The Jehovahs Witlesses called today

[Ann_Onimous]

Here is a really good, all purpose sign.

[Captain_Carrot]

@the raindog

They are not selling anything, and will gladly not visit you if you tell them that.

Bullshit. They’re trying to sell me on being a Jehovah’s Witness. Selling doesn’t always require money.

[Find_Friends]

@Apocalypso

I’ve only been accosted one time. Why are there always 2 of them? Anyway, I opened my door, and there they were with their pamphlets, suits, and shiny 1950’s haircuts.
“Hi, do you believe in god?”
I smiled and said "oh good, I’m a Satanist and we have so few opportunities to learn about " <lowers voice> “The enemy”
“Won’t you please come in? I can tell you a little bit about the Church of Satan and our works, and we can compare notes”.

Haven’t seen them since.

For the record, I’m not a Satanist.

Beautiful, absolutely beautiful.

[del]Hail Satan![/del]

(FTR, I am not a Satanist, either.)

• “Jack”

[AngelSoft]

@the raindog

JWs encounter people every single day who show some interest in their message. Many of them at one point were “not interested” as you put it.

If you simply say you’re not interested there will likely come a day when you will see them again. They have no way of knowing if you answer the door, or someone else. They have no way of knowing if your mind has changed. They have no way of knowing if you’ve moved and someone else lives there now.

If you simply tell them you wish not to be contacted anymore at all, they will stop coming. Still, people move. Generally, in one year someone will call to see if you wish to remain on the “Do Not Call” list. They will make every effort to respect your wishes.

Uhh visiting me at least once a year after I said no thanks isn’t respecting my wishes. It’s ignoring them. If I magically changed my mind and decided I wanted to become a JW/Mormon/Whatever I’m very well capable of seeking out information on the religions. And you know what? I even know where the churches are located too! So ‘checking’ up on me occasionally no matter what the excuse, is still going to piss me off.

[raindog]

@Marley23

This doesn’t fit with the rest of your post. Maybe you should say they will make a show of respect your wishes but look for ways to continue proselytizing, since their goal of proselytizing is more important to them than respecting your wishes. This also explains their decision to ignore “No Soliciting” signs.

I’m struggling to understand your point. Every single minute of every single day someone is reaching out to someone-----to sell them something, or to persuade them of something.

Do you really believe that a political canvasser trying to persuade you to support his canditate, or a phone company trying to get you to switch, or a JW/Mormon etc trying to persuade you of their belief system should never be able to contact you ever again because today you said “I’m not interested?”

There are millions of JWs who at one point were “not interested.” (and those goes for Catholics, Democrats and millions of others)

I’ve shared their methods and I’ll share them again for you:

If a JW visits you today, and you’re not interested today, there may well come a day when you are interested. The Mormon church knows this. The Democratic Party knows this. AT&T knows this.

If you, or anyone else, says, “You know, I’m not interested and I would appreciate it if you don’t call back anymore in the future”, they will stop coming. They know, from experience, that people move, and circumstances change. In one year or so, someone will call will a simple question as to whether you still feel the same way. (and in many instances, people have moved, or now interested in their message) If you still wish to not have anyone call on you, then they will not.

Is that difficult?

[norinew]

I’ve had mixed experiences with JW’s. About five years ago, I was getting ready for my (then-eleven-year-old) daughter’s birthday sleep-over, which involved a bunch of pre-adolescent girls invading our home. A team (two) of JW’s knocked on my door. I told them I was very busy preparing for my daughter’s birthday party, and do not have time to talk right now. One of them literally put his foot in the door to avoid me closing it on them. I had to become very firm/borderline obnoxious to get them to leave.

Yesterday, however, another team (pair) of JW’s came to visit. I knew it was them by the fact that they were holding copies of Watchtower and a bible in hand. The one seemingly in-lead asked if I would like a copy of “this pamphlet, explaining why God’s word now is more important than ever before”. I took the pamphlet, said thank you, and they went away. No problem. I’m not interested in being a JW (I’m perfectly happy being Baha’i, thank you very much), but I’m also not interested in being a dick. If their behavior really warrants me being dick-ish, well, I’ll ‘rise’ to the occasion (pun partially intended), but otherwise, meh, I’ll be polite but dismissive.

Mormons, OTOH, I have a slightly different relationship with. Some years ago, a local church held a ‘conference’ of Different Religions Coming Together, and a local member of our Baha’i community was on the panel. Seeing as English was not her first language, she asked me to write a statement for her to read. I did so. The LDS present also gave a statement. She (the LDS rep) and I spoke after the program, and she was pretty cool.

Turns out, the Neighborhood Association I belong to, one of our members is and LDS member. He owns a house not three blocks from me, and lets Mormon missionaries live there rent-free. After that panel discussion, I had a number of discussions with the local LDS and even cooked them dinner on a couple of occasions. They’re pretty cool (IME) if you’re not a jerk about it.

[raindog]

@AngelSoft

Uhh visiting me at least once a year after I said no thanks isn’t respecting my wishes. It’s ignoring them. If I magically changed my mind and decided I wanted to become a JW/Mormon/Whatever I’m very well capable of seeking out information on the religions. And you know what? I even know where the churches are located too! So ‘checking’ up on me occasionally no matter what the excuse, is still going to piss me off.

What would you suggest is the remedy for their intrusions?

[raindog]

@Captain_Carrot

Bullshit. They’re trying to sell me on being a Jehovah’s Witness. Selling doesn’t always require money.

What should be done about it?

[Contrapuntal]

@the raindog

What would you suggest is the remedy for their intrusions?

They could stop doing it.

[AngelSoft]

@the raindog

What would you suggest is the remedy for their intrusions?

Besides ceasing the door to door crap (this goes for Mormons as well)? Well they could bring a cake along when they come. Then I’d welcome them warmly.

They could also give out stickers like Girl Scouts used to do to show that the house had already been visited by a girl selling cookies. Instead it’s like a “JW’s been here. Not interested. Go away.” And then if I should magically change my mind I could remove said sticker and happily await the JWs with their cake.

[raindog]

@Contrapuntal

They could stop doing it.

They too have to balance things. They’ve learned that people move-----as one example.

They’ve learned that sometimes that people’s circumstances change and they are now interested.

There are also circumstances where someone else in that building is interested, where the previous person was not.

Lastly, after one year the question is still asking if the person/sentiments are still the same. It’s not “open season” on you because one year has elapsed. They simply ask if your feelings have have changed.

[raindog]

@AngelSoft

Besides ceasing the door to door crap (this goes for Mormons as well)? Well they could bring a cake along when they come. Then I’d welcome them warmly.

They could also give out stickers like Girl Scouts used to do to show that the house had already been visited by a girl selling cookies. Instead it’s like a “JW’s been here. Not interested. Go away.” And then if I should magically change my mind I could remove said sticker and happily await the JWs with their cake.

I’m afraid it would be an awful lot of cakes…

[What_Exit]

**raindog **you are making claims here that many of us know are not true as far as JW’s respecting the request to please not return and you have failed to back up your claims that the No soliciting sign may be legally ignored by JW’s.

I, my sister and others in this thread have all experienced asking JW’s to please not bother us any more and still had them return within weeks or months. Perhaps the policy is not well enforced by the elders of the church?

[raindog]

@What_Exit

**raindog **you are making claims here that many of us know are not true as far as JW’s respecting the request to please not return and you have failed to back up your claims that the No soliciting sign may be legally ignored by JW’s.

I, my sister and others in this thread have all experienced asking JW’s to please not bother us any more and still had them return within weeks or months. Perhaps the policy is not well enforced by the elders of the church?

Let me ask you, what do you think should be done about it?

[raindog]

@What_Exit

**raindog **you are making claims here that many of us know are not true as far as JW’s respecting the request to please not return and you have failed to back up your claims that the No soliciting sign may be legally ignored by JW’s.

I, my sister and others in this thread have all experienced asking JW’s to please not bother us any more and still had them return within weeks or months. Perhaps the policy is not well enforced by the elders of the church?

The “policy” works like this:

Every congregation has a “territory.” (think: Catholic parish) This territory is divided up into neighborhoods. They’re simply laminated cards/maps of neighborhoods.

Any given card will maintain a list of “Do Not Call” addresses. (not names. JWs have no database of any kind)

If you say you’re not interested----no matter how rude and juvenile, (or even if you’re not rude and juvenile and just like to post to message boards and say you were rude and juvenile) they will come back at some point in the future. (where they often encounter someone who isn’t rude or juvenile, either IRL or on a message board)

OTOH…if you simply say, "You know I’m not interested and I don’t want you to come back anymore at all in the future", they will add you to the Do Not Call list and you won’t hear back from them.

Are there mistakes made? Yep. It is an informal process, but it is taken very seriously.

[What_Exit]

@the raindog

Let me ask you, what do you think should be done about it?

If it is a policy they should enforce it better. It obviously does not work well and causes hostility that other religions do not suffer.

Still no answer on citing that the No Soliciting does not apply to them? Are you looking into this or ignoring it as it is inconvenient?

[raindog]

@What_Exit

If it is a policy they should enforce it better. It obviously does not work well and causes hostility that other religions do not suffer.

Still no answer on citing that the No Soliciting does not apply to them? Are you looking into this or ignoring it as it is inconvenient?

Well, it’s inconvenient, the truth be told.

But I opened the door, right?

JWs have been in front of the SCOTUS dozens of time over the last few decades, in many (most) cases over free speech issues.

I’ll drudge a few up, k?

[raindog]

@What_Exit

If it is a policy they should enforce it better. It obviously does not work well and causes hostility that other religions do not suffer.

Still no answer on citing that the No Soliciting does not apply to them? Are you looking into this or ignoring it as it is inconvenient?

It’s low hanging Google Fruit, I know. But it’s written in the style and cadence that Dopers love. I’ll keep looking, k?

http://www.slate.com/id/2062575/

[What_Exit]

@the raindog

It’s low hanging Google Fruit, I know. But it’s written in the style and cadence that Dopers love. I’ll keep looking, k?

http://www.slate.com/id/2062575/

Thank you. I really am just trying to fight my ignorance on this one. I did not know of exceptions and it is rarely a good idea to just take someone’s word on it. Not that they are lying, but it is easy to repeat misinformation.

[raindog]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lovell_v._City_of_Griffin
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schneider_v.State(of_New_Jersey)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cantwell_v._State_of_Connecticut
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cox_v._New_Hampshire
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jones_v._City_of_Opelika
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_v._City_of_Jeannette
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jamison_v._State_of_Texas
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murdock_v._Pennsylvania
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Follett_v._Town_of_McCormick
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saia_v._People_of_the_State_of_New_York
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fowler_v._Rhode_Island
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watchtower_Bible_%26_Tract_Society_v._Village_of_Stratton