Years ago, while living in Africa, Religious nuts were always hanging out at the post office handing out "The Upper Room". I just told them that their little booklets were the best beer coasters I ever had. (I was not lying. As one page gets old just rip it off and have a new page.) Needless to say, they stopped approaching me. Thank God. LOL

Depend whats on the tube!

Happens all the time because I live less than a mile from a JW Kingdom Hall. Usually I engage them. For the most part I've had pleasant conversations, but neither of us have changed our minds!

Last time I poked my head out the door and said not interested, and I'm not wearing pants

Last time I poked my head out the door and said not interested, and I'm not wearing pants

Last time I poked my head out the door and said not interested, and I'm not wearing pants

I usually try to engage these people in conversation, (It's good practice at thinking on your feet) but as soon as I reveal my lack of belief, they seem to lose interest.

Once upon a time I lived with my brother, we stripped down and answered the door naked. Good times!

Usually (if I have time, at least) I invite them in, hit the bookshelf, and pull out all my books on the topic of religion, including the Bible. More than happy to chat about it, I'm never mean, and shortly they wind up excusing themselves out.

We try to be very quiet and hope they don’t knock. If they do we don’t open the door. I once had a man bother me in my car as I was eating lunch in a rush about to go take an exam. I am always friendly but I rip their pamphlets to shreds when I get home. I find it very rude to ambush me in my own car where I can’t really escape.

If I am not expecting anyone I might not answer the door. My kids know to call before they head my way, and they know how to get in. And then if I do answer the door I'm pretty good with saying "get the hell off my porch."

That's strange to me. I grew up in a town that didn't have them, at least not to my knowledge. I don't remember anyone ever coming to peddle religion. I moved around a lot in my late teens and early 20s so I don't think I settled long enough to have anyone come knocking. When I finally did settle it was out in the country where they generally didn't go. Before I lived where I am now, I was in an apartment for 4 years where it wasn't allowed. It wasn't until this last 3 years that I've been in a place smack in the middle of a handful of Baptists that I've had the door knockers. I'm pleasant, and tell them I'm not a church kind of person and really don't like crowds. I think I've had 4-5 visits but only one got a little pushy. That one I had to tell them I wasn't Christian and wasn't interested. When the person percisted I fell back to a quick talking assurances method, that I was secure in my own faith and I'm pleased they had their own but that I had some things to attend to. If I ever get some inclination I'd be happy to stop by. A smile, a nod a handshake and a wave if there is anyone in the car, then the closing of the door. I never invite them in though. That's commiting to a chat I really don't want to have.

If I have the time I invite them in and offer a beverage. never give up the opportunity to tell the religious folk that I'm simply not buying.

Ignore them until they go away, or shout that I'm not allowed to answer the door.

I will be polite in telling them "No Thank You" but I do have a patience limit when they keep insisting. I ran into that recently with two females who would not stop. That is until I open the door fully, I was standing behind the door with a tshirt and boxers on, and stressed I had better things to do than keep trying to be polite and while I needed to finish getting dressed. They were embarrassed then and left.

It depends - with JW is essentially impossible to talk. They are indoctrinated to the level of psychosis.
Yet the Mormons are generally nice - actually I see them, talk them and discuss with them pretty often.
And generally I am pretty opened for a religious discussion.

When a team of proselyters comes to my door I am friendly but firm and I tell them I am not interested in discussing religion with them. I live in a small town, work closely with members of the christian community and I am friends with some of them. Most people around here know how I feel. They show up maybe once a year and I am not overly bothered by the visit. What does bother me is a group from the Pentecostal church who stands down at the corner with a bull horn, preaching. They bring the children holding signs and put them on display. I literally have to roll my passenger side window up so I do not get blasted in the ear.

Congrats you don a fine job proofing to people that we are just humans but don' take there bullshit

Most of them say that errors from the old testament don`t count. So I ask them "did the last supper happen before or after the Passover"? Mathew says one thing Luke says another.

I have done something similar back in the days I wanted to defame them, I would invite them in and explain about my position, I prayed they would reach my door this day and since god sent them, they came in. I told them about satan and then ran out of time. Now I smile and say no thank you but I do appreciate them thinking of me, What the hell, they will never understand reality until it hits them square in the face

I am cordial, telling them I will listen to what they have to say as long as they will listen to what I have to say.

Answer the door, inappropriately clad, speaking as if mentally compromised, and launch into my best fervent evangelical diatribe, pontificating on the meta-physical certainty of the random Bovine Scatology that is present in my mind.

I've run the gamut from debating them, pretending to sacrifice one of my pet chickens to Satan in front of them, to waving through the window and refusing to open the door. To be determined which is the best technique.

Well we won't answer the door. We also printed signs out and placed them on the door,no solicitations of any kind including religion.

I usually just say no thank you, or that I'm not interested and shut/lock the door. Sometimes I'll say that I'm atheist. There used to be an elderly couple (when I was 18/19) that must have had me on their list, but I haven't had door-knockers in a couple of years. If I feel like, I'd engage in conversation, but not be rude or get heated. I volunteered as a campaign canvasser from local, governor, and presidential races, so I know how door knocking can be. I actually don't do it anymore (but that's a different topic). Anyways, my advice is either not engage or keep it short and simply, but be friendly (or atleast decent!)

So my doorbell rings and I answer it and there's these two well-groomed too-young-for-me women there. Obviously missionaries.

Missionary 1: "Hi! We'd like to invite you and your family to come to our church's Easter celebration. There's a big musical stage production, it's very impressive to see."

Me: "Oh, that sounds cool. Do I have to believe in God to go?"

[Pause.]

Missionary 2: "No! No, you don't. You could come and just enjoy the show. Like she said, it's a very good production, our stage manager used to work on Broadway."

Me: [Smiling.] "You girls are all right. I'll take your flyer, and maybe you'll see me there. Have a nice day now."

The flyer went straight in the trash after they left, of course, but I appreciated that Missionary #2 was playing heads-up ball and engaged with my question.