recently she completed a year of auxiliary pioneer service. She is able to walk a little with a cane—enough to take advantage of the opportunities presented when neighbors, friends, relatives, salesmen, postmen, or anyone else calls. Still she has to do most of her witnessing with a pen.** She finds names and addresses in the obituary columns in the daily paper and writes to some of these_\* So, while the focus of this is show how an elderly person is able to stay active in teh ministry - the notion of using the obituaries as a place to find names and addresses is not only suggested, it’s encouraged. There are other quotes over the past 50 or so years that show similar stories - so its not an isolated report. ---
**Author:** ![JPlate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/82dd89/32.png) [@JPlate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JPlate)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2011, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-jehovahs-witnesses-at-the-door/579394/116 "2011-06-01T14:59:52Z")
I used to be a JW in my youth (because that was the religion my parents taught me) so I may be able to provide some unbiased judgment here I hope. I HATED having to go door to door, since I knew how annoying that was, particularly weekend mornings. Anyway, I felt compelled to do it because all the leaders or ‘elders’ encouraged us to do it and frowned upon on those who did not. I don’t remember exactly what part of the Bible says this, but they used to tell us “they are your responsibility, if you don’t warn them, their blood will be in your hands” Of course it does not say that literally but it is something like that. I agree it is very disruptive but I don’t think it is necessary to go to extreme measures to get them to stop. I cannot speak for all JW in the world, but at least in my case, when someone told me thanks but no thanks, I thought to myself, well my work here is done, I did what I had to do. I found LOTS of people with genuine interest, maybe they were doubting their religion or were just looking for something else, and that’s where I got into JW mode and Witnessed the hell out of them, because those people were worth my time. The thing is, you may find people who live normal lives, spend their week at their jobs and go to church on Sunday, but you may also find fanatics who like to throw their religion in your face. I think all religions have these kind of people, and JW are no exception, but that does not mean all of them are like that. Now, about knocking into uninvited houses, I agree it is very annoying, however their religion REQUIRES them to do it. For them, it’s just like going to church on Sunday. Why do we have to do it? Because God says so. Sorry it is a bit long but I wanted to add my two cents here ---
**Author:** ![Troppus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a587f6/32.png) [@Troppus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troppus)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2011, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-jehovahs-witnesses-at-the-door/579394/117 "2011-06-01T22:47:57Z")
Because I’ve experienced Theocratic War Strategy firsthand from a couple Witnesses in real life, I appreciate your input, \*\* JPlate\*\*, because your opinion does sound unbiased. I’ve been reading this board for years, and I’ve seen TWS deployed in several discussions of the faith. It is unseemly, to say the least. When anonymous, faceless posters claim to be ex-Witnesses, I am usually skeptical, and reckon they might be crafting methods of planting propoganda rather than fighting ignorance. And I agree that there must be different degrees of fervor, as with any brand of Christianity. It seems as though I’ve experienced the most fervent end of the spectrum. I’ve yet to see any door-knocking Witness or Mormon that showed any reluctance at all, and most seemed quite smug and entitled to disturb my family rather than genuinely concerned about the state of our souls. I’m especially skeptical of JW’s intentions because of the 144,000 limit thing which has surely been met, (goes without saying I feel this is nonsense, but as I understand it, that number is law to the faith) but I suppose that is fodder for another thread. ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 7:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-jehovahs-witnesses-at-the-door/579394/118 "2011-06-02T07:53:09Z")
> [@simster](#): > > So, while the focus of this is show how an elderly person is able to stay active in teh ministry - the notion of using the obituaries as a place to find names and addresses is not only suggested, it’s encouraged. > > There are other quotes over the past 50 or so years that show similar stories - so its not an isolated report. It may interest you to know that the addresses of such people are _not_ included in the obituaries published in the \*Daily Breeze \*or, for all I know, in any other newspaper. Do any Dopers have examples of this? (I could not countenance going through the obits with a pen and pad for this purpose, regardless of what the _Yearbook_ says.) ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-jehovahs-witnesses-at-the-door/579394/119 "2011-06-02T12:27:07Z")
> [@dougie\_monty](#): > > It may interest you to know that the addresses of such people are _not_ included in the obituaries published in the \*Daily Breeze \*or, for all I know, in any other newspaper. Do any Dopers have examples of this? (I could not countenance going through the obits with a pen and pad for this purpose, regardless of what the _Yearbook_ says.) Well, I am not the one that stated that the addresses are there, so are you saying that the WT writers don’t know what they are talking about? beyond that, once you have names - then you use the phone book or whatever to find the addresses - or are you intentionally being deceptive? Good on you for not doing it - but this still shows that the WT suggests and encourages the behaviour. ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2011, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-jehovahs-witnesses-at-the-door/579394/120 "2011-06-02T12:53:01Z")
> [@dougie\_monty](#): > > It may interest you to know that the addresses of such people are _not_ included in the obituaries published in the \*Daily Breeze \*or, for all I know, in any other newspaper. Do any Dopers have examples of this? (I could not countenance going through the obits with a pen and pad for this purpose, regardless of what the _Yearbook_ says.) And if you wouldn’t do it because of the Yearbook - would you follow the suggestion if it came from the Kingdom Ministry? > [@](#): > > \*\* km 1/70 p. 8 pars. 1-4 Presenting the Good News—By Letter \*\*\*A crippled sister in Philadelphia finds it necessary to carry on most of her witnessing activity by writing letters. She keeps very busy in her service to Jehovah and she enjoys good success in her work, receiving many replies to her letters. What does she write in her letters? To whom does she write? Where does she get her addresses? > > This sister is very busy and very happy in the theocratic privileges that are hers. No matter what our situation in life, all of us can have a share in making the good news available to others, too. Those of us who are physically able will want to use our time and energy in the house-to-house work and other regular features of the ministry. It is not intended that able-bodied publishers and pioneers spend much of their time writing letters. But those who are bedridden, or confined to their homes for various reasons, either permanently or temporarily because of illness, bad weather, or for other reasons, may be able to make good use of their time and energy in Jehovah’s service as outlined above. We appreciate the urgency of the times. Our having as full a share as possible in Jehovah’s service is important, as the time left is reduced.Many in the congregation know that this sister has had good success in witnessing by mail. So they give her names and addresses of individuals to whom they would like her to write. She writes to individuals that she and other publishers have met in the hospital. One brother met a businessman who lived in another part of the country. This man showed interest in the truth. So the brother gave his name and address to this sister, who continued to develop the interest by mail.\*\* Some names she gets from the obituary column. Or if there is information in the local paper about new mothers, or engaged individuals, she writes them, sharing good news from the Scriptures to encourage them as they embark upon their new responsibilities.\*\* The overseer has gone into the lobbies of apartment houses where the publishers cannot get in to witness, and he has copied the names and apartment numbers off the mailboxes so that this sister can contact these individuals by mail. Names and addresses have been obtained from the phone book as well as other sources.To read one of her letters you would think that she was standing at your door talking to you. Often it starts: “Good morning. My name is————. I am ‘writing to share with you some information the Bible provides on ‘finding the true religion.’ I do hope this will brighten your day.” In continuing the letter she usually uses the presentation outlined in the KingdomMinistry, putting it in her own words. Yes, she writes her letter just as if she were talking to the person in a friendly manner, face to face. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-jehovahs-witnesses-at-the-door/579394.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/re-jehovahs-witnesses-at-the-door/579394.md?page=7)