Religious Door Knockers

[Old Croc]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJynygnjMC0

Thanks for that.

I used to go and watch Kevin Bloody Wilson over a few beers at a Sunday session in my church.

Good times.

[Docno]

Back in uni I had one of these guys coming over every weekend for a while. Quite enjoyed it. Always showed up with a different (occasionally attractive) lady. Nice fellow. I'd give him some tea and he'd try to convince me about their worldview. I would do the same... convince him his worldview was wrong. Even bought him a young people's book on dinosaurs once because he claimed he'd only vaguely heard of them and figured they were just a fantasy. I think I was making more headway than him ... I recall him becoming increasingly uncomfortable as I gave him some lessons in basic science (and logic). He stopped coming around for some reason... I had to start watching Jimmy Swaggart again for entertainment.

[frozin1]

[hay2u2]

The fact that so many here have closed minds is all the more reason these guys need to come around. But we all know that LOS attracts foreigners with the most base of instincts.

Do you really know what these guys have to say? I don't think so.

As one poster says....its oK to be a monk and beg for money, but heaven forbid you have real beliefs and want to share them with others.

[impulse]

Those or any other people who try to sell their religions, mostly to people with weak minds, should be treated the way they are trying to do to others. If they wish to play with the minds, then it's quite ok to play with theirs.

Invite them in. Let them be be all exited and remember to say things like "hmm, that makes sense" etc. After an while, when you get tired, just say "No thanks, your way of life is no fun at all. I choose Satan, he got the best parties." .. and gently direct them outside. They are not likely to come back as you are already a lost soul.

As opposed to all the people with strong minds who dream up ways to mistreat their fellow humans that slightly inconvenience them?

I don't subscribe to any religion, but I'd rather hang out with them.....at least they treat people with kindness and respect.

I have never once had to resort to rudeness to simply say "thanks for coming by, but no thanks". Never fails to cut the conversation to less than 20 seconds.

[MrBrad]

[MacWalen]

I am reading the comments and I have my thoughts about it.

First. Religious tolerance is a good thing although it could be a little annoying for some. Sound of church bells or call to prayers or occasional visits by Jehovah's Witnesses. No harm done. Imagine atheists were targets of prosecution, were stoned to death etc. Would you enjoy that? Maybe hard to comprehend but you see what happens in some countries as a result of of lack of religious tolerance.

Second. Portraying them as uneducated and dumb is very distorted. Jehovah's Witnesses are friendly people, make great employees as they are known for being honest and diligent and thus an asset in any community. When they visit just say you are not interested. Being nice will not hurt you. How will they know that someone is not interested in what they have to say? Lots of people around the world read Watchtower and Awake, they are the most popular magazines in the world, also millions have joined so what Jehovah's Witnesses do definitely works.

http://www.clicktop10.com/2013/07/top-10-most-popular-magazines-of-2013/

Old Croc, perhaps a small suggestion since it bothers you, what about ordering a sign and fixing it on your door, fence or gate so it is easy to see with a text: Jehovah's Witnesses not welcome here, thank you. I believe it will work.

Relax, live and let others live, treat others like you want to be treated. The world will become a better place.

Edited September 5, 2013 by MacWalen

[rascalman]

Good people, kookie religion!

[KarenBravo]

The fact that so many here have closed minds is all the more reason these guys need to come around. But we all know that LOS attracts foreigners with the most base of instincts.

Do you really know what these guys have to say? I don't think so.

As one poster says....its oK to be a monk and beg for money, but heaven forbid you have real beliefs and want to share them with others.

I see some saints are starting to show up.....

[Just1Voice]

Basically I'm fairly mellow when it come to these groups, and most of the time a simple -"Thanks, but I'm not interested" will do the trick. But last week 2 of them show up with 3 young girls, maybe aged 9-11, in our moo baan, which you need a remote to get through the gate. Which means they waited till someone came in and then followed them in.

I happened to be outside when they came to my gate and the following conversation took place:

"Good afternoon, Sir. Could you spare a moment of your time?"

(Polite) "Thanks, but I wouldn't be interested."

"Are you a Christian, Sir?"

"No."
"Do you believe in God?"

(Still polite) "What part of I wouldn't be interested don't you understand?"

"But, sir..."

(politeness gone) "Look, Bible Thumper, the husband of my wife's favorite cousin is a Senior Sergeant Major with the local cops. You are trespassing in this village, and I can have him here in about 3 minutes, so I strongly suggest you get the <deleted> out of here now!" as I reached for my cell phone.

They executed a serious left face and walked quickly towards the gate.

If you can't accept polite, then don't be surprised by the rude & crude.

[KarenBravo]

The fact that so many here have closed minds is all the more reason these guys need to come around. But we all know that LOS attracts foreigners with the most base of instincts.

Do you really know what these guys have to say? I don't think so.

As one poster says....its oK to be a monk and beg for money, but heaven forbid you have real beliefs and want to share them with others.

I see some saints are starting to show up.....

You can tell they're saints because they are sooo much better than the rest of us.

Edited September 5, 2013 by KarenBravo

[Card]

The evangelists don't get anywhere with Thais.

I once heard a story about a group of American Christian charity workers doing work in a village somewhere up north. They had a Thai interpreter and were giving out parcels. The interpreter was asked to tell them that they should be thankful to the lord for all the goodies and that they are welcome to join the church etc, etc.

The interpreter told them "just take what they give and forget what they say".

[tezzainoz]

Solution

Have a speaker at the front Gate

and play

Kevin Bloody Wilsons song

FESTIVAL OF LIFE

[Surasak]

Itll be the block pavers and double glazing salesmen next. Oh and then the telesales

You forget the guy wanting to tarmac you drive with what he has left over from a previous job. That usually turns out to be cr*p

[LivinginKata]

The off topic and insensitive posts are being removed.

[johnlandy]

Hate religion. Where there is religion, there is war.

When they come around, I grab my chihuahua and "scold him" verbally in front of them. "Mephisto, be nice". They leave rather quickly! His name is Chili.

So that's what you call it "your Chihuahua" that would really scare them...

[lucifer666]

That come to my home ( Hua Hin) wife makes them a coffee and they discuss the difference between the Buddhist religion and Jehova's Witness religion. I'm an agnostic. But we always welcome them and the wife and myself love a healthy discussion / debate

[tinhead]

I thought the peddling of religion by Farang was expressly forbidden in The Kingdom. As a good, Buddha-respecting gentleman, I would report it.

[Torrens54]

back in California when they asked me about jesus, i used to say, 'Jesus, (hey-soos), you mean the guy who cuts my lawn?', but it doesn't really work here.

Something sort of gets lost in Translation.

[Raybo]

I live in Louisiana, and there is a law here in my town about door to door solicting. You are suppose to apply for a permit from

The city, but most don't.

I usually don answer the doorbell.

The majority of homes here don't have fences or gates either.

ChuLai6768

[Hugh Jarse]

Those or any other people who try to sell their religions, mostly to people with weak minds, should be treated the way they are trying to do to others. If they wish to play with the minds, then it's quite ok to play with theirs.

Invite them in. Let them be be all exited and remember to say things like "hmm, that makes sense" etc. After an while, when you get tired, just say "No thanks, your way of life is no fun at all. I choose Satan, he got the best parties." .. and gently direct them outside. They are not likely to come back as you are already a lost soul.

Yes, they are all over the world. The best way to deal with these God Botherers is to state that you are a Buddhist and very content with this belief system. This usually shuts them up. Anybody who cannot find salvation in their religious beliefs without trying to hammer it down the throats of others , seriously needs to obtain counselling.

[Litlos]

Actually trying to have a logical conversation with these types is what they want, it is covered in their dealing with non believers 101 training or whatever, they have thick hides and skulls to match it seems. My wife in Oz used to time me from the when I answered the door till the time the pests departed, had it down to about 12 seconds. The conversation usually went:

Them - Good morning may we have some of your time (already wasting my time and oxygen)

Me - Are you here for religious reasons?

Them - We are here representing the church of latter day BS or whatever

Me - There is the path, use it.

I had a sign I wanted to install near the pathway. Basically no god botherers, salesmen etc allowed, but the wife said no way. Could be because she worked at a Catholic school, but not 100% sure.

Cheers

[newermonkey]

I love it when they confront me, I just love it, I seriously mess with thair heads, seriously screw them up, they leave beleiving they have personally met the devil in person!

[Hoov]

Had a friend who got rid of them when they rang the doorbell as he was about to take a shower. He answered the door as he was... ready to take his shower. They never returned.

[Card]

I thought the peddling of religion by Farang was expressly forbidden in The Kingdom. As a good, Buddha-respecting gentleman, I would report it.

I doubt this - there are megaphone declarations from the evangelical American presbyterians regularly coming out of Bangkok Christian College - I once put a note about it on their Wiki page - how that stuff might offend Buddhists, Muslims and atheists - but they complained that it was sabotage.

[uptheos]

Some interesting ways that posters get rid of them, have been put forward............some very creative minds out there, interesting stories and a good old laugh, but mostly a load of old <deleted>.

[islandguy]

Had a friend who got rid of them when they rang the doorbell as he was about to take a shower. He answered the door as he was... ready to take his shower. They never returned.

One time some Jehovah's Witnesses came to the door, much to my surprise since our yard was so overgrown and full of salvaged materials and old cars that few strangers made it as far as the actual door. My older roommate, quite the eccentric (he owned the house) took over at the doorway after a minute and I retired to the kitchen and fantasized about just this shower scenario, and watching them flee......he, meanwhile, came in triumphantly after 20 minutes. By asking them some very pointed and specific questions about various things in the Bible (mostly the Old Testament, such as the story of Ezekial calling down bears to rend the children teasing him about his bald head or some such) he had got them to agree to not come back until they had done some homework to answer his questions. Never saw them again. That enthusiasm and willingness to engage people of different viewpoints directly made his response far better than the one I contemplated.......

[hellodolly]

So, we see how people deal with something they don't like.......amazing Thailand indeed.

I do not have connections to any religion, but if someone comes to my place offering something and I immediately see what it is and I don't want it, then I simply say "no thanks" and go back into the house.....never had a problem. In fact, this is my response to all cold callers.

Can't imagine spending my time devising booby traps or playing games with callers I don't want.....sounds quite pathetic.

I consider myself pretty tolerant but a couple of these outfits are sneaky, devious people. And why the hell would they be wanting to bring religion to Thailand. Contrary to what they think, there is actually religion in Thailand already.

The ex-wife brought a couple of them some years ago (she is From Vietnam where the bible bashers are not allowed to spread their cr_ap); they had accosted here in the street and she thought they were such nice people. That is when I explained a little about sects, brain-washing, religious organizations that rake in Gazillions, etc.

Personally, I've got no time to waste on them.

They try to bring their religion wherever they go, that's their function, in order to save themselves. They are slaves to their religion and nothing is going to change them. Just be thankful they don't shout Allauh Akkbar when they ring the bell! Usually I just look out the window to see who is at the gate and shout in Thai, 'no thanks I've already got one'.....serves for all purposes.

Why people want to insult, confront or waste their time playing games with these people is beyond me.

As I said in my opening post I always politely say no thanks.

However, with some of these "people" I've had to resort to shouting, swearing and even physicality to get them to leave my premises.

There is something seriously wrong with religious zealots whether they originate in the middle east, the southern states of America or anywhere else!

What city do you live in?

[hellodolly]

I love it when they confront me, I just love it, I seriously mess with thair heads, seriously screw them up, they leave beleiving they have personally met the devil in person!

I have never read the whole Bible only a few spots here and there.

I can see where if you are really conversant with the bible you could run them in circles.

[hawker9000]

All this sound & fury. Just don't answer the door. Yes, it's a small distraction when the bell is rung or the door knocked-on. Life is full of these little irritations; no reason to let it spoil your day or even theirs. 'No different from people wanting you to sign petitions or donate money at the grocery store. And baiting them seems like the sport of small minds.

Even if you hate religion, what're you really afraid of - that they might convert someone? If so, that's someone's choice, not yours.

Edited September 5, 2013 by hawker9000