rem

JW's will typically ignore "no soliciting" signs as they feel their work is not soliciting. Knocking on those doors does get the heart pumping, though!

rem

Spaz

Then we just need one of these:

paul30

I had a friend (alas, now dead--probably God's vengeance on him) who had an amusing way of dealing with door-to-door evangelizers. He would keep a pile of diverse tracts by the door--the Watchtower, Hare Krisna papers, Children of God, whatever--and when the solictors came and offered him their pamphlet, he would hand them one of a totally different kind and close the door.

The last time I was accosted (years ago), I simply told them the truth, which is that I am a (pretty bad) Buddhist.

They received this as though I had said I was from Azerbaijan--something they had never heard of--and hardly missed a beat.

Harumi

*sigh*

This reminds me of a good friend of mine. She's a mormon, and she was mentioning to me how she was going to be sent off as a missionary.

I really didn't have the heart to tell her that I found that particular job (and her eagerness for it) completely disgusting. She knows I'm an atheist, so she doesn't say anything about it mostly.

I really don't want to know how much of a strain this will put on our friendship once she does become a missionary.

Just thinking about it makes me sick.

Rational BAC

I used to see those "no soliciting" signs when I did service work.

The scariest were out in the boonies. It was usually a revolver pointed at you telling you what would happen to you if you dared knock on their door and they did not know you.

There were times as a refrigeration mechanic that I took that revolver pointed at me seriously. And I refused to knock. If that is what they want--- then so be it.

When these trailer trash people called in the next day to complain that nobody showed to fix their 'fridge" or freezer and they had lost lost $100's worth of food due to that , I would just say "hell----------you were going to shoot me for knocking on your door. It is your own damned fault you stupid basstards."

And my company always backed me up on this.

Be careful what you post on your door. It may bite you in the buttt.

(Or at least take that stupid sign down when you want your refrigerator or freezer fixed.)

Biff the unclean

I never cease to be amazed at how theists will bend and twist and mutilate reality until it fits their version.

BeansRBad

Hello Primordial Groove,

As has already been pointed out to you, the two visitors to your door were Jehovah's Witnesses.

I've been an atheist for over a decade but at one time I was a Christian very active in mission work. I once had a tug-of-war going with a co-worker who was being "discipled" by the Jehovah's Witnesses; He was studying with them and I was pulling him away from that group. Hehe, he wound up with my cult rather than their cult.

You need to realize though that you are in for one hell of a fight. They will throw stuff at you from deep in left field. I managed to get their prospective convert away from them by going on the offensive.

First of all, they are NOT going to read your material. They are instructed not to. I'm not even sure that they will accept it into their possession. However, they can read their own Scriptures and that is where you can do considerable damage. Cognitive dissonance 0-Plenty!

You see, they have their own Version of the Bible. It is the New World Translation and I would aver that it is as poor a translation as has ever been conceived. I will give you one example of many that you can use. Please excuse me if this runs a bit long.

The Jehovah's Witnesses teach that Jesus was a sort of demi-god. Jesus was the first of Jehovah's creations and, hence, was not eternal to the past but was himself a created being. Those unfamiliar with the fact that JW's have their own version would quickly go to Colossians 1:16-18 where Jesus is said to have created all things.

vs.16: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible,...... all things were created by him, and for him. (KJV)

The New World Translation gives the verse the following treatment: "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; because by means of him all [OTHER] things were created in the heavens and upon earth..... all [OTHER] things have been created through him and for him." (NWT)

They inserted the word "other" into the text (and they are not bracketed and capitalized as I have done). The Greek word for "other" is "allos" according to Vine's Expository Dictionary and you can check every single Greek New Testament and you will not find "allos" in the text of Colossians 1:16-18, yet, they have inserted the word some four times in a few verses. It does not exist in the Greek text and it's insertion is wholly unwarranted.

It is examples such as this where you can put the heat of pressure on them because they certainly will not be able to justify it's inclusion other than doctrinally dogmatic and prejudical reasons.

They will make a big deal about Jesus being called the "firstborn" in verse 15 but I won't go into it's refutation in this post. Feel free to email me at fallingwater123@yahoo.com if you want more info regarding their use of the firstborn.

Here is another example which should demostrate the utter perversion of the New World Translation (that is not to say that any other version is free of perversion but theirs is particularly offensive and outright blatent).

Revelation 1:5 (KJV): "And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of Kings of the earth..."

Revelation 1:5 (NWT): "And from Jesus Christ, the Faithful Witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the Ruler of kings of the earth.."

Theirs is the only translation in existence which capitalizes "Faithful Witness". They use small letters when Christ is referred to as the "firstborn" but when Jesus is referred to as the faithful witness, they use capital letters. They have made the word "Witness" to be a proper name, sectarian style. They believe Jesus was of the Witness sect! Pure prejudice and pure perversion.

There are numerous examples to use against them but I warn you - you are in for a tough battle. You may prove too much for those two that initially came to your door so you may expect another one who is considerably more knowledgable in their faith to accompany them in future visits.

Best of "luck"
BeansRBad

Yellum Notnef

Biff (may peace and blessings be upon him),
Uh huh. What we just saw in this thread was a textbook example.

Wild horses couldn't drag this guy back to deal with the actual issue.

Primordial Groove

Hmmm, let's see. They knock on MY door and I am being belligerent? unrational BAC, you are wrong and perhaps a bit self righteous yourself.
Now, if I had been the one getting splinter knuckles and trying to push my views onto them, then yes, you could call me self righteous.
They came to my house to 'witness' something. In my view, they wanted to witness me becoming a member of their organization, unfortunately for them, I have other plans.

Through the links provided in this thread and through my own digging, I have found a number of things that will give me leverage in the situation but, that seems to be of no consequence. They havent been back to my house in almost a week. Perhaps they will come back in due time, but I'm not sure.

Remember the little Creation book I mentioned in my last post? If you can get your hands on one of these books, DO! It is a prime example of twisting reality to fit a worldview along with enough emotional baggage that would make anyone with reason cringe.
It presupposes a God (obviously), then takes you by the hand through the beginning of the universe, evolution, humanity, etc.
What I noticed first was the way the authors cleverly (or not) spin the scientific findings of these 'events' to show us that goddidit, or, should I say, Jehovahdidit. The book throws in one liner scriptures to back this claim. Scripture that of course is taken out of context, like most other one liners they use.
What got me laughing was the using of scientific evidence as proof their views were fact, yet, near the beginning of the book it talks about how science is fallible. The authors mention that science used to think that the earth was flat and the earth was the center of the universe yet they fail to mention that these things are written in the bible which itself reflects the aristilian(?) view of the world. Which points to the fact that the bible was written by humans, with no divine guidance.

To those that condone being rude and obnoxious to these people, that is your right. But, it's MY time and, if available, I'll use it in a constructive manner. Being civil and rational goes a long way to showing these people that their view of atheism is incorrect. That alone may not be enough to change them, but, it is an enlightening foundation to begin a civil discussion.

Most here have given me some insight and ideas that have become a study of what JW's are. They are a dooms day cult that subverts human beings into their organization for power and control. If my wanting to take the time to show a member or two the evidence of this fact is self righteous and belligerant, I'll take those labels.

Thanks for the great responses. I've learned alot and will keep you updated, if they come around again.