I did an awful thing

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st_julie

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For about 3 years I have been getting watchtower magazines. Rarely did I see the person. I’d just find them in my screen door. About a year ago a new lady figured out my schedule and would catch me before I went to bed in the morning. She was never interested in talking much. About May I told her I was not interested in getting any more magazines.Then last week someone new came and I reacted poorly. I told her that I would never allow a watchtower magazine in my home again. That they were so negative that I got depressed reading it. I said that whoever wrote the articles were very poor researchers or deliberate liars. The articles use any slander,negative adjectives and misinformation to tear down everyone else. Furthermore they use the positive adjectives for Jehovah Witnesses and it is often followed by a list of vices to be overcome.
I felt a bit ashamed after for I had been practicing for years a kind response, although I had never been able to get a word in egdewise.
 
st julie:
For about 3 years I have been getting watchtower magazines. Rarely did I see the person. I’d just find them in my screen door. About a year ago a new lady figured out my schedule and would catch me before I went to bed in the morning. She was never interested in talking much. About May I told her I was not interested in getting any more magazines.Then last week someone new came and I reacted poorly. I told her that I would never allow a watchtower magazine in my home again. That they were so negative that I got depressed reading it. I said that whoever wrote the articles were very poor researchers or deliberate liars. The articles use any slander,negative adjectives and misinformation to tear down everyone else. Furthermore they use the positive adjectives for Jehovah Witnesses and it is often followed by a list of vices to be overcome.
I felt a bit ashamed after for I had been practicing for years a kind response, although I had never been able to get a word in egdewise.
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Don’t worry about it. Consider the circumstances - you were heading for bed, you must’ve been really tired coz you probably just got off a shift, and you probably weren’t ready for the situation when they knocked at your door! You’re human - it’s part of human nature. If the circumstances are right, maybe then you can respond to them with a clearer mind, tho, after what happened, I wonder if they would be thinking twice of coming over there again!

👍
 
You were just telling them of what you think of their magazines.

And yes you were tired so don’t feel bad about it 🙂

Evanescence
 
I think it’s good you repent. Obviously if you feel bad about what you did then it was wrong. So, it’s good you repent. 👍
 
I agree with what you said… perhaps how you said it is what’s making you feel badly? I agree that most of the Watchtower articles are very depressing… they are looking for a certain audience - someone who is very discouraged with his life - thinks the world is a terrible place full of evil people and would be VERY happy to see this “system of things” end. The articles normally start out by pointing out all that’s wrong with the world - and then they shift to… here’s what you can turn to: Jehovah’s Organization. So your observations were right on the money. Don’t feel badly about that.

However, as a former JW I can tell you that more often than not when I went door to door, people would spew out, “I’m a Christian. !!!” and then SLAM the door in my face. It made for a terrible example of someone serving the Lord. And yes… I know it’s annoying to have them come at all hours… not letting you get a word in edgewise… I agree - however, we should all remember that we have - in that moment an opportunity to give a good impression or a bad one. How easy it would be to say, “Thank you for the offer of your literature… I am not interested in reading it. I am a Christian and very secure that my faith is correct. I will pray for you.” Smile sweetly and then if you want the conversation to end there say, “I need to shut the door now. Have a nice day.” And then shut the door (and say a prayer.)

This post isn’t directed toward you, st.julie - (you were tired… heaven help the people who bug me when I am tired!!!) I’m just wanting to make a suggestion for others when the witnesses come knocking.

God Bless,
CM
 
I agree with an Carol Marie that what you said was not awful, although you may feel some guilt over the manner in which you said it. Still, anyone who lays in wait for you, to knock on your door as you are going to bed so they can proslytize deserves the kind of response they receive from the recipient, be it charitable or “less than charitable.”

Peace,
 
What you said just happened to be true. Maybe you pointed out to these people that they have some considering to do.

I, too, have read WatchTowers, and have found what you said to be the reality.

It’s OK, what you did.

Subrosa
 
Thank you everyone for your replies. We were actually on the sidewalk as she had gone to my back door and I had to walk around the house. I was really surprized at the feeling of revulsion I experienced when I saw the magazine. Not at her though.She was a lovely young lady with a 4 or 5 year old girl with her. I felt a great overwhelming ache for her.
Thanks again. It is 8AM so that means bedtime soon.
st julie
 
st julie:
We were actually on the sidewalk as she had gone to my back door and I had to walk around the house.
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eeek - I didn’t see this in the original scenario. I reckon it’s good thing a shot gun didn’t come into play. Seems a wee too invasive.
 
<< I was really surprized at the feeling of revulsion I experienced when I saw the magazine. Not at her though.She was a lovely young lady with a 4 or 5 year old girl with her. I felt a great overwhelming ache for her.>>

St. Julie,

I believe that was the Holy Spirit allowing you to feel revulsion when you saw the magazine, as it is filled with untruths and twistings.

And, it was also the Holy Spirit that allowed you to feel the “ache” for the young lady with her daughter, as she is deceived and needs the grace to see the Truth.

Peace in Jesus,

Dorothy
 
Heh, that reminds me of convesations we used to have after going to a door and experiencing “persecution”, as it was called. It made us so very sure, or rather it made us proclaim that we were very sure, of our ways being right, and everyone else being wrong. Of course, I was very good by the end at picking the houses where no one was home so I could just leave a magazine and go, I sure didn’t appreciate the persecution as much as I was “supposed to”. LOL

Oh, and I was lucky enough to live in a rural area. We often had miles between houses, which was a good thing. Except that people that move that far out into the boonies do so to get away from people like the Witnesses, so we often had the viscious dog or shotgun after us. Heh, those were the good ol’ days! If only I’d known then that I wasn’t alone in my dislike of our primary reason for breathing…
 
You think you did something bad?? About a month ago, while coming out of a restaurant, I saw a stack of those magazines in a magazine rack. I grabbed all of them and threw them away while simply placing a $2.00 plastic rosary and a copy of Magnificat that I had in my purse in their place. Yay me! 😃
 
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b_justb:
I think it’s good you repent. Obviously if you feel bad about what you did then it was wrong. So, it’s good you repent. 👍
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Living by our feelings can be dangerous. The devil could have used this as a means to get you to not defend the faith in the future. While I don’t advocate being mean or inconsiderate, I don’t think you were as you described the exchange. You are fully in your right to forcefully express yourself, especially in the face of such vile and blasphemous publications.
 
Well, Julie, look at it this way: do you open every piece of junk mail you get and read it completely before you throw it in the trash?

Of course not. You see what it is and you rip it in half and ditch it the instant it comes out of the mail box.

Jehovah’s Witesses are sort of like the door-to-door equivalent of junk mail. You didn’t send for them, you didn’t ask for them to come to your house, and you don’t want what they offer. So, (figuratively speaking), just rip it in half and throw it in the trash. There is no harm or foul in telling them, “I’m not interested, thank you, do not solicit me in the future,” and close the door.

My sister used to go on a guilt trip if she hung up on telephone soliciters. She used to stand there and let them go through their whole spiel, and then try to politely tell them no, she wasn’t interested. Of course, the soliciters are trained to bypass that type of response and go for the harder sell (“But, ma’am, have you considered all the benefits that can be yours for just agreeing to try the new Nosepicker 2000 for one month?”)

By the time she finally got rid of them, she’d be late for work, appointments, etc., and spend the next hour complaining about how “they” made her late. I finally said, “Why don’t you just hang up on them?”, and she said “Well, that would be impolite…besides, they’re just working people trying to make a living, blah, blah, blah,” and I said, “Look, if their tender little psyches can’t handle being hung up on, then they need to find a new line of work. Besides, soliciters are the telephone equivalent of junk mail,” and I went through exactly what I told you above.

She finally got to where she’d hang up on them rather than listening to their whole tale, even though she still can’t do it without politely saying “No, thank you,” over and over again.

Me, I just hang up. I didn’t ask them to call me. With JW’s or Mormons, I just say, “I’m Catholic,” and close the door.
 
carol marie:
However, as a former JW I can tell you that more often than not when I went door to door, people would spew out, “I’m a Christian. !!!” and then SLAM the door in my face. It made for a terrible example of someone serving the Lord. And yes… I know it’s annoying to have them come at all hours… not letting you get a word in edgewise… I agree - however, we should all remember that we have - in that moment an opportunity to give a good impression or a bad one. How easy it would be to say, “Thank you for the offer of your literature… I am not interested in reading it. I am a Christian and very secure that my faith is correct. I will pray for you.” Smile sweetly and then if you want the conversation to end there say, “I need to shut the door now. Have a nice day.” And then shut the door (and say a prayer.)

God Bless,
CM
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Thanks for the advice, Carole Marie. I basically say this when a Jehovah’s Witness comes to the door. I especially like the “I need to shut the door. Have a nice day.” It is a charitable way to end the discussion.

It is hard sometimes to remember to be charitable as often I am interrupted in what I am doing and I feel offended that they are shoving their faith at me. I feel door-to-door evangelization flies in the face of “tolerance” for other religions (and is somewhat anti-American)–especially when the faith being proselytized is anti-Catholic.
 
Lorrie, good for you, we cannot leave that type of poision lying around, filth like that should go to the same place as any Chick tracks, the burnpile, lest the trash man sees them and looks. :eek:

My personal favorite story about this happened when I was young. Some JWs came knocking on our door and my father who was cooking at the time (chopping up some beef for stew) came to the door bloody knife and all. They never came back 👍

But I guess that isn’t the best way, it is just funny, he forgets to set the knife down and no matter how nice he talks they are quaking in their shoes.
 
I do a horrible thing every few weeks. I ignore the door. I try to be very polite if I do answer it, but usually it is 18-20 year old Mormon boys that refuse to take no for an answer and know nothing other than how to hand out the fliers that they carry around. I have a fussy baby once they ring the door bell and taking care of him is more important.
 
Here’s what I do…I invite them in to my house.
And I tell them…I will make a deal with them.
They can read to me an article from Watchtower and I will listen, if I can read to them an article from one of our Catholic publications.
For most of them, this is practically tantamount to causing them to commit a sacrilege.

They won’t even come into the house.
So usually, I end up saying to them…what are you afraid of?
Take my magazine home with you and read it and then come back and we will discuss what you have read.
So far, I have no takers, but I also don’t have any more Watchtower magazines shoved into my door.
The one’s I particularly am averse to it is their outright disregard for our Blessed Mother. And in my front yard is a huge Blessed Mother Statue flanked by St.Francis of Assisi and guardian angels.
 
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