...would you still knock on that person's door to witness to them?
I'm just wondering if the "No Soliciting" sign applies to that sort of thing. Just yesterday, two men came to my aunt's door. They both had their material out ready to give a spiel. She asked them if they saw her sign. Upon her saying that, they excused themselves. She figured they were going to try to sell her something, but I was wondering if they were witnesses who just didn't think of that sign applying to people doing their sort of thing.
2007-04-02 08:03:41 · 14 answers · asked by I'm Still Here 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Solicit defined:
1. To seek to obtain by persuasion, entreaty, or formal application: i.e. a candidate who solicited votes among the factory workers.
2. To petition persistently; importune: i.e. solicited the neighbors for donations
In other words someone doesn't need to be selling something in order to solicit, one can solicit their religion.
It's very annoying when these signs are ignored, this shows lack of respect.
2007-04-02 08:12:15 · answer #1 · answered by Axe 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
It would apply to me, personally. I know of some missionaries who don't think it applies to them, and others who respect the wishes of the household and don't knock. I think it really depends on the missionaries.
I'm Mormon, and we're pretty well known for our missionaries.
In church we have what are called Visiting Teachers. It's were two women are given a small list of members to visit each month. It's usually just 2 or 3 women. Most of the time these are active women, meaning they go to church at least once per month. Occasionally there will be a person who is not active, and who for all intense and purposes has left the church. I was given such a person once. My Visiting Teaching partner had had this woman before and said that she always just knocked and slipped a copied message in between her door and screen door, and asked me to do it this time. I took the message and went up to the door, then I saw the NO SOLICITING sign. I just stood there for a second trying to decide if what I was doing was soliciting. I decided that while I didn't think it was, she might, so I went back to the car, where my Visiting Teaching partner asked why I didn't leave the message. I told her she had a sign up. My Visiting Teaching partner, in a huff, took the message and put it on there herself. I was in college and walked by the house on my way to classes everyday. Within a couple of days I noticed the sign had come down. So the next month we went by, I knocked. She answered and said she noticed that I had paid attention to her sign, and that she didn't mean it for Church people, but for salesmen. I think she came back to church for a while, then moved away.
Just thought I'd share that.
2007-04-02 15:19:29 · answer #2 · answered by Tonya in TX - Duck 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In most localities, a "No Soliciting" sign applies to all solicitation or desire to share commercial, philosophical, or religious material.
However, it is possible that the missionaries simply and sincerely did not see the sign. You say your aunt pointed it out and they excused themselves.
I don't care for missionaries myself, but assume the best of people and life's a good deal happier.
2007-04-02 15:09:47 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
It should, but some don't see door-to-door witnessing as soliciting. A friend of mine has a different sign up. "This is a Catholic home. We do not want your propaganda." It's worked so far. If anyone comes up to try to witness, they were warned and the door is shut firmly.
2007-04-02 15:15:51 · answer #4 · answered by sister steph 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
that generally applys to anyone soliciting anything, including religion. if you see that sign you should not go up to the persons door. only people that are invited may come in.
2007-04-02 15:13:45 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
I posted a question similar to this,,Permits to solicit are required in our township,,I asked JW's who came to the door
if they had the permit,,they did not,
And from the heat I took on that question from the JW's on this forum,I guess you had better not ask..
Apparently it's there constitutional right to go door to door,,as they are not selling anything,, BS
It's also my constitutional right to keep and bear arms,,
2007-04-02 15:15:37 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Like anything else in life, there are people who simply believe that you can't mean them when you lay down rules.
People should respect the rights of another person, particularly in reference to their own personal property and the right to NOT hear your message or sales pitch no matter how much you personally believe in what you are presenting.
Hope she will not be troubled further.
2007-04-02 15:09:59 · answer #7 · answered by stonechic 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
maybe they did not see the sign but if they did see the sign now the door should have not been knocked on...
2007-04-02 15:19:04 · answer #8 · answered by dianemelloniemarlenejerryginder 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't think No soliciting applies to witnessing. It refers to selling things, not to the free offering of information - which is what the Witnesses are doing.
2007-04-02 15:10:06 · answer #9 · answered by eliz_esc 6 · 1⤊ 4⤋
If they were fundies, they would never have just left like that without at least trying to force some of their BS literature into her hand. So I guess they were salesman who didn't notice the sign. Fundies would have ignored it anyway.
Atheism. You know it makes sense.
2007-04-02 15:08:01 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 2⤋