# Who are these guys I always see in the neighborhood? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 31, 2014, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-these-guys-i-always-see-in-the-neighborhood/697055 "2014-08-31T16:42:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2014, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-these-guys-i-always-see-in-the-neighborhood/697055/21 "2014-08-31T21:28:26Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > Two young white guys, college-age-ish, wearing black or dark gray slacks, white shirt and a tie, carrying backpacks and riding bicycles. Not always the same two guys, I’m sure, but there’s always a pair of them around somewhere nearby. I assume they are religious folks of some sort out proselytizing, but for some reason they never come by my house. I’ve even come home from work and seen them down the street, and figured they saw me pull into the driveway and that they’d be at the door at any moment, but it never happens. > > So who are these guys? Mormons? Jehovah’s Witness? Something else? If you were in Houston, I’d tell you that they are Jehovah’s Witnesses, because I had two guys that were clones of the ones you described bother me at home a couple of weeks ago. I ran them off and they headed for the house next to mine when the local constables pulled up, checked them out and then ran them out of the neighborhood. The JWs apparently didn’t think that the big “No Soliciting” signs at the entrances to our subdivision applied to them. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2014, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-these-guys-i-always-see-in-the-neighborhood/697055/22 "2014-08-31T23:05:08Z")
> [@GaryM](#): > > I don’t follow any organized religion, but the Mormon missionaries I’ve met have all be nice folks. If I was working in the yard they’d offer to help. About 15 years ago, out of boredom, I let the Mormons try to convert me for a while. When it became apparent how wacky their beliefs were I told them I was no longer interested in having them drop around. Despite this the two young guys offered to come and help me move the next week. And yes, they all seem very nice folks. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2014, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-these-guys-i-always-see-in-the-neighborhood/697055/23 "2014-09-01T03:44:12Z")
‘Mormon youth’ was a my and a friend of mine’s Halloween costume one year. The black pants and shoes, short sleeve white dress shirt and tie, bike helmet and backpack full of bibles. ---
**Author:** ![DingoelGringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9d8465/32.png) [@DingoelGringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DingoelGringo)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2014, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-these-guys-i-always-see-in-the-neighborhood/697055/24 "2014-09-01T03:53:22Z")
Cops maybe? Actually I assume they are Mormons. They are required to take a missionary year and go out of their home territory and harrass people elsewhere. the majority stay within their own country to do their Missionary year. ---
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2014, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-these-guys-i-always-see-in-the-neighborhood/697055/25 "2014-09-01T04:15:42Z")
Didn’t one of these proselytizing sects make it a point to have a mixed (male and female) couple do the dirty work. I’m old enough to fell sorry for anybody who fells called upon to annoy others - their success rate has to be lower than the old Fuller Brush Man. At least I’m now free of the Campus Crusade for Christ (for whom I heard Barry McGuire singing “Eve of Destruction” in the North Ballroom at the Purdue Memorial Union. They make it a point to remind students that it is NOT a “Student Union”. Last I heard (1980’s) he was working as a short order cook upp north of the GG bridge. And hating “Evr” with a Passion. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2014, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-these-guys-i-always-see-in-the-neighborhood/697055/26 "2014-09-01T06:04:07Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > How many Dopers have “[Who are the People in your Neighbourhood](https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=V2bbnlZwlGQ#t=45)” running through your head? Oh, the Mormons always come in pairs, And you know them from the clothes they wear. But if you want to be alone, When they knock pretend you’re not at home. Cos a Mormon is a person in your neighbourhood… ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2014, 12:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-these-guys-i-always-see-in-the-neighborhood/697055/27 "2014-09-01T12:00:55Z")
The Blues Brothers? ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2014, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-these-guys-i-always-see-in-the-neighborhood/697055/28 "2014-09-01T12:09:43Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > The Blues Brothers? No sunglasses. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2014, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-these-guys-i-always-see-in-the-neighborhood/697055/29 "2014-09-01T12:19:59Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > The Blues Brothers? > [@Ethilrist](#): > > No sunglasses. Google Glass? ---
**Author:** ![JKilez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e5b9ba/32.png) [@JKilez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKilez)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2014, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-these-guys-i-always-see-in-the-neighborhood/697055/30 "2014-09-01T12:48:52Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > If you were in Houston, I’d tell you that they are Jehovah’s Witnesses, because I had two guys that were clones of the ones you described bother me at home a couple of weeks ago. I have had the same experience: JW’s in disguise as LDS’s. They look like missionaries in their white shirt and tie, but unlike the LDS’s, they leave stuff at your door. Sneaky bastards. 😉 Maybe they have seen the growth rate of Mormonism and are trying to emulate their methods. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2014, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-these-guys-i-always-see-in-the-neighborhood/697055/31 "2014-09-01T13:34:53Z")
If you catch them sneaking a cigarette, they are undercover cops attempting to infiltrate a Mormon group. Watch for further tells, like a hip flask. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2014, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-these-guys-i-always-see-in-the-neighborhood/697055/32 "2014-09-01T15:27:18Z")
> [@DingoelGringo](#): > > Cops maybe? Actually I assume they are Mormons. They are required to take a missionary year and go out of their home territory and harrass people elsewhere. the majority stay within their own country to do their Missionary year. AFAIK, Mormons are pressured pretty strongly to take on missionary work, but they are not required to do so. And I think it’s 2 years for guys, less than 2 years or girls. There may be different rules for missionary work in the US vs overseas. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2014, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-these-guys-i-always-see-in-the-neighborhood/697055/33 "2014-09-02T04:19:19Z")
I met my first female pair of missionaries. They were walking right near a LDS church, but didn’t appear to be coming or going. Aside from the appearance above, if they are 19ish male white guys (although Pacific Islander might occur) then they’re Mormon. If they are especially older, and often female then they are JW. Mormons are more polite and willing to take “no” for an answer. JWs sometimes just leave hateful tracts on your doorstep. IIRC it’s a pretty big financial commitment to be a Mormon missionary. Not much is paid for and people do fundraisers and such. It’s more optional for women. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2014, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-these-guys-i-always-see-in-the-neighborhood/697055/34 "2014-09-02T05:02:08Z")
> [@usedtobe](#): > > Didn’t one of these proselytizing sects make it a point to have a mixed (male and female) couple do the dirty work. > I’m old enough to fell sorry for anybody who fells called upon to annoy others - their success rate has to be lower than the old Fuller Brush Man. > > At least I’m now free of the Campus Crusade for Christ (for whom I heard Barry McGuire singing “Eve of Destruction” in the North Ballroom at the Purdue Memorial Union. They make it a point to remind students that it is NOT a “Student Union”. > > Last I heard (1980’s) he was working as a short order cook upp north of the GG bridge. > And hating “Evr” with a Passion. Actually, according to [Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Barry_McGuire), McGuire left the music industry in 1980 and moved to New Zealand where his wife is from. He moved back to the U.S. in the 90s and formed a group with Terry Talbot, called Talbot McGuire, which released four albums. He also joined the New Mamas and Papas from 1997-98. He also co-wrote a novel with Logan White called _In the Midst of Wolves_. He also performs small engagements and sings “Eve of Destruction” with updated lyrics. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2014, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-these-guys-i-always-see-in-the-neighborhood/697055/35 "2014-09-02T05:16:05Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Jehovah’s Mormon Witnesses for Latter-Day Watchtowers? Pear pimples for hairy fish nuts? ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2014, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-these-guys-i-always-see-in-the-neighborhood/697055/36 "2014-09-02T13:23:32Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Pear pimples for hairy fish nuts? Just cough up some dough! Thanks for channeling Bloom County at me. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![TokyoBayer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tokyobayer/32/13989_2.png) [@TokyoBayer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TokyoBayer)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2014, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-these-guys-i-always-see-in-the-neighborhood/697055/37 "2014-09-02T13:54:24Z")
They’re Mormons. Now more than you ever wanted to know about missionaries: I used to be. Did the whole mission thing as well, in Japan in the early 80s. As **Reloy3** said, door to door tracting just isn’t done anymore. It wasn’t very effective back in the 80s, either. I hated it. A lot of what seems to being done is visiting inactive members, in the hopes of finding 9-year-olds who can be taught and baptized since no one else is getting dunked. The Internet has really hurt [del]sales[/del] conversions. Missionaries report that things are going well, then the next appointment the person shows up with reams of printouts from anti-Mormon sites, asking hard questions which the missionaries themselves likely never knew about. In the fall of 2012 they lowered the age for young men to 18 from 19, and for young women from 21 to 19, and got a significant surge in the numbers of missionaries mostly fueled by more women going. The numbers are dropping back down. Men serve for two years and women for 18 months. Although it’s not a requirement, they really push missionary service for the men, as those who don’t go are statistically much less likely to remain active. Mormons are strongly encouraged to marry other Mormons, and there is a shortage of active males over the age of 30. Interestingly, there has been a huge increase in the number of missionaries returning early. When I had come back from my mission, I had never heard of anyone voluntarily returning, only a few coming back because of medical reasons and a few who were sent back because of rules violations (usually for having sex, a big no-no). Now, even the Mormon blogs are estimating that between 5 to 10% of missionaries are leaving early. Mostly they are coming home because of stress and depression, although that’s often the reason cited when they just want to quit. It’s mostly likely that more State-side missionaries leave early compared to those overseas, simply because it’s easier. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2014, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-these-guys-i-always-see-in-the-neighborhood/697055/38 "2014-09-02T13:59:58Z")
Beaten to the punch by **TokyoBayer**. As a former Mormon missionary myself who no longer belongs to the LDS Church, I agree with him on all counts here. ---
**Author:** ![Lemmytheseal2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/82dd89/32.png) [@Lemmytheseal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemmytheseal2)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2014, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-these-guys-i-always-see-in-the-neighborhood/697055/39 "2014-09-02T14:01:26Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Pear pimples for hairy fish nuts? I saw what you did there. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2014, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-these-guys-i-always-see-in-the-neighborhood/697055/40 "2014-09-02T16:26:46Z")
> [@TokyoBayer](#): > > Although it’s not a requirement, they really push missionary service for the men, as those who don’t go are statistically much less likely to remain active. Mormons are strongly encouraged to marry other Mormons, and there is a shortage of active males over the age of 30. Perhaps polygamy might be the solution. Have they ever considered that? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-these-guys-i-always-see-in-the-neighborhood/697055.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-these-guys-i-always-see-in-the-neighborhood/697055.md?page=3)