Door To Door Religion, want to hear your veiws Options

Well, here goes a can of worms lol
I live in the heart of the bible belt, WAY out in the boonies. I figured I was reasonably safe from those who go door to door trying to preach their version of salvation. Don't get me wrong, I fully support their right to beleive as they wish, I just wish they would have the same tolerance.
Any way, why is it when you tell these people you are not interested in their particular form of worship, there is no non rude way to get them to leave? In one instance, when I told them my path was Wiccan, one of them nearly started foaming at the mouth, convinced he had to "save" me right then and there. I finally had to tell them to remove themselves from my property, or I would be forced to call the sherriffs dept.(like I said, no nonrude way)
My final solution was to post a pentacle on my door, it seems to have worked. Other things I have tried, posting no trespassing signs (they didn't think it applied to them) getting two pitbulls (some were brave enough to give it a go, and the dogs aren't mean, just look it) T have tried having intelligent dicussions on theology with them, wrong move, try getting in an intelligent discussion with a fanatic.
I would be interested in any other non violent, polite ways of discouraging these people. After all, I don;t go to there home to push my views on them

I have entertained the itinerant missionaries (JW's and LDS) for several years, in the hope of coming to a more complete understanding of their organizations and doctrines.

If you simply do not wish them to come, either call the local War or Kingdom Hall offices, and request that your house be removed from their lists. A national flag on the lawn or door will deter most JW's, as will a polite "no thank you." The fanatical ones are the minority among them, and most respond well to ordinary explanations of disinterest.

Our strategy, in the interest of not merely driving them away with shotguns, was to invite them in and serve drinks and food. Despite their hesitation, we have always attempted to get them to have dinner with usas it puts the missionaries in a more relaxed frame of mind. We are at all times hospitable, gracious, and tolerant of their beliefs.

It is my sincere belief that most of these people are decent and that (if anything) they have been deceived by their respective organizations. At least one from each team of missionaries has always departed the sect after speaking with us for some time.

Good arguments to make with them:

1. The JW's have a disdain for government and nationalism. Their Biblical basis for this belief is the idea that Nimrod was the first human government, and their New World Translation of the Bible presents Nimrod as "a mighty hunter opposed to Jehovah."

We contended with them that it was God who interfered in the building of the tower, and that there is no reference to Nimrod as opposed to Jehovah at all. The Hebrew word "liphneh" appears many times in the Bible, and in all places it is translated as "before" something, as in "within the sight of" something. The JW translation gives "opposition" as the translation of this world only in reference to Nimrod, while using the standard translation in all other places in the Bible.

It appears that the JW's translated the Bible in such a way as to suit their sect's doctrine, rather than form the doctrine from available Biblical evidence. They draw support for this translation from a passage about people going "before Moses" with complaints, and from Josephus who knew as much about Nimrod as we do.

2. The LDS scriptures include several tablets attributed to Moses relating to Abraham's time in Egypt, with their priests trying to sacrifice him etc. They use several ancient papyrus documents to back-up this claim, using their own translations and giving the egyptian gods different names and functions.

Since the 1830's, Egyptology has advanced to the point where we can read these documents. "Kolob" is not the supreme god of Egypt, as the parpyri say, nor do they say anything about Abraham. Instead they are funerary documents about so-and-so the "lord of the great copulating bull" which J Smith purchased from a street vendor.

It is not my intention to turn these people away from their sects, but instead to explain my own hesitation. In so doing, they often find their own reasons to question the authorities of their respective churches.

If you simply do not wish them to come, either call the local War or Kingdom Hall offices, and request that your house be removed from their lists. A national flag on the lawn or door will deter most JW's, as will a polite "no thank you." The fanatical ones are the minority among them, and most respond well to ordinary explanations of disinterest.

Trust me, in strongly religious areas (ie the boonies) fanatics are not always the minority.

I would be interested in any other non violent, polite ways of discouraging these people. After all, I don;t go to there home to push my views on them

Try answering the door naked... albeit its not polite but if you're sky clad and its your religious right to be as such well that'll deter some!!

Maybe build a fence around your yard and lock the main gate. Or you could drill a spy hole (like what most appartments have) through your front door so you can see who's there and only answer if they're related or the police.

Every now and again we get JW and LDS around here. Its been a long time since any of them have come to my door. One time some zealots brought their whole family with them (husband, wife, two kids) they were LDS and like most fo them who came before they were not interested in hearing my beliefs, they were only interested in telling me my beliefs were wrong and that the only way to salvation was through their church. Thats why you can't have an "intelligent" converstation with these folks, its a waste of time, you're not going to convince them of anything outside the little box they think through and if you try they're just going to judge you as a heathen who's going to go to hell if you don't join their herd.

So I deal with it in several ways - tell them I'm in league with satan and that if they return I will curse them. Answer the door in nothing but boxers with a beer in my hand and act too wasted to talk to. Tell them straight up "you're a fanatical idiot who has no fathamable clue about what salvation is beyond your minute frame of thinking and I want nothing to do with you, never return least I show you who's God(ess) is mightier." (they never came back after that one) You could answer the door with your shot gun in hand and point to the no soliciting sign. (I never actually did that but I was very tempted). Other than that as far as being polite you basically just have to listen long enough to hear that they're religious nuts, ask them kindly to leave or that you will have to make them into a sacrifce to your patron deity. (or soemthing to that extent (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) )

Next time just dont answer the door.

It works for me.

Althought that answer the door naked idea might be a hoot. Go for that.

One thing that always worked fine. stick your handgund down your pants infront.
Open the door topless and act totally irratic. as not understanding what they actually are.
They proably think you see them as deer or something since they leave whitout saying a word.

thou i usually look so dangerous i dont need to take out the gun from tthe hiding place lol.
i never quite understood why lol

This post has been edited by jlx: Jan 21 2008, 05:14 AM

I always just laugh and slam the door, but I suppose that would be the rude route. Maybe put a large picture of baphomet on your front door?

A few things works at our house. One, we have a large portal and double iron gate driveway, with no bell to buzz in. There will be a lot of trouble for any uninvited visitors who does not have our phone number trying to meet or visit us. Well, our family is not a celebrity or a conglomerate, but in here, anything from street hawkers, charity workers to con-artists, door-to-door salesmen, including armed robbers! are always looking for access or an audience. We actually build the double gate at the driveway ever since 5 armed robbers broke into our house in the middle of the day, but luckily a neighbor saw them and give them a good yell and they quickly split without having any chance to take anything or even meet anyone at the house for hostage. So, keeping a distance and a secured doorway/gateway is the way and we've been living in peace ever since it's build. Second, a simple large sign of "Beware of Guard Dogs" and "Do Not Tresspass" works, and we do have several dogs loose on the property every afternoon, looking for stray cats and what else.
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Second, a simple large sign of "Beware of Guard Dogs" and "Do Not Tresspass" works, and we do have several dogs loose on the property every afternoon, looking for stray cats and what else.
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The cute little things you have for dogs would make most ppl laugh (IMG:style_emoticons/default/haha.gif) the pictures you have showed of them are very cute indeed.
But i would run as fast i can....

YES i admit i am afraid of small dogs. actually they scare the living hell out of me (IMG:style_emoticons/default/yikes.gif)

The cute little things you have for dogs would make most ppl laugh (IMG:style_emoticons/default/haha.gif) the pictures you have showed of them are very cute indeed.
But i would run as fast i can....

YES i admit i am afraid of small dogs. actually they scare the living hell out of me (IMG:style_emoticons/default/yikes.gif)

Happy to entertained you (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) the little ones actually have the heart of a lion... mostly when I'm around (IMG:style_emoticons/default/bicycle.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/ohyeah.gif)