A church just dropped about 20 teens in my neighborhood

[Moxie]

To "share the news of Jesus Christ". Gee, thanks 15yo!! This is the Bible Belt but I've somehow missed this Jesus you speak of 🙄. Why do churches do this?? It is annnoying. And I imagine the percentage of people who join a church based on a visit by a teen is pretty small. Sending the teens to help at the homeless center or any of the other 100 worthwhile organizations would be a much better use of their time and a much better witness.

[fairfarmhand]

I know.

 

I am an evangelical Christian, and I just don't understand that "Cold Call" "Doorstep Conversion" mindset.

 

People are more likely to relate to friends, co-workers, and neighbors who live out Christ in their day to day life than a total stranger waking their baby and making the dog bark.

 

Do something kind for people. Befriend them, not with the goal of conversion, but because people are neat and need love. If you get the opportunity to share something, mention it in a friendly, no pressure way.

[zoobie]

That's obnoxious. I dislike evangelism more and more each day.

[Lang Syne Boardie]

Does your neighborhood look especially heathen in some way, that they'd guess y'all don't know there are churches in town?

[Frances]

I was annoyed last weekend when two teens from the other side of town came by wanting me to donate money or buy cheap crap so students at their high school could attend Young Life camps. Why not do odd jobs or sell stuff/ask for money at churches or your very large high school? We're in the midst of remodeling, so even getting to the front door is not always easy.

[Anne in CA]

That is rude and will be discouraging to the kids so they may not share when the moment is really good. That would cheese me off too. 

[SparklyUnicorn]

I don't even answer the door.

 

 

[Guest]

I don't even answer the door.

We have lots of neighborhood kids knocking on the door and it is mostly glass so it would be very obvious that I was ignoring them. Maybe I should. I just thank them and send them on.

[Guest]

Does your neighborhood look especially heathen in some way, that they'd guess y'all don't know there are churches in town?

We do have some great block parties!!

[Tenaj]

I guess I don't understand why this would be obnoxious. Jehovah Witnesses were out in our neighborhood this week. Talked to the nice lady at the door for a moment, said "no thank you" and wished her a nice day. No big deal.

 

Just say you're not interested and move on. Door to door evangelism may not be time effective but our church has seen converts from the practice over the years.

 

And, just to be ornery for a moment, this week here on the boards a teen was widely praised for staging a protest over a dress-code but teens sharing their faith is somehow annoying. That seems a bit inconsistent.

[Guest]

I guess I don't understand why this would be obnoxious. Jehovah Witnesses were out in our neighborhood this week. Talked to the nice lady at the door for a moment, said "no thank you" and wished her a nice day. No big deal.

 

Just say you're not interested and move on. Door to door evangelism may not be time effective but our church has seen converts from the practice over the years.

 

And, just to be ornery for a moment, this week here on the boards a teen was widely praised for staging a protest over a dress-code but teens sharing their faith is somehow annoying. That seems a bit inconsistent.

Had the teen come to my door trying to convince me to join her protest, I would have also been annoyed.

 

Maybe (probably) I'm a horrible person but I don't want religious advice from someone I'm old enough to have birthed.

[LucyStoner]

I hate stuff like this. That they are kids makes it that much worse.

 

It's not faith that bothers me. It's the presumption that I am in need of their faith.

 

There is a local church that used to send a bus around to pick up kids to take them to an activity and prayer event for youth at their church. Whatever they want to do, fine. But I had sharp words for the adult male who was puzzled that I wouldn't let my boys, then about 11 and 5 *get on his bus alone*. They didn't want to go, he was trying to cajole them with another church person and I stepped in to say that even if they wanted to go, I wouldn't let them. In what world does he think we are living in that most (any?) parents send their kids away with strangers on a bus, at that second, unplanned and on a random evening? I'm pretty sure the church is a legit church and they were just trying to provide transportation but transporting kids without pre registration and parental consent forms seems like a really dumb idea from a liability standpoint. I really can't fathom anyone functional saying "sure, no problem!" to such an offer. Their selling point to the kids was games and ice cream. Really, you're going to drive around picking kids up in a bus by offering them sweets? Do you even hear yourself?

Edited May 13, 2017 by LucyStoner

[Lang Syne Boardie]

There is no similarity between a teen protesting institutionalized injustice and a teen coming to a stranger's front door to tell them how to save their soul, that they're going to hell, who Jesus is, etc.

 

The first starts in facts. Known information. There is a posted dress code to which we object. We are standing up for respect and rights, for ourselves and for others. We address our concerns to persons in authority, and we do it in the public sphere. We go TO the offender, not at their home but at the professional/official source...we assemble at the site of the institutionalized injustice.

 

Apples.

 

The second starts in really offensive presumption, that the person's soul might be headed for eternal damnation, that they'd be saved by Jesus if only some kid would tell them who he is...we are standing up not against injustice, but for the right to presume and pronounce on a stranger's spiritual state, according to our individual religious beliefs...and this is all conducted on the unsuspecting target's front porch.

 

Oranges.

Edited May 13, 2017 by Tibbie Dunbar

[Frances]

I guess I don't understand why this would be obnoxious. Jehovah Witnesses were out in our neighborhood this week. Talked to the nice lady at the door for a moment, said "no thank you" and wished her a nice day. No big deal.

 

Just say you're not interested and move on. Door to door evangelism may not be time effective but our church has seen converts from the practice over the years.

 

And, just to be ornery for a moment, this week here on the boards a teen was widely praised for staging a protest over a dress-code but teens sharing their faith is somehow annoying. That seems a bit inconsistent.

The teen was protesting her school dress code at her school, not in some random neighborhood. I'm sure most people would be fine with teens sharing their faith at their church.

[madteaparty]

Evangelical Christianity is what cured of me of my faith.

Especially of late.

[Lang Syne Boardie]

Lucy Stoner, when I was growing up in a trailer park, it was presumed by all local churches that we were the "poor children in need of Jesus" and were constantly targeted for church bus pickup.

 

Which really rankled, because we were poor kids who HAD Jesus but were in need of food and utilities money. We went to church three times per week, were clean and well-raised, and had parents who cared...

 

a. whether we got on a bus with strangers, and

b. what we would be learning at a church.

 

They didn't just trust everybody and look for chances to send us god-knows-where, just because we were struggling financially and living in a rough neighborhood.

[KrissiK]

I guess I don't understand why this would be obnoxious. Jehovah Witnesses were out in our neighborhood this week. Talked to the nice lady at the door for a moment, said "no thank you" and wished her a nice day. No big deal.

 

 

I try to take this position, too. Door to door evangelism is not my style, even though I am a Christian, and the only things I buy sold door to door are raffle tickets and candy sold by the actual children who live on this street, and I always buy those. But it doesn't offend me and I can be gracious. Most people don't get mad when you say "no thank you!" The only bad experience I had with one of the door to door sales people was this girl who wanted me to buy books, but she had no actual merchandise and who had the poorest sales pitch I'd ever heard and then got mad at me when I said, kindly, that I wasn't interested.

[LucyStoner]

Lucy Stoner, when I was growing up in a trailer park, it was presumed by all local churches that we were the "poor children in need of Jesus" and were constantly targeted for church bus pickup.

 

Which really rankled, because we were poor kids who HAD Jesus but were in need of food and utilities money. We went to church three times per week, were clean and well-raised, and had parents who cared...

 

a. whether we got on a bus with strangers, and

b. what we would be learning at a church.

 

They didn't just trust everybody and look for chances to send us god-knows-where, just because we were struggling financially and living in a rough neighborhood.

I lived in the projects when I was a kid for a time. There was definitely one or two churches who sent the bus around. My parents were very religious and we were at our parish all the time. My parents didn't want me going to an evangelical Protestant church. The presumption that poverty = no faith is so off base.

 

As for it happening now, I am still befuddled that that church thought anyone would put their small child on a random bus from an unknown place for an unknown program. What in the what?!

Edited May 13, 2017 by LucyStoner

[HomeAgain]

That's obnoxious. I dislike evangelism more and more each day.

This. I feel like it is the scourge of Christianity, to put so much emphasis on conversion to mega churches while they put so little effort on acting like Jesus himself.

 

I have noticed something here. If I say I'm atheist, that's an unspoken invitation to come back more and try harder to win my soul. If I say I'm Catholic I'm obviously a lost cause who has sold my eternal soul to the devil and should be pitied. But from a distance.

 

Neither answer won me friends here except with the other outcasts : UU, LDS, and other fringes of Texas Christian society.

[Stacia]

One reason I don't like door to door evangelism (or any sales or soliciting) is that years ago, we had a huge zipper spider in her web on our porch. My dd & I loved to observe her every day. Just an amazing web, gorgeous spider. We would check on her multiple times a day, check on web progress or changes, etc....

 

Door-to-door visitors (actually Jehovah's witnesses) thought they were "helping" (I suppose) by ripping the web down & killing the spider. (No, she was not in the way of getting to the door. She was off to the side.) Made me livid (at them) & broke my heart (for the spider & my dd & I who really enjoyed watching her). Hypocrites -- busy trying to shill your "belief" while killing God's creature.

 

Edited May 13, 2017 by Stacia

[Guest]

I guess I don't understand why this would be obnoxious. Jehovah Witnesses were out in our neighborhood this week. Talked to the nice lady at the door for a moment, said "no thank you" and wished her a nice day. No big deal.

 

Just say you're not interested and move on. Door to door evangelism may not be time effective but our church has seen converts from the practice over the years.

 

And, just to be ornery for a moment, this week here on the boards a teen was widely praised for staging a protest over a dress-code but teens sharing their faith is somehow annoying. That seems a bit inconsistent.

And you might have a few new members with this method but you have no idea how many are turned off. Based on this thread, many!!

[LucyStoner]

If I say I'm Catholic I'm obviously a lost cause who has sold my eternal soul to the devil and should be pitied. But from a distance.

 

I have fallen back on my family's Catholicism more than once to get some of the pushiest self appointed evangels to leave me alone.

 

Once I was on a date with a Jewish boy when we were approached by a woman to be proselytized to. When he indicated his faith and I indicated mine, she left us. She later reapproached us with her husband. Her husband was there to tell us our religions were wrong. We ended up basically running away from them. This was at the Seattle Center. That was a first date and a last date but we shared a special laugh over that every time we ran into each other.

[Carrie12345]

Don't send a teen to my door to tell me how my life could be better with Jesus unless you're okay with me telling them all the ways theirs could be better without.

 

Fair is fair.

[Scarlett]

😥

[Scarlett]

As one of the people that so many of you are so offended by I would like to say we do what we do not because we think you are going to hell ( we don't even believe in hell) but because our belief is that we are commissioned by Christ to do so. We aren't trying to convert you. We are there to offer information and comfort if we can.

 

It is always enlightening for me to read these threads and see how people here really feel.

[Guest]

I just tell them I'm already attending a church and send them on their way. Pretty painless. My husband will corner them into a discussion on the person and deity of Jesus (which reveals heresy 9/10) and evangelize in reverse. That usually gets us on the verboten list for good :p

[Julie Smith]

I guess I don't understand why this would be obnoxious. Jehovah Witnesses were out in our neighborhood this week. Talked to the nice lady at the door for a moment, said "no thank you" and wished her a nice day. No big deal.

 

Just say you're not interested and move on. Door to door evangelism may not be time effective but our church has seen converts from the practice over the years.

 

And, just to be ornery for a moment, this week here on the boards a teen was widely praised for staging a protest over a dress-code but teens sharing their faith is somehow annoying. That seems a bit inconsistent.

 

The two situations you are referring to are totally different. 

 

Coming to my house, and knocking on my door is annoying if you are trying to sell anything, advertise anything, promote anything. 

 

You should only knock on my door if you want to spend time with me, or a member of the household. - or you have specific business with one of us. (ie. neighbor wants to borrow a bike pump).

[Laura Corin]

As one of the people that so many of you are so offended by I would like to say we do what we do not because we think you are going to hell ( we don't even believe in hell) but because our belief is that we are commissioned by Christ to do so. We aren't trying to convert you. We are there to offer information and comfort if we can.

 

It is always enlightening for me to read these threads and see how people here really feel.

 

This is an honest question: how would you feel if you had similar visits from Hindus, Muslims or atheists if they also felt called by their beliefs to go door to door?

 

I just wish that JWs kept good databases and marked a no as a no.  Where I worked previously (office of three people, not a revolving door) we had JWs visit every six months or so.  I always politely said that no one was interested, but they always came back.

 

My personal feeling about 'offering information and comfort': why assume that this is necessary?  Why think that I am uninformed or that an offer of comfort from a complete stranger would be welcome?  I really don't understand it.

[winterbaby]

I just tell them I'm already attending a church and send them on their way. Pretty painless. My husband will corner them into a discussion on the person and deity of Jesus (which reveals heresy 9/10) and evangelize in reverse. That usually gets us on the verboten list for good :p

 

I used to do the same thing when I was younger and had more time and energy. It's a good way to make sure you never hear from whichever group again. Which I find hypocritical because hey, you're the one who came to my door looking for a religious discussion.

 

But I am a million times more concerned with solicitors. My area is plagued with ones who won't take no for an answer and deconstruct any excuse you try to give, often obnoxiously. I've had them continuing to shout through the front window after I closed the door. It worries me a bit because some of these have been identified as scams by the authorities and I think, if you're willing to work a scam, what else might you be willing to do? Especially displaying such an aggressive attitude?

 

[OneStepAtATime]

FWIW, I have had some really nice conversations with various religious representatives, old and young, that have come to my door.  Sometimes we sit and have something cool to drink, swap stories, share our different views, then they go on their way.  No big deal.  (And in fact, one set of young women came back a few times because we had such a lovely time just hanging out.  They even helped me out a few times.  No pressure to join their church.  I had made it clear I did not share their beliefs.  We just had a nice time getting to know each other.)  But I tend to be pretty social and I don't have issues with other people wanting to share their belief systems with me.  I may not agree but it is interesting to learn a bit about another point of view/faith.

 

I also don't care if someone thinks I'm not the right kind of religion or going to hell or whatever.  Be polite to me and I will be polite to you.  Wanna share and listen and I will share and listen.  Get in my face, be judgmental and rude, well then that's a different story.

 

But I do understand why this can get annoying.  

[City Mouse]

I have a funny family story to share.

 

My BIL is a Jesuit Priest. He knew from the time he was 6yrs old that he wanted to be a priest.

Back when he was in college and home for a break, two nice young men came to the door on Saturday morning leaving their bicycles parked at the curb to spread the news of their particular branch of religion. My BIL invited them in (his mother was livid) and proceeded to listen to them and ask thoughtful questions. Then after they had finished he politely shared his beliefs. The two young mine ended up staying most on the day, Mom even fixed them a nice lunch, and by the time they left, BIL had them questioning their own beliefs and invented them to attend his church that evening.

[LucyStoner]

As one of the people that so many of you are so offended by I would like to say we do what we do not because we think you are going to hell ( we don't even believe in hell) but because our belief is that we are commissioned by Christ to do so. We aren't trying to convert you. We are there to offer information and comfort if we can.

 

It is always enlightening for me to read these threads and see how people here really feel.

 

Maybe you aren't trying to convert me but I assure you the myriad of people who have come to my door aren't there for mutual conversation. They are there because they think they have something I need. How is that offering me comfort? Comforting me how?

[Farrar]

One of the things that it immediately reminds me is how utterly extrovert focused churches are. How difficult to go door to door to strangers, who haven't invited you, a decent percentage of which are likely to be rude, to talk about something so personal as faith. And to have this as a baseline "this is what will make you a good church member" expectation.

 

I'm not offended by people doing the door to door thing. We get the JW's sometimes. We used to get the Mormons but they must have changed tactics... their mission is still up the street but I think since the neighborhood gentrified they don't see us as good targets anymore. But it's just so awkward. Surely there are better ways to let people know you're there. Before the church on the corner moved to the burbs, they used to do a block party once a year and three or so "church in the park" things where they did worship in the park like a revival. It definitely let people know they were there (loud), but I could choose to stick on headphones and close the windows and not talk to them.

[Scarlett]

This is an honest question: how would you feel if you had similar visits from Hindus, Muslims or atheists if they also felt called by their beliefs to go door to door?

 

I just wish that JWs kept good databases and marked a no as a no. Where I worked previously (office of three people, not a revolving door) we had JWs visit every six months or so. I always politely said that no one was interested, but they always came back.

 

My personal feeling about 'offering information and comfort': why assume that this is necessary? Why think that I am uninformed or that an offer of comfort from a complete stranger would be welcome? I really don't understand it.

Again our main reason is because it is our commission from Christ.

 

As far as the records we keep, we do keep records. However, people move in and out and people also change their minds as the years go by.

[Guest]

Again our main reason is because it is our commission from Christ.

 

As far as the records we keep, we do keep records. However, people move in and out and people also change their minds as the years go by.

Jesus told you to ring my doorbell on a Saturday morning?? Cause I'm sure there are better ways to spread the good news.

[Scarlett]

Maybe you aren't trying to convert me but I assure you the myriad of people who have come to my door aren't there for mutual conversation. They are there because they think they have something I need. How is that offering me comfort? Comforting me how?

Some people are comforted. And some are informed. And some listen more. We don't have anyway of knowing who might need something, want something be comforted by our message vs. those who are offended that we are doing our best to live by our beliefs.

[Scarlett]

Jesus told you to ring my doorbell on a Saturday morning?? Cause I'm sure there are better ways to spread the good news.

No door bells in Jesus day....but he did tell us to go from house to house and town to town. It is effective. And it isn't the only way we spread the good news.

[mamaraby]

As one of the people that so many of you are so offended by I would like to say we do what we do not because we think you are going to hell ( we don't even believe in hell) but because our belief is that we are commissioned by Christ to do so. We aren't trying to convert you. We are there to offer information and comfort if we can.

You don't know me. Don't come to my door convinced that I don't already have the information you have to offer and more comfort than you, a random stranger, could ever possibly provide.

 

What amuses me is that when people say how they feel about door-to-door evangelizers, the response is not tolisten to your targets, but instead to decry how silly we are for being offended. If your goal is to offer what you say you're offering, then maybe, just maybe you might want to actually listen to what your targets are saying.

 

I actually find door-to-door evangelizers slightly less creepy than the JW who randomly sent me a "letter of comfort" to my house via mail. First of all, where do you get off sending me mail to my home address while you (the letter writer) hide behind a PO Box. If you have the gall to send me a letter providing unsolicited "comfort" at least have the kojones to put your home address on it.

 

Save your "comfort" for the peopleyou actually know and provide it in ways they actually need. That might actually be appreciated.

[73349]

Some people are comforted. And some are informed. And some listen more. We don't have anyway of knowing who might need something, want something be comforted by our message vs. those who are offended that we are doing our best to live by our beliefs.

 

The offensive part is not living by one's beliefs, but expecting other people to drop what they're doing and listen to why they should share those beliefs. It's a commercial on my porch.

[elegantlion]

One of the things that it immediately reminds me is how utterly extrovert focused churches are. How difficult to go door to door to strangers, who haven't invited you, a decent percentage of which are likely to be rude, to talk about something so personal as faith. And to have this as a baseline "this is what will make you a good church member" expectation.

 

 

 

:iagree: I am a total introvert and would be horrified to be required to go door-to-door to share my faith. I dislike people coming to the door because my faith is personal and I'm not about to discuss it what I see as something highly personal with strangers at my door. I also strongly dislike unannounced visitors at my door. 

[FaithManor]

There is no similarity between a teen protesting institutionalized injustice and a teen coming to a stranger's front door to tell them how to save their soul, that they're going to hell, who Jesus is, etc.

 

The first starts in facts. Known information. There is a posted dress code to which we object. We are standing up for respect and rights, for ourselves and for others. We address our concerns to persons in authority, and we do it in the public sphere. We go TO the offender, not at their home but at the professional/official source...we assemble at the site of the institutionalized injustice.

 

Apples.

 

The second starts in really offensive presumption, that the person's soul might be headed for eternal damnation, that they'd be saved by Jesus if only some kid would tell them who he is...we are standing up not against injustice, but for the right to presume and pronounce on a stranger's spiritual state, according to our individual religious beliefs...and this is all conducted on the unsuspecting target's front porch.

 

Oranges.

Thank you Tibbie! You nailed it on the head.

[DawnM]

I will pray for you.

 

(sorry, couldn't help myself)

[LucyStoner]

Some people are comforted. And some are informed. And some listen more. We don't have anyway of knowing who might need something, want something be comforted by our message vs. those who are offended that we are doing our best to live by our beliefs.

No one is offended that you are living by your beliefs. The offense comes in when "no thank you" is met with anything other than leaving and not returning.

 

I'm not annoyed when someone comes. I'm annoyed when they come back or when they argue with my first refusal. When I lived in a townhouse and the door was one floor below my main living space sometimes it was annoying to have people ring the bell and go all the way downstairs for nothing but in general, provided people don't come back, I'm ok with it.

 

I still think it is ineffective and intrusive. I imagine you would feel the same about people coming to evangelize to you.

[Scarlett]

You don't know me. Don't come to my door convinced that I don't already have the information you have to offer and more comfort than you, a random stranger, could ever possibly provide.

 

What amuses me is that when people say how they feel about door-to-door evangelizers, the response is not tolisten to your targets, but instead to decry how silly we are for being offended. If your goal is to offer what you say you're offering, then maybe, just maybe you might want to actually listen to what your targets are saying.

 

I actually find door-to-door evangelizers slightly less creepy than the JW who randomly sent me a "letter of comfort" to my house via mail. First of all, where do you get off sending me mail to my home address while you (the letter writer) hide behind a PO Box. If you have the gall to send me a letter providing unsolicited "comfort" at least have the kojones to put your home address on it.

 

Save your "comfort" for the peopleyou actually know and provide it in ways they actually need. That might actually be appreciated.

I am not decrying that you are silly for being offended. Be offended all you want. I was only trying to express our reasons for doing what we do. And we don't do it to annoy you.

 

I don't know why someone wrote you a letter and used a po box. If you want to talk to said person write them back and ask them to call you or come see you. But it sounds like you don't want to so what is the issue.

[Scarlett]

:iagree: I am a total introvert and would be horrified to be required to go door-to-door to share my faith. I dislike people coming to the door because my faith is personal and I'm not about to discuss it what I see as something highly personal with strangers at my door. I also strongly dislike unannounced visitors at my door.

Yes it is definitely more difficult for some than it is for others.

[DawnM]

As one of the people that so many of you are so offended by I would like to say we do what we do not because we think you are going to hell ( we don't even believe in hell) but because our belief is that we are commissioned by Christ to do so. We aren't trying to convert you. We are there to offer information and comfort if we can.

 

It is always enlightening for me to read these threads and see how people here really feel.

 

Mormons are NOT trying to convert others?  I thought that the whole purpose of the 2 year mission was to proselytize.  I even see that on the Mormon websites as being the reason.

 

Isn't the "information and comfort" the message of the Book of Mormon?

 

And I apologize, I see now you are JW, but my point is still the same......JW's are there to proselytize and convert, not just "offer comfort."  

Edited May 14, 2017 by DawnM

[DawnM]

To "share the news of Jesus Christ". Gee, thanks 15yo!! This is the Bible Belt but I've somehow missed this Jesus you speak of 🙄. Why do churches do this?? It is annnoying. And I imagine the percentage of people who join a church based on a visit by a teen is pretty small. Sending the teens to help at the homeless center or any of the other 100 worthwhile organizations would be a much better use of their time and a much better witness.

 

 

Oh goodness, I would be horrified if my church asked our teens to do this.

[Jean in Newcastle]

So don't open the door. I look out my living room window to see who's coming. If it is a solicitor or anyone I don't want to interact with I don't open the door. Pretty easy. Same principle with telemarketers or junk mail. They have the right to contact me. I have the right to not be available.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Scarlett]

It is good to hear all of this. I sometimes forget not everyone on this board is a friend. Which is fine of course. Not everyone in every circle is going to be a friend.

[Scarlett]

Mormons are NOT trying to convert others? I thought that the whole purpose of the 2 year mission was to proselytize. I even see that on the Mormon websites as being the reason.

 

Isn't the "information and comfort" the message of the Book of Mormon?

I don't really know since I am not a Morman.