Religion Comes Knocking

[Sylvia727]

I just got my first Jesus salesman since moving out of my mom's house! I'm not sure what denomination he was, since we never got that far. He was standing outside a local coffee shop that caters to college students handing out pamphlets. I told him "No thank you, I'm agnostic," and he started to pressure me, so I moved to the side and debated with him. As closely as I can remember:

Him: "God is good, God is great, yea God, etc." I cut him off.
Me: "Alright, but bear with me for a second here. Short of a burning bush in the desert or the archangel Gabriel coming down out of the heavens, I can't know for certain, can I?"
Him: "Well, no, but that's where faith comes in." *expounds on the awesome of faith and "proof" of God's existance*
Me: "But you're not asking me to have faith in God's existance. You're asking me to have faith in what you say is God's nature and desires."
Him: *goes on about how awesome his church's leaders are and how he knows they're inspired by the Above, eventually circles back to "proof" of God's existance*
Me: "I believe in God, actually. I just don't believe that anyone can know 100% what he wants of us, and I don't believe that I need to go to church or abstain from meat or abstain from sex to worship him properly."

This got him really riled up, and we actually had a good debate about the spirituality of premarital sex for a few minutes. His basic argument was that sex should be a connection and a commitment, and that since all sex has a chance of creating life it is inherently sacred. My argument was that God is a spiritual being and as long as he knows I respect and love my partner, and take responsibility for the consequences, he won't care if I have a piece of paper. He kept citing his religion as the basis for his arguements, though, so I eventually told we'd have to agree to disagree and went in for my coffee. He tried to give me a pamphlet as I left, but I dodged and said no thank you again.


I have to give this guy props, though. Not once did he threaten me with eternal hellfire. I don't mind "My way is the best way" but nothing turns me off faster than "My way is the only way."

[blas87]

The Mormons were here on Friday. I find it odd, I have never seen Mormons going door to door. They were two teenaged boys on bicycles.

Naturally, I was taking my nap and it was around 5:00 pm. There was a knock on the door. I answered and they said "We are from the Mormon Church and want you to join us" or something like that before I slammed the door in their face.

Yes, I'm rude and a terrible person. Go ahead, throw whatever you want.

Let it be known, I have nothing against Mormon people. I just hate people in general who go door to door trying to recruit people.

[PorkChop]

There are Mormon missionaries who walk around the neighborhood. They are nice guys and I have talk to them from time to time.

They came over to my store to seek permission to leave literature by the pay phones. I had refuse them but I gave them a cup of water because it was so hot outside. They tried to preach to me too. I told them that I am very secure in my Catholic church and I am very happy. Even told them of how my life improved since I have gone back to church. They were very happy to hear that.

Oh, maybe a month later or so, these guys were out strolling around until they met my co-worker at the grocery store. She is an athiest and she told the Mormon missionaries that she worshiped Satan, just to get them to leave her alone. Yeah, that scared them big time!

[Wicked_Lexi]

Best idea I ever heard was to tell them you are happy to talk to them about anything except religion! Some of them will just leave, some will just have a normal conversation with you... of course some will simply ignore you and try anyway.

I tend to stick to a Polite "No thanks" and then if they don't go away I shut the door.

[aniwahya]

People coming to the door were a lot more fun when my german shepard was alive. Nobody wants to hang out and chat with a frothing, snarling large ferocious beast declaring its desire to tear off delicious warm fleshy bits from them. Not that I would sic the dog on people, or even imply it, she just hated people coming to the door.

Though one really, really stupid guy started to open the screen door like he was going to come in. As soon as he got it open, my dog (who had been in the garage) came running and lunged for him. Thank gods for having reflexes honed by a lot of sports cause I managed to catch the scruff of the 100lbs shepard (she was one of over sized american breeds) and hold her long enough for the dumb guy to let go of the door and run away. Of course this could go under people not reading signs, because there were large "beware of dog" signs posted.

Is it just my bad luck, or do people coming to the door always find the absolute worst times? Last peeps who came to my door, came literally 15 minutes after I had just gotten home form a ten day hospital stay.

Oh, and it can be very frustrating being a night shift worker and having people wake you up in the middle of your "night".

[Slytovhand]

my turn...

Firstly, these days I usually ignore the knock at the door (I don't have friends just dropping in... and there ain't a lot I'm going to buy anyway). If I even bother to get to the door, I'll check through the peep hole first... and rarely open it.

If I do choose to go that way, I'll politely tell them I'm not interested... I'm a pagan - practicing shaman and studying to be a druid (technically correct... if I actually pulled my finger out ). And if they did get inside, then they'd have to face the books on said subjects on or under my coffee table...

I did have a nice chat to a girl at the bus-stop a couple of times. No pressure at all, and she even seemed interested in some of what I had to say (such as why I believe what I do..). Too bad she wasn't there for long

Best stories aren't mine, though. They come from the High Priest of the coven that I was briefly attached to..

1 - he's in the shower and they are persistent.. so he gets out completely naked to open the door. Becuase he was pulled from the shower, he told them to F off...

2 - He opens the door holding something in his hand (I forget what). They start the spiel, and he says he's not interested, "I'm Wiccan". "What..you're wicked?" Then they notice the High Priestess (his wife) in the room doing up a mask with horns on it for an upcoming ritual...they never returned... As JadedGuy said... pentacle on door.. nuff said!

Slyt

[aniwahya]

The Mormons were here on Friday. I find it odd, I have never seen Mormons going door to door. They were two teenaged boys on bicycles.
.

Odd. I had the same thing happen to me the other day; two young mormon guys who looked like they still could have been in high school came to my door. I have lived here for all but three years of my life and never before had mormons knock on my door to evangelize to me. Also worth noting is from your posts on CS I know that you live in the state just north of my state (I live on the northern border so us going up there and them coming down here is common). The relatively close proximity makes me wonder if it is a quasi-local movement relative to our geographic locations?

[Pedersen]

Apologies if this is repeating something from earlier in the thread, or already well known.

The Mormon community has a strong belief in doing mission work. Basically, on reaching the age of 18, the young Mormon ... not sure of the right phrasing. Should? Will? Anyway, closest I can come: On reaching the age of 18, the young Mormon should volunteer time to the church. This comes in the form of two years of going out and witnessing, converting, and generally trying to show the people they come across the way of Mormon.

If they're starting to show up in your area, then it's just been the case that the church finally noticed a gap, and started sending missionaries to your area to try to convert the locals.

Nothing more sinister than that.