What to do about solicitors....

[carolpetunia]

Oh for pete's sake. It's not superiority -- as I said, I'm agreeing with you! I just wanted to suggest a line drawn between honest proselytizers and the crazed fanatics who actually become cruel, aggressive, and even murderous in the name of their religions.

I guess I didn't really believe you meant to say something so hostile, and I was trying to reach out to you in a pleasant way with something more like what I thought you really meant. I'm sorry that I was mistaken.

 

[katiemae1277]

I was accosted at my garage sale by a religious fanatic! he said that god told him the world was coming to an end next year, so look out everyone

I have never been visited at home by a JW, I don't think they come to trailer parks

 

[sofiecusion]

Hang an American flag outside your house somewhere. If they see it, they won't stop....trust me, it works!

 

[yosemite]

I believe in most cases if you politely tell them you are not interested and would prefer they not come back, they will listen. I don't think there is any need for us to be nasty to someone who is just doing their "job" so to speak.

 

[cairo]

I find that JWs are a lot harder to shake than the mormons. I actually like it when the mormons come around because it's usually a couple of young guys who really have never been in a real city before. I try to befriend them and have actually succeeded in "converting" a few of them to a life of sin (social drinks, coffee, etc.). They are usually pretty good at pairing up the fanatic ones with the easily distracted ones, so it's actually not as easy as it sounds.

Now with JW, I've heard a lot of tricks about turning them away. The ones I've been faced with don't react to a simple "no thank you", so I've had to employ more creative ways of getting rid of them. What always works is politely saying that I am atheist, however my roommate who is a satanist (I have no roommate) holds a church-like gathering at the house weekly, and she loves reviewing pamphlets from other religions and discussing them with her following. This usually results in a hasty retreat where I don't even get offered the pamphlets. I've heard that they are forbidden from entering any "church", so saying that your home is used as a church might help.

 

[cairo]

I should add that I ALWAYS buy girl scout cookies and things from established groups like that. Other than girl scout cookies, if someone comes soliciting with a child, I always try to talk only to the child. I ask them questions about animals and kid-friendly stuff. If the adult starts getting nervous or if the kid behaves abnormally when spoken to, it raises red flags in my mind. There are cults and groups that exploit children, and the child is the best window to determining if you are facing one of them.

That said, I have been visited by local churches, or childrens groups and when I ask if I can visit them at their location, I am promptly welcomed to an event or something. I feel much more comfortable contributing to my community once I've seen an established presence. I have contributed many times to churches that organize camps and events for poor children even though I am atheist.

 

[carolpetunia]

Originally Posted by Cairo

I should add that I ALWAYS buy girl scout cookies and things from established groups like that...

Oh gosh -- I'd better explain quick, before I get attacked again: the reason I don't buy Girl Scout cookies is that I'm DIABETIC.

 

[ping]

Have I walked into the Twillight Zone or am I over looking something?

 

[bonnie1965]

to CarolPetunia

I never buy the cookies because they are too expensive

Love the little chocolate coconut ones, though

 

[gailuvscats]

Originally Posted by Ping

Have I walked into the Twillight Zone or am I over looking something?

(music to twilight zone) dodo dodo, dodo dodo, dadadada.

I don't buy girlscout cookies because they have bad ingredients like hi fructose corn syrup, unless they cleaned up their act. The other reason I don't buy them, is the girlscouts don't sell them, the parents do. WE get invaded at work with them. dodo dodo...............

 

[ping]

I must admit I am a big sucker for Thin Mints. It takes a lot of will power for me to walk away from them.

 

[cairo]

Originally Posted by CarolPetunia

Oh gosh -- I'd better explain quick, before I get attacked again: the reason I don't buy Girl Scout cookies is that I'm DIABETIC.

I didn't mean it like that...

I ALWAYS buy the cookies, cause for one I can't resist the temptation, and two, I at least know there is a legitimate organization behind them. I don't even buy cookies in the store, but those little coconut numbers...

 

[carolpetunia]

Originally Posted by Bonnie1965

Love the little chocolate coconut ones, though

They have chocolate coconut ones now?

Y'know, I once thought of becoming a Jehovah's Witness, but I wasn't ready to commit -- so I'm just a Jehovah's Bystander.

 

[theimp98]

i would say that this thread has stopped being about how to deal with solicitors and has moved into bashing, people of a different faith.

 

[jcat]

Originally Posted by theimp98

i would say that this thread has stopped being about how to deal with solicitors and has moved into bashing, people of a different faith.

You have a point there, and I'm therefore closing the thread.