Mormon Callers

[granny grump]

Two very personable young mormon men have just called at our door. Whilst I did not engage with them in respect to their religion I cannot help but admire them & Jehovah's Witnesses for calling in this way They must get so many refusals and even abuse but they still continue to call.

I realise that people do feel that they are intruding but I cannot be rude to them

How do other people feel

[boxtops]

You can tell them that you are a practising anything, and they will go away.

[mike11111]

I haven't had Mormon callers for years but they were always clean-cut all-American boys with manners to charm. Pity their beliefs are so weird.

[TheWinner]

If I do answer the door and there are people there who don't have the same religion as ourselves, I usually say to them, I am very impressed with the commitment you show to your faith, but we are ...........................(blanked for obvious reasons).
They always seem to be grateful that we acknowledge that. If they wish to leave literature, I don't offend them by not taking it. Is that not kind?

[DTCwordfan]

they turned up many years ago on Sunday pm in Hong Kong.

Boozy lunch, missus having a nap and I fell asleep in the living room, curtn closed against the bright tropical sun.

Doorbell and I opened the door.

"How could you be out on the Sabbath. This is a God-fearing Methodist household (untrue) - here we are, curtains closed, the only book on Sunday being the Bible and the day is for rest. He commanded it."

Two Chinese JHs leg it out of there, never was disturb again, probably had some mark or cross engraved into the woodwork to warn their mates.

Wife pizzing herself in the (dark) background as she heard every word of my my benign tirade.

[RATTER15]

mike, "Pity their beliefs are so weird." you mean they believe in the invisible in the sky?

I got to agree with you.

[wolf63]

I agree with Mike. They are usually polite and to away when I snarl at them. I don't think that I would be brave enough to do what they do though - they must think of themselves as missionaries coming to educate the savages.

Their religion was thought up by somebody high on some substance - way too odd.

[mike11111]

Of course boozy lunches are a regular feature of God-fearing Methodist households :-)

[sherrardk]

We have Mormon lads who hang around the city centre trying to waylay people - they are very polite and easy enough to get away from.

[DTCwordfan]

of course they are Mike, they weren't too know!

Got a sticky keyboard it seems so my text was missing a few letters/spaces - must be the wine that I spilt in it - in HK of course........

[dr b]

I don't think Mormon beliefs are any weirder than any other religions (but they are equally weird) - they just haven't been around as long. So Moses can talk to a burning bush because it was thousands of years ago, but Joseph Smith had the bad luck to be talked to by an angel during the Age of Reason ;).

Anyway, I have a different perspective here in the States because I see them when they come back (I have several good friends who are Mormon). bear in mind that these are 19-20 year old kids who leave university for 2 years to go to a strange land (often speaking a strange language) and basically get doors shut in their faces for that time. It certainly develops a lot of courage for lack of a better world. So they come back here not afraid of anything and go on to become doctors, lawyers, engineers, entrepreneurs, etc., in general incredibly successful people by society's standards. in general a very risk-taking group of people (start a company, make it successful, sell it, start another..) A combo of Western US culture and the nerve gained by the mission.

A pity about the weird beliefs, tho.....

[dr b]

"better word"^

[funnygirl]

I slam my door in their faces!

[mike11111]

Without starting yet another tedious there is/is not a God debate, by weird I meant that their particular beliefs are totally at odds with those of the mainstream Christian churches.

[askyourgran]

My cousin is a Mormon, she and her husband regularly greet visitors from Salt Lake City. I don't accept this belief but from my own experience these young men are very polite and only wish to spread the word. I can only think how lonely and soul desroying it must be for them visiting a strange country. I once invited two in as it was a very cold wet evening and I felt sorry for them. We talked naturally about religion etc, they would only drink water no tea or coffee. After a short prayer together they went on their way. No mindbending stuff just a gentle visit.

[RATTER15]

>>>>Without starting yet another tedious there is/is not a God debate, by weird I meant that their particular beliefs are totally at odds with those of the mainstream Christian churches. <<<<<<

And they are pretty damned weird!!! A friend of mine and his elderly Father was being baptised today by being submerged in the sea. That's never normal!!

[askyourgran]

Ratter read your bible, converts to Christianity were submerged in water at baptisms.

[mike11111]

Total immersion is practised by some Protestant churches, though not usually in the sea. I think you need to distinguish between beliefs and practices.

[RATTER15]

Yes I know how,who and why, its still a ridiculous thing to be doing, why would any God want you to do that crazy stuff, you think that's normal!!? its bloody madness!!

[Butterflies61]

This is for the attention of: Wildwood; Housemouse; Flipflop; Ratterf15 and Boxtops in particular.
Having read all the comments with regard to this particular subject, I feel that I have to reply to a number of points brought up by various ones with regard to Jehovahs Witnesses.
I know for a fact that they are not trained from an early age. The young ones go out with their parents just as most youngsters go out with their parents. Can't leave them at home on their own.
I also know that Jehovah's Witnesses are all over the world, including lands where there is war - so no area is a 'no go' area.
They are not arrogant people - they are people just like everyone else. We work with them, live next door to them, our children go to school with them
they live by the Bible standards and one of the command given by Jesus was that his followers go out and tell others about the Kingdom of God.
Nothing or no one is of No Interest to JWs.

[RATTER15]

Butterflies, so what point did you want to bring up in respect of myself?