NationStates Jolt Archive

This is not intended as a "dig" at religion, it's just a question I have that I would like a decent answer to.

"Why do Mormons or Jehova's Witnesses feel the need to knock on my door at home and try to force their religion/cult on me?"
Why indeed does any religion/cult/group feel the need to annoy a person at their own front door? If I wanted to know about these cults/religions/groups I would enquire about them of my own volition, I just get very suspicious of people trying to "sell" something like a door to door salesman.

Some sects of Christianity take missionary work more seriously than others, and they truly believe that they are saving souls by conversion... even if this means knocking on people's doors at 7am on the weekends.

Some will take the hint with a polite, "no thanks."

Some need more encouragement.

My good friend Joe lived in a brownstone where his grandfather, who was very elderly and ill, had the basement apartment, he had the middle apartment, and his parents had the top floor.

EVERY SUNDAY MORNING, some Jehovah's Witnesses rang his grandfather's bell and woke him up. Joe several times told them to stop waking his grandfather, that he was a sick man and did not need this aggravation every Sunday.

He mentioned it in passing to a friend of his who said, "I'll take care of it. You owe me an endless pot of coffee."

The friend showed up on Saturday night with a duffle bag, and he took the grandfather's apartment for the evening.

Sunday morning, the doorbell rings, and the friend answers the door in a brown robe with the hood up, holding a fresh chicken up by the neck with knife in hand, demanding, "WHAT?! YOU'RE INTERUPTING THE CEREMONY!!"

Needless to say, they did not return after that.

Brilliant! :D

Alas, I wish I could take the credit for it. I did think it was pretty funny, though.

I can't speak for either Mormons or JW's, as I belong to neither organization, and don't want to, but as I am a Christian, here are some thoughts on the subject you raise.
As a Christian, I believe the Bible is accurate in its descriptions of God, humanity, and the interactions between God and humanity. I believe most people refuse to accept God's authority over them, and that the consequence of so doing is hell, some hell now, and total hell after this life. I also believe that God wants us all back, and that through coming to earth as Jesus Christ and dying in our place, God created an arrangement by which we can start over with Him, with the slate wiped clean, and start to live life His way.
This probably sounds like exactly the kind of religious lecture that you're complaining about, but I'd like you to please consider this point. If the stuff I said in the last paragraph is true, as I believe it is, then I want everyone I care about to join me in following God, so that they can share with me in the wonderfulness of so doing, and avoid hell. The thing is, God can cause me to care about all kinds of unlikely people, because He cares about everyone, and He wants me to think and feel and act like Him.
So, annoying as people who believe these things may be to you, I think many of them are telling you about God through a sincere desire to do good for you. They may be botching the delivery of their message, and since many different people may be telling you many different things, you obviously can't accept any of it unconditionally. Some may have other agendas, related to getting money off you, or soothing guilty consciences. But I think some care about you, and genuinely believe they have life-and-death information to give to you.
Sorry, I went on a bit there. :)

they do it because their church has a rule that ALL members in good standing have to spend a certain amount of time evangelizing. they dont think it up themselves.

the average mormon on his "mission" gets 1 person per year to start the conversion process. its way worse than selling vacuum cleaners door to door. they spend all day every day getting doors slammed in their faces. ( and they are lucky if that is all they get)

so give them a break, just say NO THANKS and close the door. they dont WANT to do this, they have to. or put up a little "no solicitations" sign on your door. or even a "no mormons/jehovas witnesses wanted" sign if you get them around constantly

"Why do Mormons or Jehova's Witnesses feel the need to knock on my door at home and try to force their religion/cult on me?"
Why indeed does any religion/cult/group feel the need to annoy a person at their own front door? If I wanted to know about these cults/religions/groups I would enquire about them of my own volition, I just get very suspicious of people trying to "sell" something like a door to door salesman.

Yeah! Me and my friend got cornered by a cristian in our local town, and she was unnatrually happy, and she kept asking us questions like: "What do you think about god?"
I just wanted to shout: "OH MIGHTY SATAN! TAKE THY WORTHLESS UN-BELIVER AND LET HER BURN IN THE FIERY DEPTHS OF YOUR DOMAIN!"

Witnesses dont force their religion on people. They ask people their opinion on certain matters, and direct them to the Bible. If they dont want to talk about it, its not like they stick their foot in the door and force you to listen. You have a choice.

Ever see the movie "The Big Kahuna"? Don't worry if you didn't, I and two other people are the only ones who did. It stars Kevin Spacy, Danny Devito, and some young actor as lubricant salesmen at a convention in Witchita, KS. In the movie, the young guy ignores his responsibility to sell lubricants in order to try to sell his beleif in Jesus. This costs the company an account they needed to remain in business. The movie hinges on what it means to be honest. If you consciously steer the conversation toward lubricants, or Jesus for that matter, you are not honest. You are not human. You are a salesman.

a thing i find funny about jehovahs witnesses and mormons is that they believe that only something like 166000 people will get into heaven and they have the right way to get there. if it was me, and i knew the way to heaven and you had to have a "ticket" to get in, then seeing that the world is at least 6000 years old...with probally a trillion people that have walked on it, id want to keep that a little secret of my own, but they dont

In the US they have the right to talk to you about their beliefs. Now whether you listen or not is your right. When they are at your door just say no thank you and close said door. Even if they offend you with their beliefs it is their right to do so. Just ignore them and they will soon move on. If not, simply call the police to report soliciting, and the police will tell them to move on.

a shotgun blast at thier car or a good rifle shot over thier heads (if they are on bikes) keeps them off the farm

edit: ensure that the shotgun shell is loaded with winter rock salt in case you hit one of them

When a Mormon knocks on your door answer it by "speaking in tongue". LOL. Let jibberish and nonsensical movements loose and see how those little idiots run.

The Mormons believe that the body can be possessed and will react in terror during such an event, believing that they might also become possessed. It's definitly true, because I have done it, and it's funny as hell.

The Jehovah's Witnesses return when challenged.

They knocked on my door and I was actually decent with them as I explained that I worked nights and had just fallen asleep- they replied that "Jesus doesn't sleep" and I must listen to them. I slammed the door. They continued yelling to me from my porch for a minute and then walked away.

It was the last time I was ever pleasant with any of these freaks.

The very next f'n day I get another knock from THE SAME TWO KIDS, a couple of women, and some old guy. I opened the door and looked at them with my jaw hanging open, they were smiling and talking the same crap.

"Don't you remember what I told you yesterday!" I yelled.
They replied, "Yes sir, but our message is more important."

I left my door open and walked into kitchen and grabbed my paintball gun.

I noticed that THEY HAD ENTERED MY HOME as I was returning, so I started shooting & laughing. I shot at all of them (even the old guy) all the way to their parked car, and then I shot up their car.

The police came to my door within the hour, so I told them the story. They didn't laugh or nothing. They told me what I did was illegal, but because they had entered my home without my permission, they were going to overlook what I had done.

It's been about 3 years since then and noe they just send newer people to my door every Sunday. I would say they're like roaches, but I can kill roaches... They're like popup ads.

Ok, so people are saying that they are within their rights to try to preach to you on your doorstep, I can undertand that.
Most of you are saying "Just politely say ""no thank you"" and close the door" or put up a sign on your door warning them your not interested.

Why should any of us *have* to do any of these things? I have lost count of the amount of times I have politely told a mormon or a Jehova's witness that I am not interested but it doesn't stop them! I don't wan't to put signs up, that would spoil a nice paint job on my front door ;) all I want is to be left alone by religious salespeople.

Let me ask another question;

How would you [any Mormon or Jehova's witness] feel if an Athiest came knocking on your door every other day and tried to denounce your belief in whatever diety you happen to worship? How would you feel if it was a regular occurence? I know you would soon get fed up with it.

If you think your cult or religion is worth knowing more about then put a full page ad in a newspaper, or leave a flyer under the windscreen wiper of cars in the car park of your local shopping centre but let ordinary folk make their own mind up about whether they wan't to know more, let us come to you, then you would at least have a captive audience who would be ready to listen.

I'm speaking on the Mormon side, (I take the morals and drop the creepy stories), but it's not an "I have to, but I don't want to," attitude. Rather, you have these kids who are born into the religion, and this is all they are taught from birth. Grow up, learn the scriptures, leave the house at eighteen/nineteen and serve a mission. It has become the goal in life, (even, for Erik Erikson, a new 'identity crisis' just for Mormons/other proselytizing religions).

They want to go on a mission, because it signifies that they are adults in that community. They move up from, hypothetically, Brother Gosheon to ELDER Gosheon, with a black name plate.

Now, for me, I'll be off to a private high school and then I'll go to college at seventeen, so my love of science will overpower religion, but I know that for some of these kids, the mission is the priority, and then college.

They see new members entering their home wards, so they know that throughout the doorslams there are some who come into the fold. However, just bringing people into the religion isn't the only thing missionaries are doing. They are learning life skills, a whole new language for those abroad, an entire culture. I don't know, maybe, for a second, you should entertain them once in a while. Invite them in.

You don't have to agree with a single thing that they say; torture them with unspeakable ideas. I have no idea if Jehova's Witnesses really run away from sacrifices, but I would guess that ANY Mormon missionaries would simple come more. If you've broken a missionary down, it doesn't mean that the religion is any falser, or truer; it simply means that Brother Gosheon or Brother Ted is NOT a man yet.

And some kids need to be told that.

And if an atheist came to my door denouncing my religion, then I would entertain him, seeing his views. It's not necessarily about blindly following one point of view, but salvaging the good points of multiple religions.

But, yeah, the 144,000 thing is one of the most stupid things I've ever heard from a Jehovah's witness. However, it is in Revelations Chapter 14, verses 1-4, that 144,000 virgin men (???) will be 'redeemed from the earth'.

Yeah. 144,000 is about the number of virgin men EVER to have lived a full life without doing ANYTHING sex related.

When a Mormon knocks on your door answer it by "speaking in tongue". LOL. Let jibberish and nonsensical movements loose and see how those little idiots run.

The Mormons believe that the body can be possessed and will react in terror during such an event, believing that they might also become possessed. It's definitly true, because I have done it, and it's funny as hell.

The Jehovah's Witnesses return when challenged.

They knocked on my door and I was actually decent with them as I explained that I worked nights and had just fallen asleep- they replied that "Jesus doesn't sleep" and I must listen to them. I slammed the door. They continued yelling to me from my porch for a minute and then walked away.

It was the last time I was ever pleasant with any of these freaks.

The very next f'n day I get another knock from THE SAME TWO KIDS, a couple of women, and some old guy. I opened the door and looked at them with my jaw hanging open, they were smiling and talking the same crap.

"Don't you remember what I told you yesterday!" I yelled.
They replied, "Yes sir, but our message is more important."

I left my door open and walked into kitchen and grabbed my paintball gun.

I noticed that THEY HAD ENTERED MY HOME as I was returning, so I started shooting & laughing. I shot at all of them (even the old guy) all the way to their parked car, and then I shot up their car.

The police came to my door within the hour, so I told them the story. They didn't laugh or nothing. They told me what I did was illegal, but because they had entered my home without my permission, they were going to overlook what I had done.

It's been about 3 years since then and noe they just send newer people to my door every Sunday. I would say they're like roaches, but I can kill roaches... They're like popup ads.


I was raised a Jehovah's Witness, and I find it hard to believe a story like this. I assuredly am not a Christian myself, and left as early as I could. But I can tell you, that no Wintess in their right mind would ever say any of the things you claim they did, or try and enter your home without your say so.

Hell they don't even walk around preaching heavily about Christ like the Mormons do. They believe he's the son of God...not God himself.

Ok, let's think about this.
What will getting mad about it do? Absolutely nothing.
Try to understand that their hearts are in the right place.... it just expresses itself rather badly. Most of them really are trying to help you. They don't mean to be annoying, they mean to bring hope. I personally don't agree with Jahova's Witness' or Mormon's doctrine or theology, but our religions share enough common ground for me to know that they don't really mean harm. Try not to take offense where none is meant.

I enjoy inviting them in, and then telling them how their message is wrong and they need to become Lutherans. Last time, the lady got so upset with me telling her she is wrong and the messages she teaches about Jesus are wrong, that she just left. We haven't seen one since.

Wow, Eric, you're a twit. I go to the same school as this kid a few grades above, and he's certainly not working a night job. Unless you count homework. And even if it was true, he's still a twit, for shooting up two kids, an elderly person and a woman with a paintball gun.

I was basically forced by my mother to be a Jehovah's Witness until I was 17 and said, no more. They basically force you to go door to door through intimidation. You aren't a good christian if you don't do missionary work because we are in the last days (Since the '70s) and if you are not a Jehovah's witness you won't enter the new kingdom, when God kills all of the wicked non beleivers. So you must try to tell people so they will be spared. If you don't go out enough they council you to death. They will also tell you that all other religions are doomed because they follow Satin's path and are money hungry. This from a group that owns huge buidings in New York. I guess God had them sprout from pumpkin seeds.
Any way in the case of the witness' I think they deserve more pity than anger. They have been blinded to reality by a religion (Cult) that tries to control all facits of your life. You are not allowed to smoke, even in your own home. If you disobey their orders you can be kicked out (which to them would be a death sentence). Oh I'll stop with that or I'll be writing a book.

This morning I got yet another knock at the door and standing there was the same Jehova guy I had politely, but forceably told the previous week that I wanted nothing to do with him or his religion.
How many times can you answer your door to the same people and tell them the same thing before you start getting severely pissed off?

To make matters worse, his daughter attends the school I work in, he sent her to school with copies of the "watchtower" for me, the very magazines I handed back to him the week before.

This is not harmless canvasing for his cult but it is harrasment.

If I were to send my son to his door every week and get him to ask the same questions I would bet a months salary that he would get pissed off at my son, so why should I continually be polite to someone as pig headed that?

You're going about it the wrong way.
I'll give two examples, one from me, and one from my mom.

This is what my mom did to the Mormons.
She invited them in and let them talk their talk, provided that all their biblical references are from the four gospels only. And every time they would move away from that she would reminde them of the agreement they made.
Anyway, somehow it worked, as they never came back, and one left crying. All my mom would do is ask them to explain their views that they said, using only the four gospels for reference.

As for Jahova's Wittnesses, I've had a bad experiance with them. One day, years ago I was home on summer vacation, living with my dad (Parents divorced), and at around 11:00am, a pair of Jahova's Wittnesses came to the door. I was young (11), and thought it best that they talk to my father about their stuff, and they agreed with me. So I said they should come back after 5:00pm, when my father got home.
An hour later, the two came back, again I explained to them, my father will be home after 5, please come back.
An hour later, back they came. This went on until at around 4:00pm I was very very annoyed with them (They didn't understand they agreed to come back at 5 when my father got home) so when they came to the door I answered it with my BB gun (Looked like a real shotgun thankfully) and told them not to come back otherwise I was gonna shoot them.
Fortunatly, they didn't come back.. well, not when I was around anyway.

I know people will say "You should have said 'I'm not interested'". But I did politely ask them to come back at a better time, which they agreed, and then they broke said agreement and annoyed the hell outa me.

When a Mormon knocks on your door answer it by "speaking in tongue". LOL. Let jibberish and nonsensical movements loose and see how those little idiots run.

The Mormons believe that the body can be possessed and will react in terror during such an event, believing that they might also become possessed. It's definitly true, because I have done it, and it's funny as hell.

The Jehovah's Witnesses return when challenged.

They knocked on my door and I was actually decent with them as I explained that I worked nights and had just fallen asleep- they replied that "Jesus doesn't sleep" and I must listen to them. I slammed the door. They continued yelling to me from my porch for a minute and then walked away.

It was the last time I was ever pleasant with any of these freaks.

The very next f'n day I get another knock from THE SAME TWO KIDS, a couple of women, and some old guy. I opened the door and looked at them with my jaw hanging open, they were smiling and talking the same crap.

"Don't you remember what I told you yesterday!" I yelled.
They replied, "Yes sir, but our message is more important."

I left my door open and walked into kitchen and grabbed my paintball gun.

I noticed that THEY HAD ENTERED MY HOME as I was returning, so I started shooting & laughing. I shot at all of them (even the old guy) all the way to their parked car, and then I shot up their car.

The police came to my door within the hour, so I told them the story. They didn't laugh or nothing. They told me what I did was illegal, but because they had entered my home without my permission, they were going to overlook what I had done.

It's been about 3 years since then and noe they just send newer people to my door every Sunday. I would say they're like roaches, but I can kill roaches... They're like popup ads.


LOL that is hilarious. Even if it isnt true it was still a good read. Thanks hahaha..

I dont have enough time to look it up but Jesus several times commanded his disciples to go and spread his gospel (Read the last two verses of Matthew - i forget the exact referance). So several Christian religions do just that - not just Jehovah's Witnesses nor Mormons.

They have good intentions. They feel commanded to do so by their god. Also there are no laws AFAIK (In the USA) regarding not being able to share your religion by knocking on doors. I have had many experiences with Mormons and JW's. Some of whom I know very well. Almost always they are kind and will not return if you ask them to (at least until new ones come into your area - every 3 months or so). Its unfortinute that as the law of chance dictates that you will run into some who are very forward and rude. Please forgive them and try not to hold that individual experience as a reflection upon their religion as a whole. What they do is not easy and not alwas fun.

My "let's try and convert the heretic" horror stories don't inviolvd Mormons (Or Latter Day Saints) and Jehovah's Witness's. Mine involved a Baptists and an Evangalist.

The Evangalist I knew in high school, and he was one of the people I sat with at lunc (as he was a friend of two of my friends). It was in grade 9 when this happened. I swore (ooo!! Call in the police, the Athiest swore!). So, then the Evangalist decided that I had sinned and therefore must try and rectify the situtation. (At least he didn't carry a bible in his backpack like a friend of mine who was a Baptist). He started to preach to me and told me that it was a sin for me to swear, and to use the lord's name in vain. I looked at him and told him I didn't care. I seriously didn't - I was trying to eat my lunch!

I did manage to successfully piss off a whole group of Christians in high school, including him. At my school, we had a club called the "Christian Fellowship" and a friend of mine led it (she never tried to convert me). Even my Muslim friend went... (she dragged me along so she wouldn't be alone). And it was at this meeting at the end of grade 10 that I stuck it to them... I said: "I don't need this shit!" and I left.

This one happened recently, a former friend of mine (I stopped talking to her a while ago), told me that I was wrong in my beliefs and that I shouldn't say that god doesn't exist and that I will go to hell because of that. I told her that god doesn't exist and that I believe this. She whined and said she would pray for my soul, to which I said that I was happy going to hell because it would mean no more winters.

Even my own mother... =.=;; Ok, this is just stupid, I told my mother I was an Athiest and she (who's Eastern Orthodox) said that "no you're not, you're agnostic because you don't know whether god exists or not."...

This morning I got yet another knock at the door and standing there was the same Jehova guy I had politely, but forceably told the previous week that I wanted nothing to do with him or his religion.
How many times can you answer your door to the same people and tell them the same thing before you start getting severely pissed off?

To make matters worse, his daughter attends the school I work in, he sent her to school with copies of the "watchtower" for me, the very magazines I handed back to him the week before.

This is not harmless canvasing for his cult but it is harrasment.

If I were to send my son to his door every week and get him to ask the same questions I would bet a months salary that he would get pissed off at my son, so why should I continually be polite to someone as pig headed that?


This person maybe an overzealous new convert trying to make a good impression. The best way to stop this is to find out the phone number of the nearest Kingdom Hall. Ask to speak to an Elder NOT the priest (they don't have those). Explain what has been going on in a rational manner. I would bet this stops the unwelcome visits. They will be able to find out who is doing this. And that person will be counciled to stop. The JWs do not want to be bad neighbors and are taught to leave people alone when it is made clear they are not welcome.

They tend to believe that you are uninformed. They feel it is their duty to inform you. I'd say that you should just kick 'em in the shins when they come by. Or make a lewd joke. That always gets 'em.

And on the same matter, why do scientologists camp out on college campuses?

I jsut tell them to " get off my laannnnd" in a sorta hillbilly accent and then open my door to show a very very very real large dog named chopper. And tell them if they come back, I will have no choice to sic my dog on them as my dog talks to me and demands actions against puny huuumans.