Your opinion about Jehovah witnesses, handing-out religious panphlets out in public?

Question

I don't mean to be rude or descriminate Jehovah's, but I have a question about their religion and the way they are. Do you find it annoying, when you are at home doing something, and a Jehovah witness comes knocking at your door?

How do you react, when you find out they are a Jehovah witness, wanting to give you a religious panphlet? Do you see this as an inconvenience? Should Jehovah witnesses be allowed to do this?

I have been stoped in parking lots, where a Jehovah witness tried to hand me "hand-outs" on their religion. Has this ever happened to you? What is your opinion about it? It seems that they are constantly at us, just to give us "hand-outs on their religion. Is there anything we could do to stop this?

Answer 1

As long as what they're doing is legal, I think we should do our best to put up with it. Restricting what they do might also restrict groups that are less disagreeable. For example, the door knocking is perfectly legal -- and should be -- as long as you continue to have the right to shut the door on them.

If they're crossing a legal boundary, as mentioned above, that's when they become a real problem.

On a practical level, though, I can't see how they earn many converts by trying to force their religion on people. I'm guessing that they have a pretty low "success" rate.

The best technique, I think, is simply to tell them firmly that you're not interested. I just hold up my hand (as if to say "stop") and close the door, or walk by them.

Answer 2

I don't find it annoying. They have the best of intentions when they're out knocking on doors. They're just doing their part to spread the word, as people are encouraged to do in most religions. Just because they have a different approach doesn't make it wrong.

There are quite a few Jehovah's Witnesses in the town I live in, and most people don't mind them here. They are no different from the rest of us. Really, the majority of them are very nice, hard-working people.

Everyone is entitled to their own beliefs, and as long they aren't harming anyone, they should be free to share and express them. Before you judge someone, you should take the time to listen to them and understand their point of view.

Answer 3

Groups are allowed to distribute materials (with some exclusions) by law, and I am allowed to ignore it. I'm not ever rude unless someone is overly pushy -- and this is rare in my experience.

I strongly disagree with some basic tenets of the Jehovah's Witness' religion. The idea that a child may be prevented from getting a blood transfusion or other life saving medical procedures makes me ill. If they choose as an adult to deny medical procedures, that is their right -- but making that decision for a child I consider neglect in its highest form.

To be honest with you, I don't think I'm going to change any minds by entering a dogmatic conversation with these people in the street (nor will they change mine), so generally I choose to politely excuse myself and/or ignore them.

Answer 4

If I happen to look outside before I open the door I know who they are and want open the door. I have in the past and made a lame excuse that i was in the middle of getting ready to go to the doctor. But I will have to hand it to them as they are trying to get the word of God out. But to me its a bit to the extreme the way they go about it. Its annoying to me when they come to my home. Not sure if there is anything that can be done to stop this.

Answer 5

yes, it has happened to me too. Is there anything that we can do to stop this? Hmmm... i guess a polite suggestion to them is a start. We can suggest to them the next time they hand out those pamphlets. We can suggest that it's better to start inviting the people whom they're close to rather than approaching a complete stranger.

Religion is a personal choice, and convincing others cant be done by sort of like an advertising campaign. And if anyone would like to invite poeple to join their religion, they can start by being good to themselves, then to their family, close friends, then to the community. In that way, people can really see and feel that their religion is something.

Answer 6

The comedian Gallagher once suggested we have JW's deliver mail to help keep postal costs down. :) I am not religious in any sense of the word and typically get knocks on my door perhaps 3-4 times a year.I have found JW's to be polite and respectful just as I am to them when I tell them "no thanks".I treat them no better,no worse than I do all peddlers who come unannounced.

Answer 7

I do find it annoying, but it would be far worse to strip them of their first amendment rights. Can you imagine the gov't signalling out certain groups of people to silence? When would you or I be next on the list of those to be silenced?

You also need to bear in mind that they are well meaning; I personally have never met a rude JW, but they can be persistent. Their religion believes that only 144,000 people will get into the highest level of heaven, and they are out pounding the pavement to earn their spot.

Answer 8

I'm not a Jehovah witness, but I applaud their ministry style. We are commanded in the bible to go and spread the word, and there were times they went to door to door in the bible times. Said if they don't receive you shake the dust off your feet and move on. As long as they aren't pushy and will except a "I'm not interested" remark and move on. I'm cool with them. I know other religions that can be pushy. Some folks I know like to invite them in and debate the word of God. God says we know in part, but when we get there to see him we'll know it all. It's our relationship with God that will help us to understand the real and true God and Jesus sacrifice for us. Hey let them do what they think/believe is right. Just say you aren't interested.

Answer 9

Yes, the witnesses believe that that only 144,000 will go to heaven. But here is where most of you are wrong, they believe that the 144,000 are already chosen. tHey are called the annointed. So its very unlikely that you were visited by the annointed since most of them are either dead or very old. The witnesses also believe that millions of people will live in paradise on earth. Among those millions, people who never learned about God because they never got the chance to. The witnesses for some while were banned in the United States. They would be chased by mobs, burned, beaten, and killed. Did this stop them? No. They grew even more. Also, they were sent to concentration camps in World War two. The witnesses were offered a way out. If they signed a piece of paper renouncing their faith they would be set free. Few witnesses signed the paper. They were sent to concentration camps where thousands died. Did this stop them? No. When they were being persecuted in the United States in the early 1900's their number was a couple of thousand. It has grown to over 6 million on an international scale.Another thing, Witnesses have won over 50 cases in the Suprreme Court. A lot of them gave them the right to preach in public. Witnesses have been persecuted and won freedom in countries such as Australia, Argentina, Canada, Greece, India, Swaziland, Switzerland, Turkey, the US and many other lands. They are currently being jailed in many places around the world. Sometimes they are beaten, tortured, and killed in jail. But still they perservere. What Mathew 24:10 says has come true: "Then people will deliver you up to tribulation and will kill you and you will be objects of hatred by all the nations on account of my name.'' They preach and teach people about God the way he told them too. As a young witness, I go preaching often and I'm sorry if I annoy any of you. My purpose and other witnesses purpose os going out isn't to annoy people. I want to help people, to show them what I know and what makes me happy to know. We're only trying to give people hope is that so bad? Things aren't going to change people will continue to despise witnesses, i know that. But I am still going to try to tell as many people as I can about what I know. I f you don't want to hear what I have to say, thats fine. But if you do jail witnesses and ban them we are not going to stop. Kill us and we still won't stop. It has happend around the world and continues to today. But the witnessea are determined to fight to the very end. If you don't want to hear our message thats your business. I mean, I've gotten a insulted and looked down upon and gotten doors slammed on my face so many times. Since I'm so young people sometimes look at me in pity as if I've been brainwashed or something. Sometimes you get nervous walking up to a complete stranger and trying to talk to them. Its kind of like going up to a girl and asking her out when you know you have a 50% chance that she'll reject you. Imagine doing that very often to dozens of peole rgularly. But you still do it and after you done your conscience feels so good and your like Go me! So honestly no, there really is no way to stop the witnesses.

Answer 10

I politely tell them I am happy with my religion. If they are pushy I get my hubby. I do get annoyed when they are in my pathway and it seems the only way to get by them is to take whatever it is they're giving. But for the most part I'm not confronted with them.