[gamby]

In an effort to set matters straight, Jehovah’s Witnesses published a tract that answered such questions as these: Who are Jehovah’s Witnesses? Are they Christians? Do they accept medical care? Why do they go from door to door? How is their work financed? How do Jehovah’s Witnesses benefit the community?
The informative tract in the French language was entitled Jehovah’s Witnesses—What You Need to Know. In order to leave the tract with as many people as possible, a campaign was organized. more than nine million copies were distributed.
This tract impressed many, including public officials. “The criticism leveled at Jehovah’s Witnesses fills me with indignation,” wrote a regional councilman after reading the tract. “Time and again I have come to appreciate the benevolent and unselfish character of your work.” In response to the tract, a member of the European Parliament wrote: “The majority of the people know very well how to tell the difference between the group of Christians of which you are a part and the*cults.”
In Brittany a Witness presented the tract to a priest, who readily accepted it. “I commend you for what you are doing,” the priest said. He then added: “I encourage my parishioners to let you into their homes and to offer you a cup of coffee. You can even tell those you meet that you have been to my home. I also want to tell you that I appreciate reading your publications.”
After receiving the tract, a Protestant man in Alsace wrote to the Watch Tower Society requesting a Bible study. “Having lost all confidence in my parish,” he wrote, “I’m looking forward to a new start spiritually.” Despite the false charges that are at times leveled against them, Jehovah’s Witnesses in France—indeed, in all parts of the world—continue helping people to come to an accurate knowledge of God’s purposes, as set forth in the Bible.—2*Timothy 3:16, 17.

[senior citizen]

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[senior citizen]

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[mulligan]

I do believe this horse is dead

[Russ_Boston]

Originally Posted by downeaster

Let's treat religion like politics. Taboo.

I guess that's what I meant.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by Russ_Boston

I guess that's what I meant.

Originally Posted by mulligan

I do believe this horse is dead

Enough is enough.

We can't do any better on this subject than politics.

Least said, soonest mended.

[Cedwards38]

Would those of you who are offended by someone knocking on your door with a cause be equally offended if the visitor were the minister from the local Baptist church inviting you to a revival, a candidate for local office seeking your vote, the chairman of the local _________ political party (insert your own choice in the blank) trying to invite you to a political rally, someone collecting for the March of Dimes, a neighbor collecting for the American Heart Association? Would you call the Community Watch if the visitor were someone distributing a petition for signatures about a local issue, someone selling raffle tickets for their grandson's elementary school fund raiser, or someone trying to promote a local blood drive at the hospital? If the religion being promoted by the visitor were Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Buddhist, Hindu, or other would it make a difference? If someone was hungry and came to your door seeking food, of if someone was rich and came to your door to give part of her fortune to you would it matter?
I'm just curious!

[JoeC1947]

I guess the tribal council has spoken. Some people say things they cannot or will not defend then they want to close down the thread.

[billethkid]

TV is a "no solicitation" community. The boundaries of which are tested/abused almost daily. Enforcement as usual is the issue and all the peddlars know it.

I put up a no solicitors sign at the door bell.....works about 90% of the time the other 10% get a hello...no thanx...goodbye with a closed door quickly following.

It is refreshing to participate in a thread where differing opinions are presented....without the bell being rung!

btk

[Taltarzac725]

Originally Posted by Cedwards38

Would those of you who are offended by someone knocking on your door with a cause be equally offended if the visitor were the minister from the local Baptist church inviting you to a revival, a candidate for local office seeking your vote, the chairman of the local _________ political party (insert your own choice in the blank) trying to invite you to a political rally, someone collecting for the March of Dimes, a neighbor collecting for the American Heart Association? Would you call the Community Watch if the visitor were someone distributing a petition for signatures about a local issue, someone selling raffle tickets for their grandson's elementary school fund raiser, or someone trying to promote a local blood drive at the hospital? If the religion being promoted by the visitor were Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Buddhist, Hindu, or other would it make a difference? If someone was hungry and came to your door seeking food, of if someone was rich and came to your door to give part of her fortune to you would it matter?
I'm just curious!

There are all kinds of channels to make requests like this in the Villages. TOTV is a prime example. Friends' groups. Neighborhood groups. Virginia Trace's web-site. The Villages Daily Sun ads.

Not sure why groups need to solicit for funds of any kind door-to-door in the Villages. Or, for souls as with the Baptists, Lutherans, Mormons, or Jehovah's Witnesses.

[senior citizen]

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[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by JoeC1947

I guess the tribal council has spoken. Some people say things they cannot or will not defend then they want to close down the thread.

Back in Ohio, the kids on my block would say, Wanna fight? Join the army.

Here is how I defend what I just typed (IF you meant me.) Some see no reason to get our knickers in a twist over something that is NOT dangerous, only annoying. Being rude to a church person just doesn't seem right and you don't have to answer the door and you do NOT have to say anything. Or just no thank you or thank you for the info.

OR...you can call the authorities. This is a value thing. We react to this issue as to how we were raised. There isn't any right or wrong answer.

Continue on. Ad infinitum.

[senior citizen]

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[JoeC1947]

Originally Posted by graciegirl

Back in Ohio, the kids on my block would say, Wanna fight? Join the army.

Here is how I defend what I just typed (IF you meant me.) Some see no reason to get our knickers in a twist over something that is NOT dangerous, only annoying. Being rude to a church person just doesn't seem right and you don't have to answer the door and you do NOT have to say anything. Or just no thank you or thank you for the info.

OR...you can call the authorities. This is a value thing. We react to this issue as to how we were raised. There isn't any right or wrong answer.

Continue on. Ad infinitum.

GG, I didn't mean you. I believe the person that was directed to knows I meant him. I'll give you a hint, his name begins with R and I already asked him outright why he called some of the posts ignorant.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by senior citizen

I didn't see the responses the way it's mentioned above.
The ones upset found the "callers" to be the rude ones; not the other way around.

None of us would go out of our way to be rude to a "church person".
I'm sure we are all raised just fine.

The "authorities" have better things to do than respond to disgruntled folks having their doorbells constantly rung.

What I've said is that we live in a pretty big house and are not always by our front door........we could be on any of the three levels ....or we could be out on the back screened in porch or on the deck or in the backyard.
Every time the doorbell rings to an "uninvited guest" is a hassle as you get older. We don't run as fast as we used to.

I think this is boiling down to who likes to go around and ring people's doorbells to who prefers their uninterrupted privacy.........and the J.W. we get up here are a bit offputting........maybe not as nice as the ones you get at your place in TV.

Also, if you didn't answer the door, how would you know it wasn't someone you might like to see????

We're talking "uninvited annoying solicitors"..............soliciting something we are not interested in.

Just last night we were discussing how THIS IS THE FIRST YEAR we haven't got any local candidates coming to our door on Sunday afternoons...........strange but true. They came for years, handing out fliers or hanging them on front doors........

I wasn't responding to YOUR posts senior. I have to agree with almost anything you have to say. You think things through and are very nice and considerate of others.

Sigh. We don't have much in the way of solictors period here...No Jehovah Witnesses have come to my door here in The Villages EVER...in the last year here or the first four in Hadley...so for me it is a non issue BUT I do miss the Girl Scouts...We occasionally have someone knocking on the door of our relatively new neighborhood trying to sell a palm tree or two.

I guess to me this isn't a problem. I remember reading on this forum before we moved here five years ago that someone cut through someone's back yard and people were ready to get their guns.

It takes all kinds to make a world. I am the boring kind.

JOE C. I am so glad you didn't mean me. Whew.