Jehovah's Witnesses Weirdness

[Mythopoeika]

Is it a different Good News from the Good News Bible which is used by Episcopalian, URC and, to a limited extent by Catholics?

Good point! My family went to an evangelical Baptist church and they used the Good News Bible.
I think they now have a Bible that is just the New Testament, or something like that.

 

[Kondoru]

But the OT is the best bit.

 

[madmath]

I may have mentioned on this board that a late theology professor of mine found an effective way to deter doorstep evangelists. The professor was an Augustinian friar and a specialist in the late patristic/early medieval era (5th-6th centuries CE). As such, he possessed a solid knowledge of not only Greek, Latin and Hebrew but also Aramaic, Syriac and other ancient Near Eastern languages. He told me a JW once knocked on his door and asked him if he would like to read the Bible and learn about Jesus. The professor responded enthusiastically and invited the JW into his home to join him in reading the New Testament in the original Greek text. The JW politely declined and made a swift exit. The professor said he was never bothered by them again. He must have been placed on their 'no-call' list.

Reminds me of a day walking in the neighborhood when I came upon one of the local "Watchtower Women" arguing with one of my parish priests, said priest who carried a Bible that had the original (as much as it could be) Greek and Latin on one side of the page and the other the English translation, all of which he could read fluently.

 

[CarlosTheDJ]

Received a letter today addressed to "the householders", in a handwritten envelope - receiving an actual letter is an event in itself these days.

I thought it might be a neighbour complaining about something (my drums maybe...) but no. It was an A4 handwritten letter from a local Jehovah's Witness, basically offering guidance if needed and saying this was posted as it's not possible to knock on doors at the moment.

Each one has been hand addressed so I assume they've gone to the whole village. That's a lot of work.

 

[Stillill]

Received a letter today addressed to "the householders", in a handwritten envelope - receiving an actual letter is an event in itself these days.

I thought it might be a neighbour complaining about something (my drums maybe...) but no. It was an A4 handwritten letter from a local Jehovah's Witness, basically offering guidance if needed and saying this was posted as it's not possible to knock on doors at the moment.

Each one has been hand addressed so I assume they've gone to the whole village. That's a lot of work.

That’s odd because I delivered quite a few hand written envelopes today addressed to “the householders”,this was in Northwood,Middlesex. I’m not the Jehovah Witness delivering them,I’m a postman.
I noticed my sister had one (I’m her postman), I’ll ask her partner what it was when I see him. I know there’s a Jehovah living on her road because she’s been trying to convert me for the past few months.

 

[CarlosTheDJ]

That’s odd because I delivered quite a few hand written envelopes today addressed to “the householders”,this was in Northwood,Middlesex. I’m not the Jehovah Witness delivering them,I’m a postman.
I noticed my sister had one (I’m her postman), I’ll ask her partner what it was when I see him. I know there’s a Jehovah living on her road because she’s been trying to convert me for the past few months.

Yep ours was stamped and came via the mail, not hand-delivered by the JW. Unless the JW is also our postie.

 

[Iris]

I had one a few weeks ago, saying it was from a neighbour and including a small pack of shapes biscuits, saying the same thing about not being able to doorknock.
Before lockdown I actually had bought a small sign for the door saying don't knock if you are a salesperson or religious group, not that I've had any for a long time.

 

[Xanatic*]

Despite being in a different country, I also recieved a hand-written letter. I assume someone high up ordered it then.

 

[CarlosTheDJ]

Despite being in a different country, I also recieved a hand-written letter. I assume someone high up ordered it then.

Very, very high up.

 

[Xanatic*]

God?

 

[madmath]

Even higher - Mrs. God.

 

[GingerTabby]

She Who Must Be Obeyed.

 

[Tempest63]

Yep ours was stamped and came via the mail, not hand-delivered by the JW. Unless the JW is also our postie.

Ditto, we had one this week but the handwriting and spelling were so atrocious it took us forever to decipher what it was all about.
It also had a QR code sellotaped to the back but we didn’t bother to scan it between its route from the letterbox to the bin.

 

[Stillill]

Ditto, we had one this week but the handwriting and spelling were so atrocious it took us forever to decipher what it was all about.
It also had a QR code sellotaped to the back but we didn’t bother to scan it between its route from the letterbox to the bin.

We have delivered,probably a few thousand of these from our delivery office (Northwood, Middlesex) over the past few weeks. All are handwritten and addressed to “the householder “, some have the QR code on the back of the envelope and some don’t.
I know that one of the roads I deliver to has had them twice already. As another poster said,I’m guessing it’s because they can’t door knock because of Covid.

 

[Shady]

They cant knock on the doors but they can lick an envelope and leave all their germs on it and shove it thro your letterbox??

 

[EnolaGaia]

The shift to 'remote' communications is global ...

In Arizona a Jehovah's Witnesses spokesperson has confirmed their in-person door-to-door operations are suspended because of the pandemic conditions. In the mean time they're relying entirely on phone contacts and letters.

36,000 Arizona Jehovah's Witnesses have suspended door-to-door ministry for now

Over 36,000 Jehovah's Witnesses in Arizona have stopped their door-to-door ministry due to the COVID-19 pandemic. ...

Arizona spokesperson, Jamie Dunjey, says there are about 308 congregations throughout the state and 36,000 Witnesses. Some of these groups hold online meetings in Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, Portuguese and Navajo.

The door-to-door aspects may be done for now, but Jehovah's Witnesses have gotten creative and uprooted their practices by writing letters and making phone calls as well as virtual communications instead as an alternate way to communicate with their neighbors ...

In November, Jehovah’s Witnesses created a global campaign to send letters to political leaders around the world including state and municipal government officials here in Arizona.

When the pandemic ends whenever that may be, Jehovah’s Witnesses plan to resume their door-to-door ministry but have decided to keep doing phone calls, letters and virtual communications.

SOURCE: https://www.azfamily.com/news/36-00...cle_ebfdb074-3ef7-11eb-8b06-4ffaaf0cbfa9.html

 

[Iris]

I had another one, posted this time, obviously from someone new to English.
The ones they recruit here seem to be ones who have come from elsewhere.
I Know it's a requirement for them to contact so many people a month but I felt kind of sad for them having to try to contact strangers.

 

[GingerTabby]

We have delivered,probably a few thousand of these from our delivery office (Northwood, Middlesex) over the past few weeks. All are handwritten and addressed to “the householder “, some have the QR code on the back of the envelope and some don’t.
I know that one of the roads I deliver to has had them twice already. As another poster said,I’m guessing it’s because they can’t door knock because of Covid.

Our local Jehovah's Witnesses have only just adopted this approach. Last week I received a note card addressed 'to my neighbour'. The sender was 'Dan C.' (no surname indicated) and the return address was several blocks from my home. When I opened the envelope I discovered a neatly handwritten invitation from 'Dan C.' to attend a service at the local Kingdom Hall. He included a gmail address for RSVP purposes but there was no QR code. It then occurred to me that the return address on the envelope was in fact the Kingdom Hall. I've walked past it many times. I haven't attended in-person services at my own place of worship since before the pandemic and have no intention of visiting the JWs, so I put the note in the recycling bin.

Postage rates have risen quite a bit here in the last few years so it must have been fairly costly to send these invitations with first-class stamps to all private residences in my neighbourhood. Also, it must have been time-consuming to write all those notes by hand. The quality of the print was such that I assume they were written by hand. If they weren't the JWs must have access to an excellent quality photocopier.

 

[JamesWhitehead]

it's a requirement for them to contact so many people a month but I felt kind of sad for them having to try to contact strangers.

Growing up in a seaside town, two streets away from a Kingdom Hall, we got more than our fair share of Watchtower-pedlars.

I think they tried first to sell you their paper but very quickly switched to forcing it on you for free.

Technically, iirc, a newspaper has to carry the name & address of the publisher and a price, even when it is given away.

Often with children in tow, we gathered that they were on holiday but still had to fulfil their quota of doorsteps!

Some say the kids were full-time props, designed to prevent immoderate language by disturbed householders.

 

[GingerTabby]

Growing up in a seaside town, two streets away from a Kingdom Hall, we got more than our fair share of Watchtower-pedlars.

I think they tried first to sell you their paper but very quickly switched to forcing it on you for free.

Technically, iirc, a newspaper has to carry the name & address of the publisher and a price, even when it is given away.

Often with children in tow, we gathered that they were on holiday but still had to fulfil their quota of doorsteps!

Some say the kids were full-time props, designed to prevent immoderate language by disturbed householders.

When I was growing up we were subjected to occasional visits only, usually during the summer. More often than not, the JWs would have a child or two in tow. If their intent in bringing children with them was to forestall any heated arguments on the doorstep they failed spectacularly with my mother. While she never used foul language with the JWs, she did confront them about their opposition to blood transfusions. She would point to the child and ask the JWs why they would refuse potentially life-saving treatment to their offspring. Her tone was hardly irenic and I don't think she ever got a sensible answer from them.

 

[Mr. Banooka]

Back in the mid-eighties (I’d be maybe 12 or 13) we had a visit from the JWs. My mum and dad were out at the time and I answered the door. When I said I wasn’t interested and moved to close the door, one of the JWs put his foot in the gap so I couldn’t close the door. I repeated that I wasn’t interested and he moved his foot allowing me to finally close the door. I was understandably quite shaken by the experience.

When mum and dad got home I told them what had happened. I don’t ever remember seeing my dad as angry as he was that day.

As it happened, one of my dad’s work colleagues was an elder at the local Kingdom Hall. The following day at work, my dad cornered him in an office and threatened that if we ever had another visit then whoever turned up would be leaving with a broken ankle and that so would he. My dad never had a JW knock on his door ever again.

I have my own way of handling them now. If I spot that they are JWs, I answer in my undies scratching myself. They soon make a swift retreat. When my now wife first moved in with me she was mortified until I told her who was at the door.

My mother-in-law has a deep seated hatred of JWs as she blames them for the death of her brother. Her brothers wife joined her and their children to the JWs behind her husbands back. She then forbade the children from eating food at the same time as him, and basically ended the marriage without a divorce. My mother-in-laws brother eventually had a heart attack that was ruled as being caused by stress. Hence the MIL holding a grudge to this day. However she does get the JWs confused with Mormons from time to time.

 

[hunck]

Just realised I posted this in the Scientology thread the other day by mistake - should've gone here. I see others above have had these hand addressed notes.

I got an envelope today, posted not hand delivered, no name, just my address. Inside was a slip reminding me the anniversary of Jesus' death was coming up & due to pandemic a commemoration was happening on zoom.

It's from the Jehovas Witnesses. Well it's better than them ringing your bell. They must be itching to get out there & start bothering again.

Mods - can delete from Scientology if desired.

 

[EnolaGaia]

Just realised I posted this in the Scientology thread the other day by mistake ...
Mods - can delete from Scientology if desired.

Done ...

 

[Tigerhawk]

Man, that's given me a little chill of coincidence seeing the above post, there were a small army of JWs advancing up the street earlier today. I was stupid enough to answer the door to them and was asked if I ever thought what happens after we die, and what kind of bereavements I had had recently. Bloody ghouls.

“Pop in and l’ll help you find out. There’s a bit of room left under the patio.”

maximus otter

Shades of Fred and Rose West....

 

[PeteS]

I sort of admire JW's (but only sort of). Takes a special kind to put so much effort into spreading the "word". And it must be very comforting to know you are right about everything and have a gigantic crutch to lean on in the form of your religion.

 

[Quercus]

Oddly enough, I received one of these on Thursday just past - a handwritten envelope addressed to 'The Householder', with a second class stamp on it.

The letter inside appeared to be a colour photocopy of a handwritten letter, with the same text as detailed above regarding the anniversary of Jesus's death, plus a QR code to scan.

I have to say, my attention was first drawn to what appeared to be a clipart graphic of a croissant and a glass of wine in the top corner; I thought for one awful moment my weird French penpal from school had tracked me down after a quarter of a century...

We had a 'no cold callers' notice from the police attached to our front door; that seemed to do the job fairly well to keep religious canvassers at bay. Unfortunately we've now replaced the door and can't seem to find a replacement sticker.

I've no particular animus against JWs, but I doubt their teachings are compatible with my long-term platelet donations... equally, I've no issue with people drawing on the concept of a higher being to help get them through life, but it bothers me when groups cling to the idea that they, and they alone, have access to The Truth and The One True Way.

 

[Nosmo King]

Oddly enough, I received one of these on Thursday just past - a handwritten envelope addressed to 'The Householder', with a second class stamp on it.

The letter inside appeared to be a colour photocopy of a handwritten letter, with the same text as detailed above regarding the anniversary of Jesus's death, plus a QR code to scan.

I have to say, my attention was first drawn to what appeared to be a clipart graphic of a croissant and a glass of wine in the top corner; I thought for one awful moment my weird French penpal from school had tracked me down after a quarter of a century...

We had a 'no cold callers' notice from the police attached to our front door; that seemed to do the job fairly well to keep religious canvassers at bay. Unfortunately we've now replaced the door and can't seem to find a replacement sticker.

I've no particular animus against JWs, but I doubt their teachings are compatible with my long-term platelet donations... equally, I've no issue with people drawing on the concept of a higher being to help get them through life, but it bothers me when groups cling to the idea that they, and they alone, have access to The Truth and The One True Way.

If you google 'no cold callers' you can get a various stickers from Amazon, ebay etc.

 

[catseye]

I can't open my front door to callers - it opens directly into the living room and the jaws of the frantically barking and growling Patterdale. I have to shout at people out of the window, and in order for them to hold a proper conversation with me (which also involves the Patterdale, who jumps up onto the window seat especially to be able to snarl and growl at people) they have to stand in the middle of my front garden.

Puts off most people. Including, so far, JWs and most parcel delivery men.

 

[Quercus]

If you google 'no cold callers' you can get a various stickers from Amazon, ebay etc.

View attachment 37103View attachment 37104

Thanks for that - might order one of those up!

Our original sticker was issued by the local police and featured their logo prominently, which I found an effective deterrent to the spate of over-friendly chaps knocking the door and offering to 'lift those old scrap cars for free', which became endemic a few years ago.

The Q-fleet is perhaps not in their first flush of youth, but I couldn't help but feel rather insulted!

By and large though, the number of faith-based callers at the door has been fairly low - JWs twice, and LDS once - in the nearly ten years before we put the sign up.

Maybe the rusty cars keeps them at bay...

 

[Nosmo King]

Thanks for that - might order one of those up!

Our original sticker was issued by the local police and featured their logo prominently, which I found an effective deterrent to the spate of over-friendly chaps knocking the door and offering to 'lift those old scrap cars for free', which became endemic a few years ago.

The Q-fleet is perhaps not in their first flush of youth, but I couldn't help but feel rather insulted!

By and large though, the number of faith-based callers at the door has been fairly low - JWs twice, and LDS once - in the nearly ten years before we put the sign up.

Maybe the rusty cars keeps them at bay...

Might be worth popping in to you cop shop and asking if they have any you could have