AlexanderMars
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.."
Regulær Revolusjonær@Ruth_Mottram And the response? 😬
@outview_and_inview They were a little taken a back, but we wished each other a pleasant weekend..
Peter Brown@Ruth_Mottram @outview_and_inview yes, they don’t really do science.
elaterite@Ruth_Mottram Ha ha, indeed!
mayonnaise@Ruth_Mottram fun fact, JWs are also climate change deniers. IIRC one of their Governing Body members was quoted as saying the Earth was like a disposable plastic cup because Armageddon was supposedly coming so soon. it was either them or the Mormons, lmao
Pete@mayonnaise @Ruth_Mottram
Probably JWs, the Mormons seem to occasionally care about climate issues due to their center in a precarious environment, but then mostly forget about it because of their ties to business lobbyist and the GOP.
Probably JWs, the Mormons seem to occasionally care about climate issues due to their center in a precarious environment, but then mostly forget about it because of their ties to business lobbyist and the GOP.
@forpeterssake @Ruth_Mottram i was raised Mormon (ex-Mormon now) so you would figure i know these things to a decent extent 🤔
@mayonnaise @Ruth_Mottram
Then I'd say it comes down to whether that particular ethno-religious group emphasizes a stewardship model or a "mastery over nature" model. Those paradigms are common in many American Christian sects, but definitely present within Mormonism.
https://wires.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/wcc.864
Toke Riis Ebbesen@mayonnaise @Ruth_Mottram This makes no sense as they believe that Jesus and his dead followers will literally walk on this earth again, not in some imaginary heaven.
@tokeriis @Ruth_Mottram well obviously after Armageddon, Jesus is going to make everything good and great again. or something.
MostlyTato@Ruth_Mottram
They know better than to knock on my door after they ignored the notice literally telling them to go away, saying 'that doesn't apply to us' and got chased down the street by an angry screaming nutter (me).
They know better than to knock on my door after they ignored the notice literally telling them to go away, saying 'that doesn't apply to us' and got chased down the street by an angry screaming nutter (me).
AskPippa🇨🇦@Ruth_Mottram In a former neighborhood, Scientologists often would come up to me on the street and ask if I'd like to take a personality test. I replied, "no thanks, I already have one."
notsoloud@AskPippa
If you test positive for personality, Church of Scientology will administer antipersonalitics.
@Ruth_Mottram
If you test positive for personality, Church of Scientology will administer antipersonalitics.
@Ruth_Mottram
MaksiSanctum he/him
Seiðr@AskPippa @Ruth_Mottram This is in fact similar to one visit by the JWs years ago where they ringed the buzzer and when I answered I told them "No, thank you, we already have religion here." though we are all atheistic unbelievers at home.
Joe MansfieldI used to work somewhat close to an office of theirs. Every day on my way to get lunch I’d be accosted a some poor junior grade 0 sap out trying to fish for victims.
It was always the same hard sell chugger style engagement. Very sad to see as it was clear they were going to get shafted by the cult.
I saw a bunch recently in a small town in Ireland and it was a much slicker and dangerous setup. I thought they’d gone away but clearly the scam continues.
Liselotte WillerI was on a illegal mailing list they established with people who have a connection to Folkekirken (I’m just a theologian), until I met some members on the street, recognised one as person from my neighbourhood and told her that I would call the police on her if she delivered just one more letter …
Peggy Heinkel-Wolfe@Ruth_Mottram
<insert mic drop here>
<insert mic drop here>
Jon@Ruth_Mottram Recalls when I was walking across the UNC-CH campus and was accosted by two missionaries:
M: "Have you heard of the Church of JC of LDS?"
Me: "Yes indeed. In fact, I spent the last week on the BYU campus!" (true, I had gone to a ballroom dance camp there).
In their momentary confusion, I made a break for it. (1/2)
Another year at the BYU dance camp I was in the student infirmary for a knee problem, and a very attractive young lady struck up a conversation with me while we were waiting, having seen my home city on my nametag. I was confused but interested until she asked if I knew so-and-so in her friend's Ward, and I had to explain I was not LDS, at which point she lost all interest. Clearly shopping for husband material. (2/2)
Szymon Sokół 🇵🇱🇪🇺🇺🇦@Ruth_Mottram I knew a guy who, asked by JWs if he believes in the world's ending, answered "I don't believe, I know it; I'm a physicist…"
Mauriziano@Ruth_Mottram Here, when they're rolling around, we hide in the houses waiting for them to leave, otherwise they'll come looking for you and won't leave you alone.
VHG 🇪🇺🇩🇪@Ruth_Mottram funny. Reminds me of an encounter back in the 1980s (yes, I am *that old*). I was living in a small apartments and these guys had their temple in same street.
I was doing the dishes or what. Door rang. I opened the door and an older and a not that old lady stood in front of me. The older one said “we all need god, don’t we?” And within a fraction of a second I channeled that guy from “life of Brian” and said “I don’t” and closed the door.
@vgoller 😂 I wonder if they have forums or something where they share all the witty responses they get?
Sue ArcherFor a while, when I was a child, our neighbours in the next door flat were Mormons. When they moved in, Mum and Dad braced for a knock on the door.
One day, the door knocked, and sure enough, there was a very smartly dressed young American man, who asked:
"Excuse me, do you have a cheese grater we could borrow?"
They never bothered us about God.
EQ@vgoller @Ruth_Mottram We also have one of their churches close by. When we were new in the neighbourhood they showed up now and then. We just close the door. But our downstairs neighbour invited them for coffee. It was two younger ladies and they had a very nice chat. After that they were not allowed to come to this area any more. I don't know much about JW but seems it's a very repressive women hating cult. After that we only saw two younger males in suits and then nothing.
Oblomov@vgoller @Ruth_Mottram I would have probably asked something like «why, will he wash my dishes for me?»
tend2wobble@Ruth_Mottram Had them nodding along last time they stopped. Very young, sweet teen girls must’ve missed the 40 plus yrs warning put out that we’re heathens, don’t bother stopping. So they smiled and nodded when I said, paraphrasing, ‘no religion knows shit from shinola about a ‘god’ and humans never will b/c the human brain cannot fully grasp that ‘god is’ and ALL religions are talking about the same thing. #godIs
bazbt3 🦣@Ruth_Mottram @Szescstopni I had UK Reform party¹ canvassers round this morning (local elections here next month).
Them: "I'm from Reform, would you like a leafl…"
Me: "No thankyou, goodbye." (Shuts door)
And so I turned away, silently screaming thinking of all the things I *would* have said had I not just got up and was dressed.
----
¹ Xenophobic, discord-promoting, NHS-killing, flag-shagging, net zero-ending, trump-admiring, governing-incapables. But I'm sure they're lovely people really
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.
@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.
Emma: ƒ(☕️, 🐈⬛️, 🚀️) ⇒ ℂ@Ruth_Mottram I need to extol the virtues of lesbianism, leaving their husbands, and destroying capitalism to the next batch.
disorderlyf@Ruth_Mottram based on how another reply said they responded and my own experiences being raised that way, they did a shit job.
Stumpy The Mutt@Ruth_Mottram I had a couple of Mormons come to my door. I said "I'm really glad to see you, I just finished reading your book (I really had) and I have some questions. Wait here, I'll go grab it." At which point they looked at me in shock, and begged off saying they would put me in touch with an elder. Never saw or heard from them again.
Xenotar
Leonardo Fontenelle@Ruth_Mottram good news is, there won't be much more global warming, because the end is near anyway!
Lsamuelson57A few years ago some nice witnesses stopped by, and we bad a nice conversation. They gave up shortly after I picked up a pebble, dropped it and started talking about general relativity. And how gloriously, inexpressibly grand our universe is...
Dr Andrew A. Adams #FBPE 🔶
Justin Derrick@Ruth_Mottram At my last place, I had some Jehova’s knock on the door. I told them I was an anti-theist, and offered them the opportunity to leave and try their chances on the next house. The woman said “I was an atheist too!” And I had to clarify that I thought religion was a terrible idea that caused untold suffering in the world, far more than any good it has ever done.
She hadn’t heard the term before, but persisted. I listened for a while and when the opportunity presented itself, went on a rant about what kind of all-powerful, all-knowing, all-seeing and all-compassionate deity gives kids cancer - and invited them to see their god’s work at the local pediatric cancer ward. I suggested that she should be raising money to cure the cancer her god gave those children, and not asking people to worship that same god.
Unsurprisingly, I was at that address for nearly 15 years… and they never came back.
MWT@JustinDerrick @Ruth_Mottram
Once upon a time, two very nice women came to my door to invite me to their bible study. They politely asked about my beliefs, so I explained modern paganism. The younger woman was very curious and kept asking more and more questions, and soon I was going into great detail about my worldview and the main tenet of paganism ("and it harm none do as thou wilt") and how I saw it as "tolerance for all things and all ways" and etc.
I think I was on the verge of converting her when the older woman abruptly cut off the conversation (she seemed to have decided that I was in the "devil quoting scripture" category).
@JustinDerrick @Ruth_Mottram
Now that I'm thinking back on stories like that... my mother is Buddhist, and one time we had a couple monks staying with us for a few days, an older one and younger one.
The younger one asked about my beliefs. I explained modern paganism, and showed him one of my books (I think it was called "good witchcraft"). He was very curious and expressed interest in finding out more about "western" belief systems.
I guess younger devout religious people are more fun?
Angela Carstensen@mwt @JustinDerrick @Ruth_Mottram
When what you have to offer is more attractive than what they are trying to sell ❤️