I'm usually pleasant, but I was having a yard sale and sitting in my garage. I've had people there coming and going all day long, my dog has been fine and very well behaved. I saw the van stop, and 4 people got out, the two men headed to my house and was walking up my driveway and my dog started going ballistic. They stopped halfway up the driveway and asked if I would put my dog away and I said "no". They turned around and went to my neighbors house instead. I don't know what it was about those people, but my dog wasn't having it! I've got a really smart ???? dog!!!

We have Mormons (possibly Morons) in the UK who knock on doors as well as 'The Witnesses' etc. Now the best thing to do to these individuals is NOT to slam the door in their faces but to INVITE THEM IN and give them a cup of tea and a biscuit. You will find that they are used to the door being slammed in their faces and being invited in they do not know how to handle anbd they go all pale and panicky..

However after a 40 mins lecture from me on how their religion stole/borrowed concepts from the Ancient Sumerians (through the route of the Babylonians) you can guarantee they will not believe you until you show them you can read a fair amount of Sumerian cuneiform (both dialects) and point out where they stole their ahem...ideas from. They will then want to leave in a hurried fashion especially when you suggest to them that the original story of their Jesus was a woman called Inanna and the real name of their lord is 'EN-LIL'.

The above happened even when I say I don't acknowledge such crap religious stuff by I do know where the original stories came from. #
Clue Zizuidra!

I have a sticker on by my door saying religious groups and door to door sales persons not welcome. Amazingly it works! Now I just get crap posted through my letterbox (not literally)

I say a quick "no thanks" and shut, but not slam, the door.
In college, I had someone come up to me and ask if I wanted to join a bible study. I told him I was an atheist and he said he didn't know what that meant. Who knows if he was being truthful, but he didn't push the issue. I walked away and he didn't follow.
As long as they are not being threatening, they seem like an annoyance, at best.

I don't have to deal with them. I live in a tiny hamlet and everyone knows I am a non-believer . I also have two chihuahuas whose barking will intimidate everyone on the porch.
Peace,
Spinliesel

I leave them standing at the door and simply tell them I am an atheist and thank them for their time and close the door.

A friend of mine observed that the Jehovah's Witnesses will cross the street to walk past his house when he wears a kilt.

Have a sign made that says, Deity peddling prohibited! " And watch them scratch their head as you shut the door.

I 'pray' for all the microorganisms and bacteria germs fungi etc we kill through our actions. I normally get a reaction god is caring so I progress onto extinction and then try to have a debate about the world were creating they usually start running off then lol

I look for the obvious: pamphlets, white shirt and tie, if I see them, I just tell them I am an atheist and have more faith in science than "religion." It's a whole other story if they get persistent. If they have to "sell" their faith, it's apparent they have none.

When I was 15 I tried to get them to come in and fool around. I wasn’t trying to get rid of them, but the bailed.

The same way I deal with human knockers; I knock 'em up.

Not invited, not wanted = an unopened door!

I don't get them any more as I live in sheltered accommodation, my granny used to let them in make them tea and cakes and nod in all the right places and when they had gone say -"I have done my bit for the day they left some other poor soul in peace whilst i had them here

I've had a few and it depends on who they are. The last was a couple of old church ladies bringing bibles from across the street (I live across the street from one of the dozens of churches in town) I politely invited them in, smiled, and explained that I am not a superstitionalist and place no value on religion because I care to much about truth and being able to distinguish between what is real (supported by facts) and things that are not testable and can not be demonstrated to be honest or true. I then explained that because all religions are based on faith (belief without evidence asserted as truth to accept any faith based claim as demonstrable truth would be dishonest and I value truth and honesty more then any desire to join a group that distorts the definition of "Truth" to include silly things a person wishes to believe without any supporting evidence to demonstrate any value of truth. I then politely and kindly sited a few atrocities their bible endorses including Jephthah killing and burning his daughter so god can enjoy the smell of her burning flesh, how their bible commands them to kill me (Exodus 22:19 NAB) etc. I ended their failed attempt to have me join their church by noting, "You are both clearly nice and good people and you really don't want to talk about your bible because I've read it several times and could spend hours pointing out contradictions and atrocities in your bible. You seam happy with your belief structure and I really don't want to take your happiness away. I thanked them for coming over and they thanked me for my time.

During other events I was not as kind. My favorite encounter was waiting in the bleachers (supervising a large group of kids) with the Campus priest at a Christening for a National Guard helicopter. The aircraft was hours late so the priest and I had hours to talk. He asked me why I would not call him father and I meticulous explained (with a long series of foundational arguments) why religion and churches were evil because (among a list of biblical (BS) horror stories) they teach youth not to question ridiculous assertions leaving those who accept faith based claims to be conditioned to accept nonsense and be more vulnerable to accept lies that could hurt them and our society. I used many biblical stories to illustrate my points and he agreed with all my examples. By the end of our talk he sadly agreed that religion and churches were evil and asked me what else he could do. I felt sorry for him because he was a nice guy and he had limited marketable skills. His eyes were filled with tears so I directed him to "The Clergy Project" Months later he was still peddling his fantasy book and guiding sanctioned prayers but I am still there an I haven't seen him in years. . . Not sure what he is doing now.

There are many stories but this is already too long.

Although 'door knockers' are blind to the principle, they nevertheless demonstrate lack of respect for the validity of others' beliefs with the assumption that whatever those beliefs might be, that they are automatically inferior to the theology they propagate. If you don't accept the notion that your 'message' or system of belief HAS TO BE superior to any and all others you encounter at various doors, why are you even there? Hostile reactions to door knocking, I believe, are motivated by the fundamental insult that 'you need to get right' and we're here to correct you. When time permits, I enjoy their visits because of being able to play in 'their ballpark'. They are usually unaccustomed to encounters with people familiar with the Bible and history surrounding what it contains. Most often when they decide it's time to leave they approach the door in backwards fashion, grinning and promising to send 'the big guns' (elders) who they believe to be better equipped to deal with my reasoning. It can be great sport!

I would like to thank everyone who has posted to this thread of thought. It has provided me with time to laugh, it has also showed me that I am not as creative as I would like to be. Thanks!

One time, I had a couple of Witnesses show up to my place. One of my roommates invited them in just to be friendly. Five minutes later there was another knock at the door. It was a young girl selling magazines. My roomates and I quickly invited her in, and then conspired to slowly excuse ourselves from the room one-by-one. So we left the three door knockers there talking to each other until they decided it had become awkward enough to leave.

I am an atheist please come in and I will tell you why your faith is untrue and without reason or logic.

I love it!!! My mother was a witness and my older brother was a born again. If I have the time, I engage them and counterpoint every word they say.

If you are referring to religious door-knockers, the FSM emblem on my door prevents some of this nonsense.

If I have the time and energy (I am disabled) I will tell them I don't believe in God (honorific capitalization used only when speaking to someone who believes, in fact or in theory), but I will listen to their statement and even debate with them in a friendly manner as long as they do not continue to proselytize. Eventually they go away, hopefully a little wiser.

Greet them with a smile and explain to them that I am not interested and bid them a good day. I see no reason to be mean or rude. They are clueless and have been convinced that they are doing a good thing.

We have a sign by our door, specifically telling them that we do not welcome proselytizing. It explains that we have studied the texts and come to our own conclusions and we don't need their help. That usually does the trick. If that fails or the sign gets blocked somehow (it happens), I simply reiterate what is on the sign. It is quick, simple, and there are no arguments from them. I see no need to be unfriendly or slam doors, although answering the door in some provocative manner would be fun.

A black cat in one hand, and a butcher knife in the other. I have a pentacle to wear, but sometimes they catch me off guard. I have tattoos all over my limbs, so I look scary enough without black clothing...besides I also have a white cat.