Why must I put up with Jehovah's Witnesses' propaganda in my mailbox?

Question

Is there any legal action I can take to tell them an appropriate place to shove their pamphlets?

Jonas: Freedom of Speech does not include invasion of privacy. Maybe you need to read up on postal law before replying with a self righteous ignorant answer. Honestly, why did you bother to answer? Are you honestly defending these "Holy Telemarketers". Come on now. Do you just feel a need to disagree?

Wisdom: They didn't leave a return address or their name, so I don't know who to report.

This came in the mail with postage stamps. Clearly mass marketing. And yes I do treat junk mail with differing levels of distaste. And no, I am not an Atheist, I just don't feel someone should push beliefs I don't share on me in a manner that is invading my personal space.

Those who said, "get over it" obviously don't live in a populated community, so you may not enjoy the privilege of being visited, accosted and annoyed by these self-appointed "soldiers of god".

Juggernaut: Thank you, journey well yourself. I have not experienced it to be this easy. I have had a couple of times where they actually refused to leave and got upset when I said I didn't feel like listening to them. Thank you though for your polite response. Much more courteous than what Jonas could muster.

Answer 1

Jonas,

you moron yes there is freedom of speech BUT there is an implied idea that not only are people free to speak their mind others are allowed to refuse to listen. The second a persons message leaves the public venue and enters a private area such as a personal mailbox or door step it becomes invasive.

Honestly if people are going to talk about things they should actually know what they are talking about.

Daredevil

here is something I love to do to groups (of all kinds) who do the same thing to me. I fill out dozens of information requests using the address of the offending party, the information I request is 100% counter of what the offending party stands for (like pro-choice information).....funny how my junk mail seems to have lessened since I started doing that.

Answer 2

If you really do not want us to come back, the next time you see them, ask them to put you on their "do not call 'list'"

And that will be the end of it... You might get a visit once every year or two... not to peach to you as you would be on our "do not call list", but because people move from time to time.

All it will take is a quick polite conversation and that will be the end of it... It does not hurt our feelings and it does not upset us.

Believe it or not some people actually look forward to our visits... so we do not mind because the less time we waste on people who do not want us around, the more time we spend with the people who do want us around...

We mean you no malice... I wish you well...

Journey Well...



I am very sorry to hear you have had such a bad experience. As we well know people are busy, and some are tired, our purpose is not to disrupt your life. People have lives to live. Our purpose is to carry out our commission stated at Matthew 28:19, 20. We are not suppose to argue or try to convince people who do not want to listen. We have instructions about this at Matthew 10:11-14.

As for the mailbox thing, we are not suppose to do that either...

Again, Journey Well...

Answer 3

"Is the Work of Jehovah's Witnesses Propagandistic?"
http://www.watchtower.org/e/20000622/diagram_01.htm

Jehovah's Witnesses go from door-to-door. They sometimes put pamphlets in mailboxes when they haven't found certain persons at home after coming more than once. At least in the country I live this is legal (a former communist country). All people have the right to know about God and his purposes concerning mankind.

Spreading the good news by going to people's homes is something what Jesus and his disciples did and what Jesus himself commanded us to do. So every true Christian must participate to the work of making disciples.

"Go therefore and make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit, teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded you. And, look! I am with you all the days until the conclusion of the system of things.” -- Matthew 28:19,20

"And this good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations; and then the end will come." -- Matthew 24:14

Jehovah's Witnesses are the only ones who preach the good news of the Kingdom all over the world.


http://www.watchtower.org/e/jt/article_04.htm
http://www.watchtower.org/e/statistics/worldwide_report.htm

Answer 4

So you feel really, really upset, and you plan to go to the court… that sounds fair and it’s your right, but there are things that you should think before.

First Jehovah’s Witnesses never use the postal service to send anything without EXPRESS AUTHORIZATION of the recipient. This means that no matter what (Jehovah’s Witnesses material) you have found in your mailbox was placed there by a “house to house” visitor.

Now, is this a crime?

Freedom of speech and freedom of the press, which are protected by the First Amendment in the Bill of Rights, are among the fundamental personal rights and liberties which are protected by the Fourteenth Amendment.

Yet the precise nature of what is protected by the First Amendment is often misunderstood.

The word SPEECH in the First Amendment has been extended to a generous sense of “expression" like verbal, non-verbal, visual and symbolic.

Besides the freedom of speech, there is the free press that has support in the Article 19 of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states:

"Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas THROUGH ANY MEDIA and regardless of frontiers."

Significant Supreme Court victories involving the rights of free speech, press and religion for Jehovah's Witnesses have had a great impact on legal interpretation of these rights for others

The U.S. Supreme Court has established that “the liberty of the press is not confined to newspapers and periodicals. It necessarily embraces pamphlets and leaflets. These indeed have been historic weapons in the defense of liberty, as the pamphlets of Thomas Paine and others in our own history abundantly attest. The press in its connotation comprehends every sort of publication which affords a vehicle of information and opinion. What we have had recent occasion to say with respect to the vital importance of protecting this essential liberty from every sort of infringement need not be repeated”.

So the only way that you could bring anyone who inserts a sheet in your mailbox to the court is in case of any of these reasons: Defamation, Causing panic, Fighting words, Incitement to crime, Sedition, or Obscenity.

If you are thinking that the only act of insert a sheet in your mailbox should be considered like a federal crime (like someone said) you should think again, remembering that we are not in 1865 in the middle of the Civil War.

In conclusion, I strongly recommend you better stop thinking about getting involve in an expensive, slow and stressing legal battle... that you are going to lose, and simply throw off the pamphlet, or even better, read it and get some benefits for yourself.

A.


*I am on of the Jehovah’s Witnesses but also an International Lawyer.

Answer 5

Mail placed in your mailbox directly by a Jehovah's Witness is a Federal offense, all mail may only be deposited in your box by a US Postal employee. If this is the case file a complaint with the Post Office.

If this stuff is mailed to you (legally) save it all until you have a huge pile, take it to their church and dump it inside the door with a note that says "God wants you to spare the trees".

Answer 6

Hmm....I don't think Jehovah's Witnesses would put anything in your mailbox unless you told them to. That's why we knock on your door instead. :)
It's not propaganda. It's just Bible-based information and your choice whether you accept it or not. You can simply tell them instead of taking legal action, as that would be unnecessary. Maybe they're not aware of how you feel about this. I would, personally, hand the magazines to you. :)

Answer 7

"This came in the mail with postage stamps."

If that's the case then I don't know of any legal recourse. It was mailed legally so all I can see you can do is throw it out if it bothers you so much.

Answer 8

First of all nothing but mail is not supposed to be in the mailbox but if u really dont want them to come just ask them to put u on their do not call list and that u dont ever want them to come to your door or leave literature again that is all.

Answer 9

Do you feel that way about all "junk mail". I find it interesting that atheists/others are so offended by religious materials but not anything else. Maybe a tug at your conscience?

Answer 10

It's against the law and the fine is hefty. Contact the post office.