Polite suggestions please? JWs won't leave us alone. - Page 3

[jennica]

Originally Posted by kmeyrick

Still, even though some of the posts were funny, Gaby'smom is right, we should be polite. Also, JW's who as individuals are pushy, should be polite and accept "We're not interested" since they do understand what that means. It makes other JW's look bad.

Actually they are trained by their organization not to accept "I'm not interested". They are given many phrases to overcome that objection, and also "I have my own religion". Using one of these phrases plays right into their script. And I think you will find that most people do think it is rude when people disturb them at home. When a religion acts like salesman, then they are going to be treated as such. If they want better treatment, they need to stop annoying people.

[jennica]

Originally Posted by bri276

and I find it sad that you think catching people at a moment of weakness, ie after death of a family member, is a good reason to keep coming back.

Exactly.

[gabysmom617]

Saying you're a devoted baptist or whatever doesn't necessarily mean that you don't want to discuss religion. I have met many JW's who were once "devoted Baptists" or "devoted Catholics" and who were once "not interested".

It's not the same as real estate at all. As I've mentioned before, circumstances change. We've had people who were usually "not interested", as I said, but something happenned in their family, changes, illness, death, or something else that happenned that made them welcome a scripture read to them when they were formally never interested. And sometimes you may not be interested, but some one else in your home may be. (as hard as that may be to swallow, it has happenned plenty of times before.)

And telling a JW you'd appreciate it if no more visits to your home need not be rude. We won't take it as rude. We deal with that all the time; we make a note and make sure your wishes are abided by.

And its perfectly ok that some people feel that going from door to door is "pushy". We are trying to follow the example of what Jesus did in the Bible. If you don't want your door visited anymore, just say so, and it will stop. There are plenty of people who are not JW's out there who don't think that going from door to door is pushy, so we try to find those ones.

And yes, there are different types of individuals within our religion with different personalities. Some may try to talk to you anyway if you're not interested. Some will think that a "no soliciting" sign doesn't apply to them (and it doesn't). Others may have once been a "devoted Catholic" themselves and are all bubbling over to talk to you if you tell them that's what you are.
All of us, however, are specifically trained to make sure your door is not visited if you say so.

eta:
Wow.
It's not trying to catch you "at a moment of weakness". Yall must think we are some kind of scavengers or something. It could be a change like, you always were taught that JW's believe in one thing, so for that belief, you were never interested, and you've recently heard that particular belief was a myth, and wanted to talk to a jw just to clear up what exactly it is that they do belive. It's just trying to be there for you in case you need us, or want to ask a question. wow.

ALL I'M SAYING IS THIS:
IF YOU DON'T WANT US TO COME BACK, THEN SAY THAT. AND IT WILL HAPPEN. that's all I wanted the OP to know.

[the_lissa]

Except for the fact that I did say that, repeatedly, and my wishes were not respected.

[gabysmom617]

Originally Posted by the_lissa

Except for the fact that I did say that, repeatedly, and my wishes were not respected.

Were you the OP?


And I told you sometimes mistakes happen. It's not supposed to, that's why it's a mistake. And I don't know all your circumstances. (Are you in a heavily populated area where people of other mother languages live close to you? Sometimes you may be in one area and get visited by one congregation, and then get visited by another foreign language congregation as well because there may be many, say, Spanish, or Korean speaking people in your neighborhod, and they are trying to search out those people. So you tell one person from one congregation to stop coming, but the other congregation may not have gotten the message, and keeps coming.)

I can't say exactly who dropped the ball, or where, and I don't know what time frame you're talking about because they are stricter on not visiting houses where they are asked not to visit now than they were, say, 20 years ago. and I also mentioned to you, repeatedly, that the answer to your problem (you say you moved, and dont' have the problem anymore) should it happen again is if you tell the first person not to come back and they do, just call up the local kingdom hall and ask them to not come back. this is a rarity, though, and it's not supposed to come down to that, but that's your solution should it happen again, and am truly sorry that your wishes were not respected.

[jennica]

Originally Posted by the_lissa

Except for the fact that I did say that, repeatedly, and my wishes were not respected.

And they wont be. Even if you get on the "do not call" list, an elder will still visit you once a year to make sure that you want to stay on it or you haven't moved. So, no there is no polite or surefire way of getting rid of them. Just look at it as a practice in assertiveness and don't worry about being polite.

[the_lissa]

Originally Posted by gabysmom617

Were you the OP?


And I told you sometimes mistakes happen. It's not supposed to, that's why it's a mistake. And I don't know all your circumstances. (Are you in a heavily populated area where people of other mother languages live close to you? Sometimes you may be in one area and get visited by one congregation, and then get visited by another foreign language congregation as well because there may be many, say, spanish, or Korean speaking people in your neighborhod, and they are trying to search out those people.)

I can't say exactly who dropped the ball, or where, and I don't know what time frame you're talking about because they are stricter on not visiting houses where they are asked not to visit now than they were, say, 20 years ago. and I also mentioned to you, repeatedly, that the answer to your problem (you say you moved, and dont' have the problem anymore) should it happen again is if you tell the first person not to come back and they do, just call up the local kingdom hall and ask them to not come back there. this is a rarity, though, and it's not supposed to come down to that, but that's your solution should it happen again.

It was the same two women each time, and it was 3 years ago.

No I am not the OP, but my point is that your post is not necessarily true. Sometimes, telling them do not come back simply does not work. Mine is not a rare case either. Many people I know have similar stories.

[the_lissa]

Originally Posted by jennica

And they wont be. Even if you get on the "do not call" list, an elder will still visit you once a year to make sure that you want to stay on it or you haven't moved. So, no there is no polite or surefire way of getting rid of them. Just look at it as a practice in assertiveness and don't worry about being polite.

Thanks

[EviesMom]

Forgive me if I'm totally wrong as I'm not a Christian and its been a long time since I read the Bible, but Jesus preached to crowds in fields and hills, not solicited followers door to door I believe.

I think it's horrible to come back later to see if someone has had a crisis and might be more vulnerable. That's not helpful, it's predatory. Or if you can tear a family apart by lassoing one of its members into your group. It cannot really be a surprise to you that people don't like the nature of your conversion attempts. If you knock on people's doors, they aren't required by politeness nor law to respond to you or to be polite.

I believe that people find the religion that is their calling and is right for them, be it no religion at all or an ancient one. Live your religion, and those who are curious or need to find it will come to you.

[EviesMom]

Originally Posted by gabysmom617

SThere are plenty of people who are not JW's out there who don't think that going from door to door is pushy, so we try to find those ones.

I highly doubt that there more than 1 or 2 people in the US who think its not pushy, even if they'll talk to you, and even if they'll convert. Ask the next 100 people maybe and I bet all of them will say yes, it's pushy. If your religion commands you to do it and you feel the potential for saving souls is more important than annoying people, then fine, do as you like, but don't pretend it isn't pushy, please, or that you aren't solicitors, or that not being interested means something different than "go away"" said more politely. If you said instead that you feel what you're offering is more important than any of those things, I could respect that.

[Peppermint Leaf]

I have to respectfully disagree with you -

I am sorry but if you took a vote right now I think you would find that people would perceive a realtor,or a Politician or Avon or a JW or a neighbour knocking on their door every single week as the same thing. Particularly after they have been told they are not interested

I would say anyone who consistantly knocks on your door after you have said you are not interested is going to be perceived as irritating and is leaving themselves open for cristisism

[Tofu the Geek]

Originally Posted by gabysmom617

It's not the same as real estate at all. As I've mentioned before, circumstances change. We've had people who were usually "not interested", as I said, but something happenned in their family, changes, illness, death, or something else that happenned that made them welcome a scripture read to them when they were formally never interested. And sometimes you may not be interested, but some one else in your home may be. (as hard as that may be to swallow, it has happenned plenty of times before.)

Just because circumstances CAN change, doesn't mean that you should keep knocking to check if they have! If people need a service, they will find it themselves.

So, I disagree, I think it CAN be compared to real estate agents at your door, or vacuum cleaner salesmen, or the Avon lady, etc. I may not need those things when they are at my door, but I might a week later. BUT, I'll tell you that when I DO want a service, I'd never take it from the first person that showed up at my door anyway. I like to shop and compare and I like to do it myself on my own terms.

Originally Posted by Decluttering Nut

I have to respectfully disagree with you -

I am sorry but if you took a vote right now I think you would find that people would perceive a realtor,or a Politician or Avon or a JW or a neighbour knocking on their door every single week as the same thing. Particularly after they have been told they are not interested

I agree.

[kmeyrick]

Originally Posted by bri276

I find it sad that you think catching people at a moment of weakness, ie after death of a family member, is a good reason to keep coming back.

To be honest, I've had this exact thing happen. Well, sort of. The half hour before I needed to put my dog down, they arrived. I was trying to be polite to them, but they weren't leaving, because they "wanted to comfort me in my hour of need."

I do believe that these people were sincere and unhappy to see a grown woman crying in front of them, but I really just wanted to be with my dog. I couldn't be pushy with people who seemed so kind, but I regret not being more firm because it took precious time away from my dear old friend.

What I don't understand either is why are Christians trying to convert.....other Christians? They may not be JWs, but they are already Christians so why bother?

A lot of JW's are investing their time in secular, ex-communist countries in Eastern Europe, where people need to get back in touch with their spiritual side. I think this is better than six of one half a dozen of the other conversions.

[boingo82]

Originally Posted by gabysmom617

I've not seen a single post from anybody here who said, "I asked them to NOT COME BACK but they still do." I've seen people say that they put no soliciting signs on the door. Well, guess what? JW's don't solicit. Solicit is to ask for something; beseech for something. http://define.com/Solicit JW's don't come to the door to ask you for anything, they come to the door to offer you something, free of charge.

Solicit means:
To petition persistently; importune

If that's not what JWs do, I don't know what soliciting is.

[boingo82]

Originally Posted by gabysmom617

It's not the same as real estate at all. As I've mentioned before, circumstances change. We've had people who were usually "not interested", as I said, but something happenned in their family, changes, illness, death, or something else that happenned.

That sounds almost predatory.

[Pynki]

Originally Posted by EviesMom

Forgive me if I'm totally wrong as I'm not a Christian and its been a long time since I read the Bible, but Jesus preached to crowds in fields and hills, not solicited followers door to door I believe.

Yep, as a Christian, that's my understanding of how it went down too.
...

Originally Posted by EviesMom

I believe that people find the religion that is their calling and is right for them, be it no religion at all or an ancient one. Live your religion, and those who are curious or need to find it will come to you.

And THAT is what Jesus would do!

[cappuccinosmom]

Oh, and it's not just JW's. It applies equally to the Mormons and Baptists that regularly knock on my door.

Wow. You get Baptists?? We've never had Baptists! Dh would love that.

We invite all missionaries in to eat with us (after telling them bluntly that there is *no* hope of a conversion happening!). The LDS boys who trudge the streets in our area have always been very grateful. For some reason not one JW missionary has ever accepted even a glass of water from us.

[~Jenna~]

We've mostly had Baptists come to our door. I don't think we've had any LDS, but we have had JW's. I always tell them we are Catholic and they freak out and leave and never come back. Seriously are people taught that Catholics are the devil or something?

[Olives]

Originally Posted by ~Jenna~

We've mostly had Baptists come to our door. I don't think we've had any LDS, but we have had JW's. I always tell them we are Catholic and they freak out and leave and never come back. Seriously are people taught that Catholics are the devil or something?

I was wondering the same thing... maybe this should be it's own thread but anytime I mention to anyone that I'm Catholic when they come to the door I can almost see the blood drain from their faces and they can't get away from me fast enough. I honestly can't understand that reaction as hard as I've tried. I can't imagine what these poor people are being told but, it makes me feel so sad for them.

[CherryBomb]

The last time they came I told them I was getting ready to nurse my baby (which was true, I had JUST sat down to feed her!) and they apologized and left and I haven't seen them again, yet.

Most JW's I've known are terribly nice people. I feel bad for them, but I won't get into why because I don't want to be offensive.