Can you give me a kind way to deal with Jehovah's witnesses?

Question

I'm looking for a GENTLE way to get them to never return.

Answer 1

Be truthful and ask them not to come back.
They keep a map with homes they have visited and will mark you down as a person who does not want them to return.
Most are very good about it and abide by your wishes.
They are just doing what they believe is right by trying to spread the word of God to others.

Answer 2

I wish there was one. I haven't had any luck.

Proselytizers are about the same as telemarketers -- it's their job to go into your home and talk about their product [i.e., God] until there is obviously no hope for a sale to occur. Their job is to make the sale.

So if you are nice to them and listen, they will talk. It's the only way to make a sale.

If you ask them questions, they will think you are buying into their faith and talk.

If you argue abouty inconsistencies in their statements, they see it as part of the "religious battle for God" and will plow ahead and talk.

So you should deal with them as you would deal with any telemarketer.

1. Screen your calls. (I.e., don't answer the door if you see them coming... we recognize them from a mile away on our street). Avoid them if at all possible. We stay away from our front windows, so they don't even know we're home.

2. If you do answer the door, tell them that now is not a good time and you can't talk to them.

3. If they persist, tell them firmly that you are not interested and thank them for their time, then show them the door. (You can interrupt their spiel if you think they aren't going to come up for air.)

I would try to be as polite and kind as possible -- after all, they are not intentionally trying to hurt you, they think they're doing something out of good intentions -- but you do need to be firm and even direct ("I'm not interested, nor will I be") when you talk to them.

The more mature ones also know when someone isn't willing and know it's pointless to proceed -- it's a waste of your time and theirs.

Look at it like this: They do this all the time, they get rejected all the time, and often they will be harshly treated by those kicking them out.

A kind rebuff (besides being the right thing to do) won't offend them nearly as much as you think it might, compared to how they were treated elsewhere.

Note: There's something to be said for counter-evangelism. If you are a Christian or other faith yourself, and feel that God wants you to discuss faith with the JWs when they visit, so that you can impact them for God, go for it. Don't ignore what God is asking you to do. Just realize that it is a large commitment and will take time and energy to deal with.

Answer 3

Ask them not to return. They will then tell you they'll not return, but they may check back once a year, because of the following: you may have a change of heart, you may move and someone else that occupies the house might be interested, a person other than you in your house may decide to have an interest.
So just tell them your not interested and you prefer them not to return. They will honor that. They will make note of it so that others in their work will know your decision.

Answer 4

The last time, I simply told them that I was a dyed-in-the-wool, lifelong member of one of our local denominations, that a friend of mine was a Jehovah's Witness so I'm well aware of their beliefs, and that their belief system simply does not match mine. Then I simply told them not to return as it disrupts the flow of my life, much as a salesman does. I've had no Jehovah's Witnesses back at my door for nearly 10 years and counting.

Answer 5

I haven't seen a JW at my door for 4 years now after this happened(used to see them like every 3-5 weeks or so):

I said I wasn't interested. They kept on. I said I was happily Baptist. They kept on. I asked them to leave my property. They kept on. I finally said, "OK, stop. You know the part in the Bible that talks about a wolf in sheep's clothing sent to lead the people astray?" They said yes. I said, "That's you guys. Now leave my property."

I have never seen them since.

I think maybe if you told them, "What does the Bible say to do if you go to someones door and they won't accept your ministry? It says knock the dust off your feet and go on. Well, knock the dust off." They should get the point.

Answer 6

Ok I cant believe I'm going to let my secret out..everyone that reads this should tell their friends...damn you if say it was you who came up with it. It works for telephone sales men too, anyone in the unwanted business men category actually. What you do is first if you see them, i.e look out the peep hole, put on a very, destine looking face answer the door and preset your self as the Care Taker. Promise to give w/e they give you to your "employer"

Laugh if you want or criticize, Try it, it will work wonders. I had a girl call me up trying to sell something, I think it was cable I dunno started to babel non-stop till I said.. "look Look...I'm the care taker here, so I cant answer any of your questions" she was all oh..can I call back? I said no I've been asked to tell all sales reps to take our number off their calling list. Lol she was Ooh ok..thanks for not hanging up on..and then started to talk to me! She was all "that place must be nice"

Try it, it works wonders...its a product of years of putting up with phone operators. Piss them off..they call back, say no they just keep talking. Just hang up..they definitely call back..all the time.

Answer 7

I haven't had a JW come to my door since I was 10 years old (I actually make jokes about my place having an atheist vibe since JWs seem to visit everyone else's place quite often). Maybe, "mommy and daddy are busy right now, come back in a few minutes" works...that's what I said the last time and they never came back. It would confuse them if you are older and said that. I know if I came to a door and an adult started talking about mommy and daddy being busy I'd never come back.

Answer 8

Thank them for their good intentions, tell them you aren't interested in their message, and ask for your address to be added to their "Do Not Call" list. Perhaps once a year or so, the Witnesses may simply ask if the same person is still at that address, but otherwise they will not continue to call at that address hoping to discuss the bible.

Answer 9

Put a sticker on the inside of your screen door that says "I give blood" (or something similar from your local Red Cross). Works like a charm.

Answering the door naked and asking them to come in for a coffee also works

Answer 10

I dunno. I bought this book called "Reasoning from the Scriptures with a Jehova's Witness". I sit down and talk with them and let them put out their points of view then show them mine and we kind of ask challenging questions back and forth.
i think it's a great learning experience for me to know what I REALLY believe and it's a chance for me to be kind to them and witness to them. Some of them never thought of the questions I asked before. They actually stopped coming around for a while. I think it was because I was causing the younger of the two to question his beliefs,.
What an opportunity!!

Answer 11

The best way is to not even take the pamplets they hand out, cause if you take them they think you are interested in their beliefs, and next is just shut the door unless you well knowledged in their religion to know how to handle them by telling them what the bible says.