Topic: Door Knockers!

[Critter]

So this moning two old ladies rang the doorbell and as I usually do when the doorbell rings, I answered the door... big mistake! Turns out these two were yet again religious preachers out to try and convert me. I am getting so sick of this happening! I have had different religions coming to the door before but these two were by far the worst as I simply couldn't get rid of them.

They kept ranting on about how Christianity isn't taught properly in schools these days, asking me if I have studied the Bible (which I have), asking why I'm not religious, if I believe in anything etc etc. I kept trying to hint to them that I wanted them to leave but they simply kept me tangled up in their words. In the end they made me take a booklet for trying to convert me to Christianity and they still wouldn't leave unless I said they could come back in a week to talk to me after I had read through the book to hear my thoughts on it. They even tried to get my phone number off me and offered to do Bible studies with me! I was so angry.

It felt like the only way I could get rid of them was either shout out "Piss off!" at the top of my lungs which I of course didn't do, or agree to meet them again which I of course didn't want to do. So I eventually told them to come back in a week (just so that they would leave me in peace).

This type of thing really makes me mad. Okay, I don't like religion personally, but I don't mind religious people as long as they keep it away from me. So to have it shoved in my face like this time and time again through these neighbourhood door knockers only makes me dislike religion all the more. I almost felt like I had trespassers on my property that I couldn't get rid of.

I am going to warn everyone in the house to NOT answer the door to two old ladies if they see them in the next few weeks. And if I see them come back I will be hiding and pretending not to be home. I'm getting so sick of this.

[Jimmy]

The last time it happened to me they didn't have the time to do their preaching since the door was shut in their faces in 5 seconds. I don't go at the church to preach that I'm a non-believer, so I don't want god people preaching at my house about how their guy is awesome.

It felt like the only way I could get rid of them was either shout out "Piss off!" at the top of my lungs which I of course didn't do

Why? It's your home and you can tell to anyone who annoy you to shut the fuck up and get out

[Critter]

The last time it happened to me they didn't have the time to do their preaching since the door was shut in their faces in 5 seconds. I don't go at the church to preach that I'm a non-believer, so I don't want god people preaching at my house about how their guy is awesome.

Exactly! I don't go around to every religious person I see saying their beliefs are stupid, I just let them believe in whatever they want to believe in. I only wish these Christians would do the same for me and let me believe in my atheism. I think people have tried to convert me through door knocking and pamphlets about 10 times and guess what? I'm still atheist! It must work on some people though, or else why would they still be doing it?

[Critter]

It felt like the only way I could get rid of them was either shout out "Piss off!" at the top of my lungs which I of course didn't do

Why? It's your home and you can tell to anyone who annoy you to shut the fuck up and get out

This is true, I probably should have, but there was just something inside me that says don't yell at little old women, no matter how annoying they are. Maybe I just won't be so nice next time.

[Jimmy]

They know that... This isn't for nothing if the Jehova witness bring kids with them and the Mormons missionaries are good looking young men and women

[Dr. Hasslein]

I think this threads shows that religion and atheism can be equally ugly at times.

 

[Critter]

I think this threads shows that religion and atheism can be equally ugly at times.

How exactly does this thread show that atheism can be ugly? I'm the one who was having these religious people forced in my face against my will which is something that I as an atheist would never dream of doing to a religious person.

[Jimmy]

I react the same way with a door to door salesman or a telemarketing phone guy or anyone who bother me at my home, so it isn't just religion related for me. Life is just too short to loose my time for things I don't care for

I'm well known in my familly and my friends circle to always say evrything I think with no white gloves whatever you can or can't say it

[Dr. Hasslein]

I think this threads shows that religion and atheism can be equally ugly at times.

How exactly does this thread show that atheism can be ugly? I'm the one who was having these religious people forced in my face against my will which is something that I as an atheist would never dream of doing to a religious person.

I know you wouldn't do that, but you make them sound like bad people. I think you have quite a lot of hatred towards religion. I know you've never openly expressed that here, but it's deep inside you. That's the ugliness I'm referring to.
Then again it's very possible that I could be completely wrong, that's just the impression you give me.

[Critter]

I think this threads shows that religion and atheism can be equally ugly at times.

How exactly does this thread show that atheism can be ugly? I'm the one who was having these religious people forced in my face against my will which is something that I as an atheist would never dream of doing to a religious person.

I know you wouldn't do that, but you make them sound like bad people. I think you have quite a lot of hatred towards religion. I know you've never openly expressed that here, but it's deep inside you. That's the ugliness I'm referring to.
Then again it's very possible that I could be completely wrong, that's just the impression you give me.

You aren't completely wrong, I do have a hatred but you are right in saying that I never fully openly express it towards people. I believe people have a right to follow whichever religion they choose, that is fine. What I don't believe in however is that people who are religious should have the right to disturb people in their own homes and try to convert them into their way of thinking. To me that is wrong and in a way it does make those two ladies bad people in my eyes. You don't see me going to churches every Sunday and standing outside ranting to everyone that I think they are wrong and stupid for believing in God, so why should i have to stand for the same thing at my own home?

[Dr. Hasslein]

Well maybe next time just don't open the door, simple.

[Critter]

Oh don't worry about that. After today I will be thinking twice before opening the door to anyone.

[Achim]

This is true, I probably should have, but there was just something inside me that says don't yell at little old women, no matter how annoying they are. Maybe I just won't be so nice next time.

Well, I have similar troubles. Just don't really want to be rude to people But, in fact, they are the ones being rude first!

I had a phone call the other day from some sales person who also wouldn't take the hints that I wasn't interested. I eventually just told him, that I can just hang up, ending the conversation slightly rude and abrupt or we can say goodbye to each other and mutually hang up nicely. I agreed to the latter. maybe something you can do next time? After all, it's not like you can stop opening your door for the rest of your life...

Hmmm, who was that who said they never open the door, at all? Even when the doorbell rings?

[Blair]

Being a religious person (who doesn't go to church nearly like I used to), I can understand their perspective because of how we are taught to share the word of God with everyone including those who may not appear ready to receive it... not just to those who choose to walk through the church doors only on Sunday. The problem often comes that the ones who are told to go door to door aren't always just trying to get you into their church or share a message.

You can visit a church anywhere at any time and can sit and listen to what is being said and then walk out. During a service the offering plate is passed around, but just because you walked through the door you are not required to make a donation. Whether you make a donation or not, you don't have the crowd staring at you to see which choice you make.

When you are met at your own door, it does begin with the innocent purpose of simply wanting to share the Word, but it doesn't usually end with that because, if you keep allowing them in for longer periods, as long as they are spending one-on-one time with you, that's time they could be out trying to "solicit" someone new (with good intentions but for the wrong reason if this is how they are thinking about it.)


Being in a heavily churched area, I know what it's like to have regular witnessings at my front door. They show up a few times, give you the bi-monthly reader and share a message with you. If you don't completely turn them off (which I don't because, frankly, I don't have a problem with taking this short amount of time away from my day) then they will be back sooner. If you are someone who they realize understands already and aren't 100% just being taught, it may lead to longer discussions (in either respect, though, all the while encouraging you to come to their church). Over the years I have allowed different pairs into my house a few times where we sit at the table and share a lesson for an hour or so....

...and then when they feel that they have you (assuming you haven't started going to their church yet) then they want donations to continue their work. Now, when rightly used, money that goes toward the church does serve a good cause for missions among other things. It isn't 89.9% pocketed by the preacher, 9.9% for others, and then maybe have a few pennies over to pay light bills and such. It goes toward so many different things, and the money is needed.  But once it reaches that point of being treated like a business where they ask you face to face for money instead of hoping for a donation if you come to their church, that is when I feel they have stepped over the line of what purpose coming to your door and sharing the message was supposed to serve.


In fact, the last time a group came to my door was at least 5 years ago. Again, it went through the same steps. Two people during their usual rounds and once they saw I was letting them come back willingly, they sent someone different who was a better teacher than just a lesson reader. After a month or two once a week of sharing lessons, then they began on the donations, and I told them politely that I have my own church. "I know where I belong, and if your reason for being here includes trying to get money instead of only trying to get me into the church, then I don't want you to come back." So it went from a random group of any of a number of random churches showing up maybe twice a year, to these groups showing up extremely often because I allowed them in, and as soon as I made it clear I wasn't going to donate just because they asked me face to face, no group from any church anywhere has been back to my door as if I was put on a blacklist.

[DJ Doena]

When I was living in Berlin where you have all kinds of religious people (atheists, agnostics, christians of all varieties, jews, muslims) I often had people at my door who wanted to talk about God with me and wanted to give me a "Watchtower". Usually it took them about three minutes to realize that it's going to be pointless and they walked off.

The small town I'm living now is "divided" into Catholics and Protestants with a few sparkles from muslims and people like me. Except when they collect for some good cause I've never had any "preacher" at my door here.