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Post by monicad on Aug 6, 2014 17:22:38 GMT
They do it for two reasons. First, it exposes the child to evangelistic outreach as a normal activity. And second, most people are less wary of adults with kids and a bit more willing to talk to them. I was raised as a JW and spent many hours going door to door in the 70's and 80's, so it's not new. But I agree with the comment above.
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Post by mzza111 on Aug 6, 2014 18:00:47 GMT
To play devil's advocate (ha!) I have to admire parents who are teaching their children from a young age about things that are important to them. I don't admire them at all for teaching their children how to trespass on to other peoples property. I also wish I had the balls to open the door butt naked and see if they still wanted to try and convert me!
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Oct 8, 2024 2:59:17 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Aug 6, 2014 18:04:55 GMT
What good would calling the authorities do? I don't think it's abuse, neglect, or illegal, so the police or CPS wouldn't do anything. And would be unable to do anything, even if they agreed with you. Maybe in the US, but in the UK they would be having a close look at it. (I live in Canada, but.... anyway) I don't understand what the issue is. Is this child endangerment, neglect, or abuse? I am 100% against proselytizing and a lot of the ways children are involved in religion makes me uncomfortable, but I honestly don't understand why you think selling religion door to door with children would warrant an investigation.
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Post by hennybutton on Aug 6, 2014 18:11:24 GMT
Why do churches still use this tactic? It doesn't work. IT DOESN'T WORK. You know what does work? Looking around to see who might need your help, not your religion, then going and actually helping them. CHURCHES! LISTEN UP! See a neglected yard? Probably an older person who can't keep it up...go do yard work! Volunteer at the local shelters - they need help, lots of it! Got graffiti in the neighborhood? Get a crew together and clean it up! Start a community garden and invite everyone! The opportunities for meaningful ministry ABOUND, especially in these difficult times. Going door to door is the single most useless enterprise AND it irritates the shit out of people. Preach the gospel at all times...and if necessary, use words. Yes, yes, yes. One of the reasons I'm gratefully Lutheran is that we don't do the in-your-face evangelism. You know one of the things that made the Christian church grow in the early centuries? When there were plagues, the Christians were the ones who stuck around to take care of the sick without regard to their own lives. When Lutherans send out missionaries, the first thing they do is take care of the physical needs of the people. They act as guests. They learn the local language. They become a part of the community. If the language doesn't have writing, they put it in writing and train teachers to teach people to read. Then, and only then, do they start teaching about the Bible. IMO, setting an example is so much more effective than preaching and proselytizing.
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anniebygaslight
Drama Llama
I'd love a cup of tea. #1966
Posts: 7,402
Location: Third Rock from the sun.
Jun 28, 2014 14:08:19 GMT
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Post by anniebygaslight on Aug 6, 2014 18:14:06 GMT
Maybe in the US, but in the UK they would be having a close look at it. (I live in Canada, but.... anyway) I don't understand what the issue is. Is this child endangerment, neglect, or abuse? I am 100% against proselytizing and a lot of the ways children are involved in religion makes me uncomfortable, but I honestly don't understand why you think selling religion door to door with children would warrant an investigation. Don't you? Dragging a child from door to door, when they should be out playing and potentially subjecting him/ her to verbal abuse from people who do not want other people's crack pot religions ramming down their throat can hardly be considered to be in the child's best interests. It is no different to dragging a child around while you are out working. It would not be considered acceptable here.
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Post by LovMelrose on Aug 6, 2014 18:15:52 GMT
We haven't had any at our door for years but they knocked on my door this summer. And, yes, it was a women in her 30's and a young girl probably 10-12. I've never seen children accompany them before. It must be something relatively new.
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Post by epeanymous on Aug 6, 2014 18:22:14 GMT
I haven't experienced that at all. But we don't get many door-to-door religious vendors.
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Post by gar on Aug 6, 2014 18:22:43 GMT
IMO, setting an example is so much more effective than preaching and proselytizing. If only that was taken on board by JWs and the like!!
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basketdiva
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,649
Jun 26, 2014 11:45:09 GMT
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Post by basketdiva on Aug 6, 2014 18:30:08 GMT
"Don't you? Dragging a child from door to door, when they should be out playing and potentially subjecting him/ her to verbal abuse from people who do not want other people's crack pot religions ramming down their throat can hardly be considered to be in the child's best interests."
How is taking your child with you when you knock on doors to invite someone to your church any different than dragging them shopping all day (when it's obvious he child needs a nap or letting a child go door to door selling cookies or popcorn? I no not consider it neglect or child endangerment in the least and If I was the one going door to door, I would be hopping mad if the authorities were called on me.
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Post by bluepoprocks on Aug 6, 2014 18:30:21 GMT
The JW that had a church? here moved and built a bigger place a in a different town. I haven't had any knock on my door since. Some of them were really determined to make you talk to them but most would leave if you said you weren't interested. I only had a family with kids come once. It doesn't bother me that they brought their children. I certainly don't see it as any kind of abuse. I'm sure the kids would rather be playing but they aren't in any danger. I think the police and child services have kids who are in real danger who can use their attention more then some kids that aren't getting to play a few days a week and most people don't curse at the JW they just say not interested and close the door. I wouldn't consider that too traumatic for a child.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Oct 8, 2024 2:59:17 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Aug 6, 2014 18:36:47 GMT
(I live in Canada, but.... anyway) I don't understand what the issue is. Is this child endangerment, neglect, or abuse? I am 100% against proselytizing and a lot of the ways children are involved in religion makes me uncomfortable, but I honestly don't understand why you think selling religion door to door with children would warrant an investigation. Don't you? Dragging a child from door to door, when they should be out playing and potentially subjecting him/ her to verbal abuse from people who do not want other people's crack pot religions ramming down their throat can hardly be considered to be in the child's best interests. It is no different to dragging a child around while you are out working. It would not be considered acceptable here. No, I don't understand. And I don't agree with your assessment of the situation as being against the child's best interests. I have two friends who work for the Children's Aid Society here, and the things they deal with are FAR worse than a child missing out on some potential play time.
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Post by lovetodigi on Aug 6, 2014 18:40:31 GMT
That is why I like living in a gated community. Cuts way back on the solicitors. That alone make the HOA worth paying.
ETA: Maybe they have started taking a child with them so people will not be so fearful about opening their doors to strangers. We are living in some scary, strange times and there are some dangerous people that walk up and knock on doors before committing a crime.
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Post by redrulz on Aug 6, 2014 18:43:09 GMT
That is so interesting you posted this! I was wondering the same thing! When I lived in a neighborhood I had fairly frequent "visitors", but we moved a few years ago to a house that has a long driveway off a fairly busy road and is not in a subdivision. I expected we would receive less door to door religious visitors. But, twice this summer an SUV pulled into our driveway with a woman and young child. They were both dressed nicely - like church dress nice. The little boy was wearing a suit and tie (and was totally adorable!).
Then, a different mother/child came about a month later. I asked to be removed from their visitor list. lol. They were very polite and apologized for bothering me so maybe it will stop. Is it usually JW that take a young child with them?
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MizIndependent
Drama Llama
Quit your bullpoop.
Posts: 5,836
Jun 25, 2014 19:43:16 GMT
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Post by MizIndependent on Aug 6, 2014 18:51:20 GMT
"Don't you? Dragging a child from door to door, when they should be out playing and potentially subjecting him/ her to verbal abuse from people who do not want other people's crack pot religions ramming down their throat can hardly be considered to be in the child's best interests." How is taking your child with you when you knock on doors to invite someone to your church any different than dragging them shopping all day (when it's obvious he child needs a nap or letting a child go door to door selling cookies or popcorn? I no not consider it neglect or child endangerment in the least and If I was the one going door to door, I would be hopping mad if the authorities were called on me. What offends me about it is the idea that "they won't talk to just me and my friend, but if I bring my kid...they won't turn away my kid." Using children like tool to get that door open...disgusting.
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kelkel
Junior Member
Posts: 77
Jul 10, 2014 16:31:30 GMT
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Post by kelkel on Aug 6, 2014 19:05:05 GMT
Haven't seen kids making the rounds YET. However, the neighborhood was growing tired of the visits by the JW van so I devised a "genius" plan...our neighbor (a big guy) was instructed to answer the door butt naked, screaming, with a pitchfork in his hand. We were to put devil horns on our head as well as our dog's head (from Halloween costumes). We thought for sure that would get us on the "do not EVER go to THAT house" list. Nope...my "genius" plan backfired. We're now on the "It's Saturday folks, let's go see if we can get through to THOSE sick people" list. Oh well...it was fun while it lasted. Now we just don't answer the door and let the dog bark like a fool.
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Post by Pahina722 on Aug 6, 2014 19:10:23 GMT
I also see it as shilling religion, and bringing a kid along is a very calculated ploy to get unsuspecting victims to open the door. Whether it's a new trend or not, though, I don't know. Luckily, we haven't had any show up in quite a while.
Anyone else also have the fundamentalist shouters who show up at busy intersections with their placards and scream Bible verses at the stopped cars? We get whole families, all the men in long sleeves and ties, the women in Sunday dresses, the kids miserable in Sunday best as well, taking over all four corners and just shouting. They never actually try to TALK to anyone. In Florida in the summer, they're doing this in 90+ heat with 90+ humidity, courting heat stroke. While I don't think dragging the kids door to door is abuse, the corner shouting nonsense certainly comes much closer.
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Post by gar on Aug 6, 2014 19:12:45 GMT
I also see it as shilling religion, and bringing a kid along is a very calculated ploy to get unsuspecting victims to open the door. I agree but I think it's usually pretty obvious who they are/why they're knocking so it wouldn't fool many people imo.
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Post by chirpingcricket on Aug 6, 2014 19:36:29 GMT
Y'all aren't from a small town in the South. Every few weeks, someone knocks on my door. Sometimes it's a family; sometimes it's a pair of Mormons; sometimes it's a small group of youth, sometimes it's a group of adults. I guess Southern religious sects are just a great deal more willing to proselytize. Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons, certain Baptist sects (there are so many different kinds of Baptists, I genuinely cannot keep up with them all). It's just what people do. It will never work on me, but it must work sometimes, or why would they keep doing it?
It's funny, though, because thread reminded me of that scene in Bull Durham where the really religious guy gets picked up by Millie, the groupie. He asks her, "Millie, would you like to hear my witness?" And she replies, "Honey, you can talk about anything you like." Or... something like that. I can't find the exact quote, and it's driving me crazy!
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Post by eebud on Aug 6, 2014 19:53:58 GMT
JW's taking children with them is nothing new......as others have also stated. I am not sure why anyone thinks this is a new trend. I don't believe that I have ever had a JW knock on my door and there wasn't at least one child with them. Also, this is not child abuse. You are wasting CPS, the police or whoevers time if you call. I wonder if those who think it is abuse because kids should be outside playing instead of possibly having irate people saying ugly things to them, also think it is abuse to take children to a protest? After all, aren't you cramming down their throat whatever cause you are protesting and those on both sides of the protest might be yelling ugly things? People take their kids to things all the time that are something they believe in. All of that said, I do not like dealing with any of the churches going door to door. I don't usually open the door and if I do, I politely say, I'm not interested and close the door. But, I do this to all solicitors. Also, I absolutely believe they should respect a No Soliciting sign. If I Had one up, I would ask them if they knew what No Soliciting meant as I closed the door.
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SuPeaNatural
Full Member
AUSTRALIA
Posts: 424
Jun 27, 2014 8:49:11 GMT
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Post by SuPeaNatural on Aug 6, 2014 19:55:22 GMT
Thankfully, we don't get many door to door religious salespeople in my neck of the woods, and haven't had any here in a few years. I've seen them around town, but they've left my street alone. And of course, now that I've stated that, they'll be here next weekend! I've never seen them with young kids - well, early teens, but no younger than that.
My dogs are in the yard all day and one is great dane\Irish wolfhound X so is pretty big. Most salespeople think twice before coming in - that gorgeous mutt has saved me from quite a few 'Bible Bashers' (as we call them).
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Post by polz on Aug 6, 2014 21:18:49 GMT
I grew up JW and it was normal to go witnessing every Saturday morning. This was in the 80s, so no, it's not new. One time I went with an elderly lady and a guy answered the door stark naked. She said "Well, Jehovah sees you in your natural state... and she kept on going with her spiel I'm not involved anymore. BTW, like all groups of people, there are good ones and bad ones.
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Nink
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,955
Location: North Idaho
Jul 1, 2014 23:30:44 GMT
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Post by Nink on Aug 6, 2014 21:58:51 GMT
We seem to go bi-weekly with the two biggest door to door people here. They must schedule with each other because their weeks never conflict with one another. One week it'll be the JW couple and the other week it's a few teens asking for a donation to help them stay off drugs. Ummm, why should I need to give money for you to stay off drugs? Just stay off them. And if you don't, well...then I'm not trusting you with my money anyway. Makes me nuts.
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Post by JBeans on Aug 6, 2014 22:19:18 GMT
Last week my mom posted that she saw some "Bible thumpers" in her neighborhood and they had a young child with them, going door to door. Several of her friends were appalled and said they refuse to answer the door when they see "those kind of people." The "No Solicitors" sign does nothing. In my previous neighborhood, I would get a couple older ladies from the nearby Jehovah's Witness hall knocking on my door. I believe one of my neighbors was actually JW as I saw her riding in the van with them a couple times. Every time, I said, thanks, but not interested and please respect the "no solicitors" sign. They came back anyways. I've seen a few young women walking my neighborhood this summer. Today, I saw one of those young women (somewhere between 18 and 30) get out of a car with a young girl (10 tops) and approach my house. I refused to answer the door. Other than my car in the driveway, there was no obvious sign that someone was home. A man and at least two other people stayed in the car. A pamphlet was left in my door. Again, I have a sign on my house, "No Solicitors." I don't care about JW going door to door. If you have to sell your religion like a salesman, then there's something wrong with your religion (IMO). I think it's disgusting they are now taking young children with them as if that's going to increase their chances? This is a new thing, JW taking young children with them on their door to door "missions"? This has never been new. I've seen this happen for as long as I can remember.
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Post by 950nancy on Aug 6, 2014 22:31:28 GMT
Lots of young men in black and white (Mormon's) stop by our neighborhood. They always offer to help with yard work and are very well mannered. It does work with some people. That is why they do it. They also choose to give a year or more of service after graduation to go around the US doing this. I don't stop and talk to any other religious people other than the Mormons. I am not Mormon, but I know people that are and (slightly) understand their beliefs.
Anyone with a kid would not get me to answer my door. I have a no soliciting sign and many solicitors act like they don't know what that means. Very frustrating.
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Post by 950nancy on Aug 6, 2014 22:35:27 GMT
It is definitely not considered child abuse in any form in the US.
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Post by Skypea on Aug 6, 2014 22:58:41 GMT
To play devil's advocate (ha!) I have to admire parents who are teaching their children from a young age about things that are important to them. Would there be the same uproar if they took their kids to volunteer at a shelter or do yard work for an elderly neighbor? Having said that, I hate religious proselytizers with the fire of a burning sun. I don't admire teaching children to judge others' beliefs and try to tell them that there's a better way. Helping others and volunteering doesn't fall into the same type of action that proselytizing does. when they go to these homes they don't know the belief of those living there until they talk to them. They are teaching their kids their own beliefs and how they live them out.
In the same way those living in those homes teach their kids by how they handle the JWs at the door.
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Cim03
Junior Member
Posts: 53
Jun 26, 2014 15:14:48 GMT
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Post by Cim03 on Aug 6, 2014 23:00:23 GMT
Funny you should post this...when I got home from work today a phamplet was tucked in my screen door. Definitely not a new trend around my parts. They have been bringing their young children with them for years.
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Post by greenlegume on Aug 6, 2014 23:05:03 GMT
This is NOT a new practice. It has been going on for generations-at least with the JWs.
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Post by melanell on Aug 6, 2014 23:06:48 GMT
I imagine that if going door to door spreading the word is a big part of your religious beliefs then you would likely find it equally important to include your young people as they are the future of your religion.
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Post by disneypal on Aug 6, 2014 23:07:45 GMT
I am not usually home during the day so can't chime in much but I haven't seen anyone in our area with children in tow when they were going around to homes.
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