How do you feel about door-to-door evangelizing?

It's an invasion of privacy. If I wanted religious instruction I would seek it out myself.

It is freaking annoying. And usually carried out by kids who look about twelve years old, so I feel bad about telling them off. It's not like they know any better.

And seriously, how many questions can an eighteen year old answer? All the ones that fall into the nice categories their teachers went over, sure, but not the really sticky ones that people get hung up on. If anyone's going to go door to door, it ought to be the church elders who have some real wisdom and experience.

Also, I don't feel so bad about laying into adults for disrupting my weekend.

It is an invasion of privacy, in a big way. People should not be allowed to go banging on peoples doors trying to spread what THEY believe in down other peoples throats. I detest this practice! The manner in which it is done makes no difference. It is just plain WRONG!

I know that my opinion might be a little odd, but you see, I'm a student of religions and Comparative Religion.

So in general I welcome learning more about religions. I do explain to folks who come by that there's not chance that I'll convert, though. If they want to talk about their faith, that's great (provided I have the time when they come by), but if they only want to convince me that their way is the only right way, I nicely explain that in that case perhaps I'd be better learning about their religion from books, and to place not come by any more.

As a matter of fact, two nice JW ladies came by only around a half-hour ago. We'll just have to wait and see how that turns out. I did tell them that I'm a student of religions, but that that doesn't mean they'll have any chance of converting me. I told them straight up that I don't believe that bible contains all significant religious truth, and that I don't believe there *is* any ONE right way. They sounded like they want to come back and have a shot at it anyway.

I don't like anything about going door-to-door in this day and age. It's just not safe for anyone to open their doors to strangers all the time. The Internet is a great tool for spreading messages if people can figure out what is real and what is not.

Bothering people is NOT a good way of spreading the message.

Although there was a time I used to enjoy arguing with the (mostly Mormon) door-ringers, I now say "not interested" and close the door.

But they've interrupted me, and I find that a pain.

Door to door evangelizing has become quite popular lately especially among some Christian sects. They will claim they are doing Christ's work in spreading the good news as Christ did. Though they do nothing wrong by this and they have good intentions they misinterpret what scripture says. If we were to take a look at what Christ did while here, we will notice he went from town to town but did not knock on people's door. The people that wanted to learn came to him. For the most part, if you tell these people nicely that you are not interested then they usually leave you alone.

If I am in the middle of a VHS or a roast beef dinner, it is a nuisance.

If I was starting a church (1976) and required to make 1k contacts in August, I welcomed every/any friendly face.

And yes, it depends on how it is done and by whom.

If I say, "No." I do not mean "Try to argue with me."

They're unwanted trespassers. If they ignore my sign that says "NO RELIGION", they get hit with cold water in winter or pepper-laced vinegar in summer.

It's funny to watch people turning into icicles. It's even funnier when the godbots call the police, the cops come and see the sign and then criticize the godbots for trespassing. I've never been charged for protecting my home.

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I dislike it intensely. There are a very few things that make me angry....one of them is having a religious nut ring my doorbell.

Please note: I AM a religious NUT!! To the core. But I'm in the phone book, as is my parish. If the Holy Spirit leads somebody to me...I'll talk to them for days!!

But DON'T ring my doorbell. It makes my dog bark and is an invasion of my privacy.

Go away!