What do you say to a Jehovahs Witness?: Philosophy Forums

Page: 1 2 3

What do you say to a Jehovahs Witness?

select
Tenured Poster

Usergroup: Members
Joined: Dec 22, 2003
Location: Arizona, United States

Total Topics: 91
Total Posts: 1186

Posted 04/22/06 - 08:46 AM: Subject: What do you say to a Jehovahs Witness?	#1
A Jehovahs Witness just came to the door and we basically ignored him, but still it seems like a missed opportunity. Does anyone here do or say anything interesting? Maybe engage in a futile theological dispute?
"To create man was a fine and original idea; but to add sheep was a tautology." Mark Twain

Darcho
Researcher

Usergroup: Sponsors
Joined: Mar 12, 2004

Total Topics: 43
Total Posts: 1110

Posted 04/22/06 - 09:06 AM:	#2
They came over to the house I was living in once. My roommate acted all interested. I just ignored their presence and minded my own business in my room. I don't know how legit this video is, but it is kind of funny regardless: http://www.wimp.com/missionaries/

jaoman
On the Road...

Usergroup: Sponsors
Joined: Mar 13, 2004
Location: Vancouver, Canada

Total Topics: 82
Total Posts: 1422

1 of 1 people found this post helpful Posted 04/22/06 - 09:19 AM:	#3
That's just hilarious. I gotta say, that's very much like the Jehovah's Witness that I'm familiar with - only not as violent. Good guy, but if he'd been there they would've needed an ambulance. The last time I had a conversion conversation, I asked a whole bunch of unanswerable questions, and the religious lady promised to call me back. She did, and when it became obvious that I was just wasting time, she promptly discontinued that conversation.
"With no relation to class or social background, whether it suits them or not, people yearn for a dream. Sustained by a dream, hurt by a dream, revived by a dream, killed by a dream. And even after being abandoned by a dream, it continues to smolder from the bottom of one's heart... probably until the verge of death. A man should envision such a lifetime once. A life spent as a martyr to the god named "dream." - Kentaro Miura

Moorhuhn
kill me if you can

Usergroup: Members
Joined: Nov 02, 2005
Location: UK

Total Topics: 11
Total Posts: 92

Posted 04/22/06 - 10:32 AM:	#4
Is there someone out there who can’t see they are related to scientology, or do I tell you something new here?
nothing can kill me

nosos
skeptical

Usergroup: Sponsors
Joined: Jul 24, 2004
Location: Coventry, UK

Total Topics: 145
Total Posts: 2285

Posted 04/24/06 - 02:56 AM:	#5
http://forums.philosophyforums.com...p?id=18973&highlight=nosos I posted this a while back—JW woke me up when I was moody & hung over then, before I could say I wasn’t interested, proudly and condescendingly presented the teleological argument to me as a refutation of my atheism. Which then prompted me to get into a really long philosophical argument with him which actually ended up being rather interesting…
"The men of the future will yet fight their way to many a liberty that we do not even miss? - Max Stirner "The person who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing which is more important than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature and has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself." - JS Mill "I'd rather be a crying little pussy than a faggy Goth kid." - Butters

notquitethere
Professor

Usergroup: Members
Joined: Aug 13, 2005
Location: Reading - England

Total Topics: 41
Total Posts: 970

Posted 04/24/06 - 04:06 AM:	#6
I once had a chat about loyalty with a Jehovahs Witness, who appeared to have turned to religion after being layed off.
"Never imagine yourself not to be otherwise than what it might appear to others that what you were or might have been was not otherwise than what you had been would have appeared to them to be otherwise." - The Duchess

swstephe
Tenured Poster

Usergroup: Moderators
Joined: Apr 20, 2006
Location: borneo island

Total Topics: 28
Total Posts: 3304

Posted 04/24/06 - 05:47 AM:	#7
oh my god! what are you still doing here! (because they keep revising their beliefs as to when the end of the world is coming and when -- and whether -- they will be taken from this world).
Ethics is the measuring of morality. Morality is the measuring of good. Good is the measuring of benefit. Benefit is the measure of values.

Hadrian
Student

Usergroup: Members
Joined: Sep 30, 2004

Total Topics: 3
Total Posts: 83

Posted 04/24/06 - 08:24 AM:	#8
Just ask them if the Bible is literally true. If they say 'yes' which they often do then there are multiple field-days to be had there. If they say 'no' ask them what right they have to say the Bible isn't literally true - either it is or it isn't the word of God (can't pick and choose - who says what's in and what's out?). Never had one make it off that hook yet.

Petunia
silent muse

Usergroup: Members
Joined: Jul 24, 2005
Location: Cold North, brrrrrrr

Total Topics: 7
Total Posts: 1071

Posted 04/24/06 - 09:02 AM:	#9
When I see two JW come to the door, I see two complex people with a life story. If you belong to this organization you are absolutely required to spend a certain amount of time going door to door. You record your time for the organization. If you do not fulfill this and other requirements, you will be shunned by everyone with whom you have a relationship in the organization. You are discouraged from forming relationships with outsiders. If you wish to pursue a meaningful discussion with them, then study what they believe and respectfully ask them questions that will require them to think. If you don't wish for discussion, I would suggest validating them with a smile, maybe cookies and milk, not taking what is said personally and help their required witnessing time be a little less degrading than usual.
Peer over the precipice

softtarget
banned

Usergroup: Under Review
Joined: Mar 17, 2004
Location: ininity

Total Topics: 64
Total Posts: 1548

Posted 04/24/06 - 10:52 AM:	#10
I grew up with a JW best friend. I wasn't allowed to go inside his house. Anyway, I studied a little with them when I was a teenager. It's the most dull, exclusive, homogenized religion ever. I was bored constantly with their talks. Anyway, he's a total agnostic now (like most of the other young JW's I knew). I don't think the religion stands much of a chance if it can't hold on to it's heriditary earnings...plus most of their prophecies haven't panned out. Infact, they've already revised their beliefs several times because their prophsized dates and times turned out to be false. Anyway (2), I'm always nice to them, I take their Watch Tower magazines (when they offer), maybe listen to a little spiel about "the end times..." and otherwise try to avoid any further religious discussion.
softtarget a journey to nothingness

Page: 1 2 3

Sorry, you don't have permission to post. Log in, or register if you haven't yet.