Ruth MottramI had Jehovah's Witnesses round this morning (not a very common occurrence round here).
Them: "Do you ever think about the future?"
Me: "I'm a climate scientist, I think it about the future all the time.."
BrianKrebs@Ruth_Mottram Growing up, my dad (a strong Catholic) used to welcome the Hare Krishnas, Jehovah's Witness, and the young men from the Mormon church who came by from time to time. He would sit out on the lawn and bring chairs out for everyone and offer peach daiquiris for them (they always refused). And then he'd try to convert them to Catholicism.
CrazyDogLadySezPEACE@briankrebs @Ruth_Mottram My Jehovah’s Witness story, a woman came to the door where I lived with my toddler & I figured she’d been having doors slammed in her face, so I’d invite her in for a sit down & she’d talk & give me the latest watchtower & I’d listen politely and wish her a good day. This went on for a couple months I guess but one day the pamphlet had things to say about Buddhism, so I went through it with her, “no, that’s incorrect, it’s really like this” and “yeah, I can see how that might be misunderstood, but here’s how we think it’s meant” etc. She looked at me like a deer in headlights the whole time and never came back. 🤷🏻♀️
Tom Sheppard@briankrebs @Ruth_Mottram Back in the ‘70s a car pulled up to my parent’s acreage. They were greeted by our barking German Shepherd. Two children got out of the car and knocked on the door. The dog kept barking at the car. They were Mormons and said their parents would like to talk to me. I said, “Sure, please have them come to the door.” The kids went back to the car, got in, and they drove away. Brave enough to send their kids to face the dog, but not themselves. 😆
Levka@Tom @briankrebs @Ruth_Mottram
In the ‘70s I was living in East Oakland at 15th and 11th. Christian missionaries were canvassing my street. I think they were Jehovah’s Witnesses. They knocked my door three Saturdays in a row. I never let them in. I’d open the door the length of its chain, ask what they wanted and then slam it in their face. Even though they were always different individuals, they always wanted the same thing, a moment of my time to discuss “our lord and savior” Jesus Christ. Slam! Good riddance.
But they kept coming back. I figured that if they couldn’t take a hint, maybe they’d respond to some psychological warfare. I had a German Shepard. My partner at the time had a dog that was half Doberman and half Great Dane. On the fourth Saturday I could see them coming up the street. I took off all my clothes. When I answered the door I opened it wide so they have a good view. There I was, buck naked except for my wrap around shades, and holding a large, snarling dog by the collar with each hand. Black Sabbath was playing on the stereo. Incense hung in the air.
“In this house we worship Satan,” I said.
They never came back. Maybe it was the incense.
Lenora@LevZadov @Tom @briankrebs @Ruth_Mottram when they come to my door I don't respond to the knocks. After a while they stopped coming
f*cking b*tch club
Pickle Rick 
@LevZadov @Tom @briankrebs @Ruth_Mottram
Haha... I've often thought about answering the door naked. Maybe inviting them in for an orgy or something. Never had the courage to try it, though
Jules she/her@beeftacos @LevZadov @Tom @briankrebs @Ruth_Mottram I've been tempted too but they usually bring kids when they come round our way, probably to stop people doing exactly that
Token Sane Person@afewbugs @beeftacos @LevZadov @Tom @briankrebs @Ruth_Mottram In which case you start asking the child if the realise that God is just a fairy tale that grown ups tell, and it's not real.
Andrew Deacon@LevZadov @Tom @briankrebs @Ruth_Mottram A friend, who is a modern Pagan, once answered the door to two Mormons wearing all black with a pentacle on a chain round his neck, he said "Hello" in a deep bass - they ran away very quickly. He also recounted meeting a C of E vicar whilst similarly dressed, he priestsreponse " oh, lets talk about your beliefs"
To my mind it showed which ones were secure in their beliefs and which weren’t.
To my mind it showed which ones were secure in their beliefs and which weren’t.
Schroedingers_Cat@aadeacon @LevZadov @Tom @briankrebs @Ruth_Mottram Very true, and (more personally) clergy who will let other people do things they cannot, and accept other interpretations of their belief within their churches - they are the ones who are secure in their own beliefs. Secure in their own faith.
So many do not, because they cannot accept a situation where they might be challenged. Because they think their role is to be certain, when they are not.
AlexanderMars@briankrebs that sounds a little like my dad, a minister with advanced degrees in philosophy, theology and education. He LOVED to deconstruct dogma, or explain to his colleagues why their translation/interpretation was wrong.
Funny, he was surprisingly cool about me being an atheist, it became something for us to debate and rib each other over.
Orange Menace@briankrebs @Ruth_Mottram one of my uni housemates was a thoughtful but tenacious theology student. If the JWs or Mormon’s turned up, we’d just shout “John! Visitor for you…” and leave him to it.
Mark Burton@OrangeMenace @briankrebs @Ruth_Mottram
My Dad let the Mormons in, argued for 2 hours, then referred them to 2 friends who "might be more interested", a militant atheist and a devout RC.
Mormons are the most off the wall of all.
My Dad let the Mormons in, argued for 2 hours, then referred them to 2 friends who "might be more interested", a militant atheist and a devout RC.
Mormons are the most off the wall of all.