Have any of you guys ever had religious people come to your door when you’re just sitting around at home? I got a couple of Jehova’s witnesses the other day. Two middle aged black women who wanted to tell me how their sect was better than others.
I have to wonder what kinds of responses these people get from the average Joe just sitting on his couch. I’m almost sure that when they meet people like the average ILPer that they can leave very confused and unsure of themselves.
These two women caught me while I was smoking a bowl on my day off, and I went outside and asked them to have a seat. I proceeded to give them a short lecture on the limitations of knowledge and the problems of faith. I talked about quantum uncertainty and political activism. I told them that Christians were responsible for as many genocide victims as they were for saved souls. I told them that “Islam” meant peace and surrender, which they did not know. I asked them if they were familiar with Taoism and they were not.
I do not think that they will return to my house.
I don’t know about you guys but I’d like to understand more about the psychology behind this sort of thing.
What drives a person to go out and confront the world just pushing their faith door to door?
Has anyone here ever done this?
Does anyone have an interesting story of a time it was done to them?
Did you know they believe there’s only 1000 places in heaven? I don’t get what they’re trying to do.
These people come up to chassidim a lot and try and talk to us. Usually I just feign that I don’t know English and just jabber in Yiddish and look angry until they leave.
I’d be interested to see what sorts of strange beliefs that different groups hold. I mean there must be something that distinguishes all those protestant sects right? Maybe someone should start a thread like that. Get people to post the quirky things that distinguish religions.
It is amazing how some people will put themselves on the line for something they believe in. To try to make a difference in other people’s lives. Allow themselves to be villified while trying to show how their faith has made a difference in their lives. I admire that tenaciousness. If everyone applied those similar qualities in worthwhile attributes this world be a lot better off.
Two Christian Scientists that I know are hightly intelligent, have the best sense of humor and are a positive delight to be around… They may be rare for that religion. But if they do represent the religion then there can’t be all bad about it.
On the door to door. CSers are the worst most persistent peddlers of belief. It is entertaining to confront them in various manners. Being a redhead I take advantage of the Satanic and Wiccan stereotypes, this tends to freak them out a tad. It is amusing to watch women trying to leave in a hurry while trying to maintain dignity… heck one even began to damn me to the deepest darkest evilest places, which made me burst out into a cackle and start waving my arms… Now that reaction was fun to see. pure fear. I was slightly concerened she and her cronies might come back to burn me but, hey , thats what large dogs and hand guns are for; to protect you from well intentioned idiots
I had 2 JWs at my door a few years ago. They don’t know the bible as well as they claim and I managed to catch them out on a couple of errors they made. They got a little flustered and told me they’d love to come back and “continue this discussion another time”.
I was mowing the lawn a few month later and saw them doing the rounds again. I was actually looking forward to having another go at them. Unfortunately, they skipped my house. I was a little disappointed. I really think they prey on Christian folks who don’t know their bibles.
I think you misunderstood my post. The JCs made errors in quoting the bible accurately. One I remember was that they quoted Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness as Luke 6 when actually it’s in Luke 4.
I understand that you don’t accept the bible as the word of God. And hopefully you can understand that I completely disagree with you.
Lets try to keep the discussion to the subject of the thread.
I agree, L. It amazes me too. I admire JWs much more than your typical agnostic who doesn’t even know what he believes (“Duh, I don’t believe nuttin’. Duh, there’s no evidence neither way. Duh.”)
At least JWs are smart enough to know what they believe (and have the courage to act on it!) even if what they believe is probably mistaken, IMO.
True story: I had two JWs come to my door only a few months back. One of them was obviously a rookie and VERY nervous. I listened to every word they said without argument, promised to read the pamphlets they gave me, and told them “Good luck and God Bless you” as they were leaving.
Wow. I can see how pointing out that kind of error could shake someone’s faith to the core. I’ll bet they both became atheists, if not Satan worshippers, after the confrontation with you.
What’s the subject of the thread? Ridiculing JWs for their ridiculous beliefs while giving Christians a free pass for their equally ridiculous beliefs?
Why on earth would your pointing out that some ridiculous myth that you both, mindbogglingly, take seriously is actually found in the third sentence of the fourth paragraph on page 353 of the bible rather than in the first sentence prevent someone from coming back to your house to proselytize you further? I’d guess you are just the kind of guy that they want to talk to, i.e., one who takes that crap seriously but who has a slightly different view.
Ever heard of a rhetorical question? . . . nevermind.
I know what the subject of this thread is and I’d still rather ridicule you both.
Christians who really believe that the earth was inundated only a few thousand years ago simply because it says so in some old book are just as wacked as the most wacked Jehovah’s Witness out there.
It’s as if Jehovah’s Witnesses argue that thirty-one angels can dance on the head of a pin and then some Christian comes along and responds “HA HA HA HA! Silly Jehovah’s Witness, he believes that 31 angels can dance on the head of a pin at one time . . . HA HA HA HA! . . . when it is a simple matter of divine fact that no more than 30 angels at a time can dance on the head of a pin!”
First, I would like to know if you actually know what “inundated” means? You do not seem to have used it correctly in your sentence above.
I presume you are trying to ridicule young-earth creationists. The basis of your ridicule seems to stem from the fact that you think people who believe old books as accurate are “wacked out”. I would not say that this represents the basis for a strong philosophical argument.
And for your information, I am not a young-earth creationist.
Your intelligent arguments and incisive logic are striking fear into my heart. Please…please don’t call me a “loon” again. I don’t think I could take it…
So what are the doctrinal differences between JW and standard Protestantism anyway? Something about not giving blood, not celebrating any holidays, and not being happy seems to be what is going on from my outside perspective, but I figure there has to be something more.
According to die.net, ‘inundated’ means “covered with water” which is about what I thought it meant.
What did you think the word meant?
Actually the basis for my argument is the fact that there is no evidence outside of a fictional tale told in that very old book that supports that claim and much evidence that argues against it. An argument, I believe, that you accept.
Good for you. So does this mean that you agree with me that the tale in the bible that the earth was inundated by God only a few thousand years ago is metaphorical at best and, like other biblical claims that contradict the evidence we have today, should by no means be accepted as literal fact?
Well, I would but since I don’t want another spanking from Xunzian so I’ll have to forego the use of that particular bit of “incisive logic” in this post. [Maybe next time, though, when he’s not looking. ]
It is amusing to watch women trying to leave in a hurry while trying to maintain dignity… heck one even began to damn me to the deepest darkest evilest places, which made me burst out into a cackle and start waving my arms… Now that reaction was fun to see. pure fear. I was slightly concerened she and her cronies might come back to burn me but, hey , thats what large dogs and hand guns are for; to protect you from well intentioned idiots 
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