Whether they be Witnesses, Mormons, or another proselytizing religion, how do you deal with people coming to your door to spread their religion?
I just had my first experience since getting a place of my own and had a decent conversation through the crack in my door. After I told him I was an atheist he tried to use apologetics; when I told him I was familiar with his arguments and didn't find them convincing further explaining that I take a scientific route of belief and chose not to believe until there is evidence for a god. He understood and thanked me for explaining and listening to him and he left with a handshake. I was surprised at myself for how civil I was to him but how does everyone else usually respond?
I try to sell them drugs. That almost always works. In rare cases I've switched to trying to prostitute myself to them. That one has never failed, but it's unwise to start there.
Simple just tell them the pope would not be too happy
I guess I'm boring. If I'm busy or thinking I might be getting served with a photo radar ticket from Scottsdale or Paradise Valley, I just won't answer the door; but if I'm photo radar ticket free, I will answer and politely tell them I'm not interested and close the door. I will close the door even if they are still speaking. I closed the conversation politely. They are the rude ones of they keep talking.
We have a no soliciting no religion plaque on our door and one or two have still knocked and I point to the sign and say “I guess you can’t read, you wouldn’t be a christian/mormon if you could” then the huff and go away. If they try to put they’re propaganda in our door, we rip it up and hand it back to them.
My dad told me about an Irish guy who was serving with the RAF and stationed in California for training. Guy had never encountered door to door proselytizing before and he was kinda demented with some clever humor.
So some Mormons come a'knocking and he panics slightly, because he doesn't want to talk to them. So, he grabs a diaper (his wife and the kid were out). Then he gets a heaping spoonful of chunky peanut butter and slathers it generously into the diaper.
He opens the door and looks very panicked and confused for moment as they launch into their monologue. Halfway into their greeting he presses the diaper into his face and messily eats a chunk of the peanut butter.
The door knockers are very much disturbed and beat a hasty retreat as he watches and chews noisily on the chunkiness.
I try to be as civil as possible, but the ones where I live are often very stubborn or even outright rude. If I see them, I usually don't answer the door. If I have to talk to them, I try to be as polite and civil as possible in saying "no thanks" and asking them to please respect that I have my own beliefs. It's really hard, though. They are annoying and like to interrupt me and tell me they "want to see me in heaven". Just leave me alone and let me live my life in peace...
Normally I'll invite em to come in and chat..However only of they bring coffee.
Funny story though, these 3 Mormon women would make regular stops at my door(and luckily they were all really cute) anywho so after inviting them in I wanted to be a polite host so I ran through the gambit of offering them refreshments..offered em coffee,beer,soda,tea..To which understandably they said no...
So then I offered em hot cocoa...Which they accepted just fine....knowing full well it had caffeine muahahahaha!
Depends on what they rudely disturb.
They get anything from a laughing "I'm not religious" to "fuck off".
I'm not one to tolerate or entertain their delusions.
Honestly, I say I'm an atheist. Usually they ask "well what happens after you die?" I say "nothing. Ya dead" 9/10 the next thing they say is "well that's depressing." And I always say "mate you have an imaginary friend who will send you to hell for cumming outside of a pussy." They always leave right then and there.
Simple, you don't call first I don't answer my door. Problem solved.
If I even do answer the door, and they come on Sunday, I ask them if they talk to their God. If they reply "Yes" then I state in a loud voice, WELL, TELL YOUR GOD I'M WATCHING FOOTBALL, and close the door. Alternately, I ask them for their address. When they recover from their shock and ask "Why", I tell them that I want to come over and talk to their kids about Satanism or Islam. They leave quickly.
Honestly, I kill them with kindness. Seriously. It confuses them more than any insults, mockery, or slander could ever do. I tell them thanks but no thank you, politely refuse their pamphlets, and tell them to have a good day when they leave.
Maybe it's just that I get the same churches in my area but no matter what different faces show up each time, I do the same thing. Most seem shocked that a non-christian is so polite & kind, even if they try to bait me in to debating.
Admittedly I was in a bad mood once, and when they rang I told them the Muslims got to me first, called them infidels and demanded they leave... followed their "God bless you" comment up with an "Allah akbar". Yeah it was a jerky thing to do, kinda felt bad after but I had a bad day & i just let it get to me & took it out on them. /shrug
I like engaging them civilly. I tend to go for a Platonic questioning route and let them talk and inevitably they talk themselves into something silly. Usually this repeats over and over, but I'm good with that if I have the time.
I get the feeling they never get to talk without it being a pitch and I've had some lovely conversations on mild sunny days where the elder of the two rushed the younger away when they started nodding at my statements.
I do have fun with them. I'm a show me type of guy & ask those kind of questions.