What do you do when they come to the door?

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Aurelia

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What do you do when proselytizers such as JWs or Mormons ring your doorbell? Do you engage them in religious discussions? If I know it’s them, I just don’t open the door. If I open the door by mistake, I’ll politely tell them I’m not interested and bid them good-bye.
 
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Aurelia:
What do you do when proselytizers such as JWs or Mormons ring your doorbell? Do you engage them in religious discussions? If I know it’s them, I just don’t open the door. If I open the door by mistake, I’ll politely tell them I’m not interested and bid them good-bye.
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I invite them in, offer them something to drink and go at it all day long. 😃
 
Oh, I had this happen with some JW’s not long ago. I just told them I wasn’t interested, I’m all set faith wise, have a good day. 🙂
 
Invite 'em in, and tell them I am delighted to see them because I admire their zeal for God and welcome them by saying: “Welcome! We’re Catholic! This is a house that witnesses to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!”

That’s usually about all it takes; generally, they can’t get away fast enough.
 
I greet them kindly and engage them in discussion - usually whatever topic they’ve come to talk about. I always discuss from the Catholic point of view and have had some in depth conversations from which I hope they receive a grain of truth.
Talking to them gives me the opportunity to witness to The Catholic Faith and to practice my apologetics.
I have never encountered a a nasty person of any religion at my door. They are always friendly.
 
Usually, I make my husband answer the door…once they see the pentacle hanging from his neck they back away and RUN…never to return 😃 !
 
same here, we end up discussing the Catholic Church until they realize im not gonna be changed and they move on. There are two who regularly visit the apartment complex i live in, but now the Legion is going to do it!
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b_justb:
I invite them in, offer them something to drink and go at it all day long. 😃
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I usually talk to them in a polite manner for as long as they’re interested in talking to me. When they start asking me to take things or consider their church I politely say no thanks, that I’m a very devout Catholic. Never had any problems with them being disrespectful or pushy once they hear that.
 
Well, I don’t invite them in if I’m alone–that’s just common sense for any woman. But, I will talk to them through the door, if they want to. However, we put up a “no solicitation” sign, which keeps the JWs and Mormons away. My husband gets downright angry and can barely contain himself when they come to the door, so I suggested we put up the sign. You see, he was the victim of the Way International so it brings back too many memories for him to talk to others stuck in cults.

I stood toe to toe with a couple of JWs (an older man and a younger woman–probably paired with him to learn the ropes) one day a couple years ago. We had a long talk in which I defended our Catholic faith, practices, and history. They didn’t go away happy. I watched their body language as they walked down the street to the next house–they were quite stiff and stilted. They didn’t know how to handle someone who not only could answer them, but wasn’t overawed by their “knowledge” nor their skewed version of history. Something I’m sure they don’t run into every day! 😃
 
None of them have rung my ell in awhile, but maybe next time they do I’ll pull out some juggling clubs and offer to do a show for them. Wonder what’ll happen if I then say, “And, now, I’d like to demonstrate knife throwing!”
 
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Aurelia:
What do you do when proselytizers such as JWs or Mormons ring your doorbell?

I tell them I like their costumes and give them some candy. 😃
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We tell them we are Catholic and then slowly close the door while they are talking.
Athough, by brother and I came up with this idea: Tell them, it’s very hot, you guys must be thirsty, I’ll get someone to get you a drink of water. Then have someone bring a couple of glasses of arac to the door. Arac is a strong Lebanese alcoholic drink that looks just like water but burns your mouth when you drink it. I guess that the word will then soon get around not to come to our house anymore. We haven’t tried this yet though.
 
My Grandma used to sprinkle the doorstep with holy water.

My Dad invited then in and listened to them. They talked for 20-30 minutes then he said “Okay, you’ve had your turn, now it’s mine.” And he made them listen to him for the same length of time. (A friend of mine did this as well.) I think they blacklisted us because they didn’t come back for a couple of years.

Since Dad died Mum has a sign by her doorbell offering to talk about AMWAY to anyone who comes knocking. (NB That has worked for years.)

I used to offer a glass of water (the real stuff) because the JWs often had elderly people or little children with them. I would offer the children an apple as well.

Because I wasn’t too sure of their beliefs I generally brushed off JWs and LDS when they came calling. Now I am learning the reasoning they use to evangelise Catholics, and how to counter that.

Print out a couple of help-sheets (a separate sheet for JW & LDS) and put them in your bible (a King James if you have one - that’s the one the JWs will want to use, or their New World Bible). That way you will be prepared when they come calling.

Do you need help as to what the help-sheets should cover?
 
The JWs started visiting me once a month last summer. A woman and one of her boys would come. She’d give me one of their magazines and read a verse to me. No pressure.

Then one fine October or November day (actually it was pretty cold) two men stopped by. It was a little freaky because I was outside by my garage using my leaf blower to suck up & mulch leaves. I looked up and there they were.

I listened to them politely. The leader of the group mentioned Catholicism in a positive way at one point but then followed it up later by trashing it a few times.

I just listened until at one point I felt moved and spoke up. He had just said something to the effect that the Bible was all we needed. I had my opening.

We discussed a few things regarding the development of the Bible and then because it was freezing outside and I had to finish the leaves I asked them to come back and see me again.

After they left, my wife came out and told me “shame on you”. She knew I had fun. 🙂

It is a great opportunity to be charitable and also to practice defending you faith.
 
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Flopfoot:
We tell them we are Catholic and then slowly close the door while they are talking.
Athough, by brother and I came up with this idea: Tell them, it’s very hot, you guys must be thirsty, I’ll get someone to get you a drink of water. Then have someone bring a couple of glasses of arac to the door. Arac is a strong Lebanese alcoholic drink that looks just like water but burns your mouth when you drink it. I guess that the word will then soon get around not to come to our house anymore. We haven’t tried this yet though.
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I hope you are only kidding because this is cruel and I’m certain that when Jesus said, “I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink…” this was NOT what he had in mind. :nope:
 
There’s always two of them. I grab two sets of Rosary beads and tell them I’ll take their magazine if they take my Rosary beads. So far, they haven’t taken me up on the offer, although one of them the last time looked very disgusted with me.

Penitent
 
they wont come back to my door, the last time they were here i told them i was a roman catholic, the next night they came back with a convert from the catholic faith, so i invited the jv into the house, we sat down as he opened his bible i opened my catechism and asked him what he did not understand about our faith i could help him on his journey home, he slammed shut his bible and left without a word, that was 4 years ago now i still see them chapping my neighbours door, i almost feel left out lol
 
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cainem:
they wont come back to my door, the last time they were here i told them i was a roman catholic, the next night they came back with a convert from the catholic faith, so i invited the jv into the house, we sat down as he opened his bible i opened my catechism and asked him what he did not understand about our faith i could help him on his journey home, he slammed shut his bible and left without a word, that was 4 years ago now i still see them chapping my neighbours door, i almost feel left out lol
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They like to say that their church has many former Catholics. They have come to expect Catholics not to know the Bible very well, or understand Church teaching.

Once I greeted them enthusiastically, saying that I was a Catholic evangelist and loved talking to people from other faiths. You are right Cainem, they couldn’t get away fast enough.

From Catholic Answers I found **Five Don’ts For Dealing With Jehovah’s Witnesses **. Worth reading catholicculture.org/docs/doc_view.cfm?recnum=4678
 
I have done many different things.
  • not answer the door.
  • Answer the door and say “Sorry not interested”
  • (if I have time) Listen for a bit and say “Sorry not interested”
  • Before they start their speech say “We are Catholic and there is no way you are changing that. Bye”
One time I was out doing yard work and “I said Sorry do not have the time” I got… “Is life worth it if you do not have time…Make time for God …” just could not get rid of the guy - had to run indoors.

Have also had some where they bring a child and get tehm to present, so you kind of feel bad saying no to the kid.
 
Beyond not answering the door, I’ll simply and politely say I’m not interested and then close the door regardless of their next action.

I find it pointless to debate religion with them as neither of us will change our positions regardless of what the other person says.

Here is another tact that could work – I have a couple attractive girlfriends who had a problem with men hanging around them in bars and public places a while back. They started carrying laxative gum in their purses and would offer a piece of “gum” to the would-be suitors. Pretty soon nature called and they were relieved of the company.
 
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