Strangers who canvas neighborhoods or target certain households for their cult don't have a right to expect us to drop everything and put their needs above our own,

This goes double if we've notified the organization to keep their representatives from visiting our homes.

If it's important to a resident to cater to strangers at the door, I think that's fine. They can invite JWs or Mormons in for conversation and refreshments and feel satisfied that they might have planted seeds of logical thought.

But let's say someone does not want to use their time and give up their privacy to religious visitors. Then they have every right to tell them no and close the door without worrying that they might appear abrupt or disinterested. It's their home and their time and they haven't agreed to the visits.

People in their homes are minding their business and doing what they need to do. Some of them are ill. Some work at home. Some are busy with family. Many are on ladders painting or on the floor scrubbing or they're wearing rubber gloves doing jobs that would be difficult to interrupt. I often nap in the day because of health and sleep issues. Sometimes I'm busy at the far end of the house or I'm on an important phone call.

I expect anyone I know to let me know before they come to my house. The only ones who don't are the mailman and UPS delivery people. That's acceptable because I've bought in to their occasional need to ring the bell.

But I will never accept that religious strangers at the door who want something from me deserve my special consideration. I don't feel I need to worry about their psychological development or their state of mind. My first responsibility is to myself and my own family. I don't expect to get love sympathy or devotees by going door to door and I think it's unrealistic for others to hold onto such an expectation if they unexpectedly invade my personal space.

And for those who were forced to go as children and beg for fast offerings, I think it was parents and church leaders who set you up. It's unfair to remain upset and angry at people you visited for not being thrilled to see you at their door once a month on Sunday mornings.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/06/2015 02:46PM by Cheryl.

So true & sad...

Cheryl, so much of what you say resonates with me as well as it obviously does with the multitudes of other victims of cult speak who gather here.

The only power 'they' have is that which choose to grant them.

In my opinion there is only one voice we ought to heed.

That would be the inner Still Small Voice in our own hearts and heads.

I agree with this 100%. Just because someone knocks on your door or calls you on the phone doesn't mean you have to answer. There must be those who feel a compulsion to do so, but too many people get taken in scams by doing that.

Plus I don't think it is appropriate to tell people the way they believe is wrong, that they aren't good enough just the way they are. They are strangers for Pete's sake. Mormons would not appreciate being proselytized, yet they do this to others without a thought to the irony.

Even when I was TBM, I thought it was annoying for the Teachers to show up at my door to collect fast offerings.

I was JUST at church, and if I was going to pay it, I would have done it already. Truth was, I was probably trying to feed my kids and put them down for naps. I didn't want ANYONE showing up at my door, especially not some kid guilt tripping me for money.

we turn them away. Period.

After a while, they generally get the hint.