If I have the time, I make coffee and have a conversation. I just tell them that I get equal time to convince them that they do me. Most of these kids were indoctrinated, and a dose of healthy skepticism might save them a good deal of time throughout life.

I used to be polite to the JWs that came by, but they wouldn't give up. My teenaged son told me that he would take care of it next time. When they came by, they asked if he was a christian and he answered, "I am a pantheist." They had never heard of that, so he explained, in great detail, about a panoply of gods, each one for specific things. As they were leaving, he followed them down the driveway, still espousing his 'views' (possibly Nordic, or Greek - not sure), all the way to the road. They did not come back for a couple of years.

I handle it differently now that I live in a small Iowa town. I used to say "No thanks". In a larger city, I lived in an apartment and told one "No thanks, I am an atheist". Later that night I was in the kitchen with a sliding door. My roomate went out the door to the laundry and the minister jumped into the kitchen saying "I am here to save you". I also lived with my gun collecting brother and picked up a civil war pistol he was working on that I could easily stick my thumb in the barrel and told him to get out and to never come back. I don't remember seeing him again and we moved a couple of months later. The gun was unloaded. But, it was the only time that I have had to pull a gun and point it at someone in self defense. It was huge. Even unloaded I could have used it as a hammer if he hadn't stopped rushing toward me.

Depends on how I feel at the time. I'm never rude. These people have sincere faith, and the fact that I think its misguided is neither here nor there. As far as they are concerned they want to do something good for me so their hearts are n the right place, which I respect. Occasionally I'll have a discussion, but I'm worried that they will end up questioning their own faith.

I use phenomonology or street epistemology... They can't cope with people who think.

I take one look; say "no thanks" and shut the door

I am hospitable and polite I ask them in and offer them a beer or smoke(weed) or whatever I have and exspain that I’m an atheist and tell them POLITELY that they are fucking crazy.

If I answer the door, I'm nekkid!

I talk with them and debate them. I always treat them with respect. I used to evangelize myself, I get where they're coming from. I essentially take it as an opportunity to evangelize atheism. Many of the most outspoken atheists are former believers. Maybe I can get them to Join our ranks

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.

I have 8 dogs, when they knock my dogs go nuts. I just apologize and tell them my dogs are antitheists.

I invite them in and ask them questions and I think I may have influenced some of the young that come with older ones, I hope. But I am not insulting, I just show them that one can be congenial, happy in in good spirit without believing.

I never invite them in, but will step outside to converse. They’ve always been polite to my polite “no”

i have said...so you believe the bible is the word of god, which the answer is usually yes , i then add so slavery , killing of gays is ok?.....they might try to justify that slavery was ok for those times....and that the new testament is the word they follow....i answered so jesus came to right the wrong of the old testament... and god was wrong then......the answer i got was you need to read this and that verse....by now they are rather uncomfortable , and just want to leave...

Depends on who it is. I actually like the mormons, I've had some some really interesting intelligent conversations with them, and always invite them in for coffee. The jehovahs witnesses on the other hand, irk me beyond patience. Those are the ones I deliberately frighten or offend in the most creative and amusing way I can think of at the moment. An ex brother in law had one that came to his door every morning at breakfast time, one day he just answered the door nude, and she never came back.

I have a small notice on my front door that reads "No soliciting". The JW's get it after the second complaint, as they communicate w/ their others. The only other bracket happened to be the Bernie Sanders folk - those people shared they felt entitled to knock because of who they represented. "We're not soliciting - we are sharing wonderful news !" I shared they should tell Jesus, and to please leave and do not return. (I wanted Bernie to be on the ballot, BTW).

Door knockers soon disappear. I spend most of my day when at home without clothes so when I answer the door in a hastily fastened dressing gown..... they just meekly accept my general unwelcoming stance.

I don’t have many as I live far out in the country, but the last time I had some Christian ladies stop by and invite me to their church, I was very polite. I told them thanks for the invite, but I’m an atheist. They looked at me like I had just said I eat babies, so I shut the door in their horrified faces and that was that.

I once made a Jehovah witness cry. It wasn't intentional, I wasn't even being mean. I was rational and never lost my temper. I think he simply believed that his arguments would be so compelling that I would change. I'd also like to believe that he found my arguments more compelling than he liked, but who knows.

If you are educated at all in apologetics arguing with a door-to-door missionary isn't difficult at all. It's actually depressingly simple. Hell, the Mormons send their kids out.

I welcome them in and talk with them as long as they can stomach it. I used to be a Mormon missionary, and so i have a bit of a soft heart for them. I try not to bash them, but I do make a point of leaving them with one or two new nuggets of information to think about. I try to also talk about other shared interests that are not rooted in foundational claims of their religion. If you find the right balance, they will come back (which might be cool, if you are interested in sharing with them a few more things). I am not into totally bashing another's religion, and trying to convince the fallacies of their faith in one visit. I take that back. I am more inclined to do so when confronted with dogmatic extremism... particularly with evangelical Christians.

My son will be serving a mission soon. Despite my disbelief, i would hope that folks would be gentle while informative and friendly to him.

I try to be polite, but firm. I tell them I am not a believer, and I'm not interested in discussing it. I actually had a woman ask, "Do you mind telling me what happened to you to make you not believe in God?" Believers truly are convinced that non-believers are somehow damaged.

I like to invite them in, as they generally are nice people. I promise to read all the pamphlets and books they want to give me, if they promise to read the books I give them and we have equal time for discussion. I am just as nice to them, but don't even invite me to bible study and they never come back.

Politely tell them you are not interested.

Bought my first house last year, and now I'm living in a small city. Had a nice couple come to the door last summer with a flyer for a religious event they were holding. After a very brief explanation, they asked if I was interested, and I just smile and politely said, "no, thank you." They wanted me to to take their flyer anyway, so I did. I seem to have always imagined that I'd be more clever or bold in a situation like this, but I kinda blew it.

I was sitting in the living room yesterday when I noticed a man leaving my porch. I was reading, and didn't notice him approach the door. He didn't knock. I assume he tried the doorbell which doesn't work, and left when I didn't answer. I watched as he and a younger man went to the two houses across the street. No one was home there either. When they were safely gone, I checked the porch to see if they'd left literature, and there was a postcard sized ad in my screen door handle. It was a local politician running for city council. Kinda bummed, because after looking him up, I kinda wished I'd been able to talk to him.

Don't answer