Jehovah's Witnesses with stalls in train stations

[bnm]

Tolerance.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

My reply to the Jehovah Witnesses has always been short and sweet.

I'm a Jehovah's By-stander. I don't want to be involved!

There is a meeting house just below St. Erth station but I cannot remember if it is for Jehovah's Witnesses, 7th day Adventists, or the Quakers. Come to think on, the Quakers Meeting house is just before the station in Penzance.

Why did you feel it necessary to include the Quakers with the Jehovah's Witnesses and the Seventh Day Adventists?

 

[Class377]

Why did you feel it necessary to include the Quakers with the Jehovah's Witnesses and the Seventh Day Adventists?

Because he wasn't sure whether or not it was their meeting place under the station!

Gosh, have I really just been more pedantic than Paul?

 

[Spamcan81]

I do wonder why it is deemed acceptable to be rude - this is quite mild - about religiously inclined people these days. There are, of course, many extremely "strong" minds who are religious. And some of the piffle put about by some rationalists could equally be described as "fairy tales".

Agreed. I am not religious but I do not feel the need to belittle those who are.

 

[reb0118]

Callum knows how to deal with the Jehovah's:-

here

 

[Requeststop]

Why did you feel it necessary to include the Quakers with the Jehovah's Witnesses and the Seventh Day Adventists?

Because I am not in the UK, and I was trying to recall who actually occupies that building. I hope my answer satisfies your curiosity.

 

[Busaholic]

My reply to the Jehovah Witnesses has always been short and sweet.

I'm a Jehovah's By-stander. I don't want to be involved!

There is a meeting house just below St. Erth station but I cannot remember if it is for Jehovah's Witnesses, 7th day Adventists, or the Quakers. Come to think on, the Quakers Meeting house is just before the station in Penzance.

The St Erth meeting house is a Jehovah's Witness one - they must have a large local following because their car park is often packed with some cars parked on the narrow road outside. The only time in this part of the world when you'll see cars of an average age of only two or three years. There are whole streets in Penzance which barely have any cars with registration plates postdating the 'new' system started in 2001!

As for Quakers, they have a meeting house in Marazion and one they use just off Penzance Promenade, but I'm not aware of one near PZ station.

 

[po8crg]

I used to do quite a bit of door-knocking for the Lib Dems. Probably should get back into it, it's good exercise.

We were always told that if they wanted you to go away then you just go, never argue with them. It's commercial sales (and I count chuggers as commercial) who are really difficult to get rid of in my experience

 

[edwin_m]

I used to do quite a bit of door-knocking for the Lib Dems. Probably should get back into it, it's good exercise.

You have my sympathy. Being a Jehovah's Witness must be a life of ease by comparison.

 

[mr williams]

The other Saturday morning there was a knock at my door, and it was a smartly dressed man and woman who wanted to tell me about Jesus Christ and the benefits of breast feeding ......

.....they were the Jehovah's Wet Nurses!!

(and for my next cracker joke!.....)

 

[Mutant Lemming]

I do wonder why it is deemed acceptable to be rude - this is quite mild - about religiously inclined people these days. There are, of course, many extremely "strong" minds who are religious. And some of the piffle put about by some rationalists could equally be described as "fairy tales".

Maybe it is a response to the veiled threats. Most people do not respond well to being threatened. Being warned about the dire consequences about what will happen if you do not follow their way is in effect a threat so the response they get is hardly surprising.
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I don't want anyone in my face selling me anything. God, glazing, Greenpeace or accident claims (couldn't think of a 'g'). Full stop.

I don't want them phoning me up, at any time.

I don't want them knocking on my door, at any time.

I want to live my life without unnecessary interference from anyone. If I want a product I am perfectly capable of approaching a seller in person, by phone or email. When the phone rings I want it to be someone I want to talk to (hallelujah for free caller display). If there's a knock at the door I want it to be a friend, neighbour or delivery person (praise the lord for spy holes in doors).




:roll:

Release the Hounds !
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We get a couple of young Mormons a few times a year in Newtown sometimes they use the train, you can spot them a mile off thanfully.

When my niece was little she used to get the Mormons and the Moomins mixed up. I always preferred the latter.

 

[NorthernSpirit]

Just offer them your copy of "Blood Transfusion Monthly"...

Not all of them refuse blood transfusions some of them will have one - someone I know who is a Jehovah's Witness had a blood transfusion after someone knocked them off their pushbike at 40 mph, there are some who are part of the Church of England who also refuse blood transfusions.

I don't have any problem with anyone who wishes to promote their religion on or near railway stations, its just narrow minded athiests who, quite often, complain about nothing in particular.
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I don't want anyone in my face selling me anything. God, glazing, Greenpeace or accident claims (couldn't think of a 'g'). Full stop.

I don't want them phoning me up, at any time.

I don't want them knocking on my door, at any time.

I want to live my life without unnecessary interference from anyone.

When the Soviet Union was going strong they use to send round athiest converters to try and convince those who were religious to abandon their faith. Thankfully they failed, be lucky that you live in Britain and not in the Soviet Union.

Even Spain's last dictator General Franco did the right thing by implimenting religion on the state and locking up those that went against his views.

 

[Wyvern]

Some Muslims were handing out leafllets a few weeks ago. I made te mistake saying "No thanks. I'm an atheist."

One of them followed me hoping to convert me and, given my scooter is limited to 4mph, I couldn't get away.

As an aside, I've just been into town and had to tell Santa to shift his sleigh. It was parked across a ramp.

 

[matt_world2004]

When Jehovah's witnesses last knocked on my door I told them whenever they knocked I donated money for an abortion charity and they never came back for some reason.

The problem I had with the ones outside the station on Sunday is that they were standing between the two automatic doors but with their arm out handing out the watchtower or whatever toilet paper it was. They were definitely on railway property as it was on a seperate pavement to the council one and it was under the station awning and right by a sign about tresspassing and fare evasion on the railway . But the way they had their hand out it was blocking the two doors, so you either had to talk to them to get them to move or take one of their crappy magazines. if there was a group of people trying to get into or out of the station, they were putting their arms up between each one slowing traffic flow

 

[Tibbs]

I do wonder why it is deemed acceptable to be rude - this is quite mild - about religiously inclined people these days. There are, of course, many extremely "strong" minds who are religious. And some of the piffle put about by some rationalists could equally be described as "fairy tales".

I think so, because it's a belief based on no rational evidence. It's not like skin colour or gender, where you don't have a choice. Sadly this leaves it open to the scum like the BNP who use religious intolerance as a proxy for hating brown people, which has led to us protecting religion in a way we haven't protected other unfounded beliefs.

I put religion in the same category as people who believe in homeopathy, ghosts, fortune telling, astrology, the loch ness monster and the rest of the hocum. People are indoctrianted with religion virtually from birth, so it's not surprising a lot of people believe, often without knowing why, nor having had any kind of spiritual experience, they believe because they have never thought not to. The Jesuits always said 'Give me a child until he is seven, and I will give you the man'.

Having said that, belief in the supernatural (in whatever form) is believed in some quarters to be genetic, so it may not be their fault.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God_gene
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I used to do quite a bit of door-knocking for the Lib Dems. Probably should get back into it, it's good exercise.

We were always told that if they wanted you to go away then you just go, never argue with them. It's commercial sales (and I count chuggers as commercial) who are really difficult to get rid of in my experience

I think the official rule is that chuggers can only follow you for 3 steps, after that they have to stop. So get past them as best you can.

Of course if they walk backwards while talking, you could always try to manoeuvre them into various street furniture.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I put religion in the same category as people who believe in homeopathy, ghosts, fortune telling, astrology, the loch ness monster and the rest of the hocum. People are indoctrinated with religion virtually from birth, so it's not surprising a lot of people believe, often without knowing why, nor having had any kind of spiritual experience, they believe because they have never thought not to. The Jesuits always said 'Give me a child until he is seven, and I will give you the man'.

Freedom of speech and expression allows you to make such comments without fear of what may have happened in the past under the Spanish Inquisition and in this very day and age in the areas under the control of ISIL, so it is amazing therefore that Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, etc, still have millions of followers around the world in the 21st century. I wonder how you discuss this matter of "belief without knowledge" with the Dalai Lama.

Look at states where religion has been forcibly suppressed in past days. Would you say that human enlightenment was a natural follow-up to this suppression or was the suppression of religion a means for indoctrination in something political that would suit the rulers of these states?

 

[matt_world2004]

Freedom of speech and expression allows you to make such comments without fear of what may have happened in the past under the Spanish Inquisition and in this very day and age in the areas under the control of ISIL, so it is amazing therefore that Christianity, Buddhism, Islam, etc, still have millions of followers around the world in the 21st century. I wonder how you discuss this matter of "belief without knowledge" with the Dalai Lama.

Look at states where religion has been forcibly suppressed in past days. Would you say that human enlightenment was a natural follow-up to this suppression or was the suppression of religion a means for indoctrination in something political that would suit the rulers of these states?

Yet America and the middle east with its persecution of atheists are bastions of democracy and tolerance.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Yet America and the middle east with its persecution of atheists are bastions of democracy and tolerance.

In the same way that Communism and its ruling elite in China and the USSR in times not too far removed carried out persecution of those who would not give up their religious beliefs.

 

[ExRes]

Yet America and the middle east with its persecution of atheists are bastions of democracy and tolerance.

Just out of interest, which atheists do the Americans persecute ?

 

[matt_world2004]

In the same way that Communism and its ruling elite in China and the USSR in times not too far removed carried out persecution of those who would not give up their religious beliefs.

Yes harssassment and persecution of those of any faith is wrong. People should be free to believe and worship what they want without interference, Which is why station side proselytising is also wrong.

Just out of interest, which atheists do the Americans persecute ?

There are seven states which ban atheists from running for office. Open Atheists that have ran for office have been criticised for their atheism. Acceptance of God is also a condition for parole in many states and participation in religious based drug and alchohol treatment programmes is often a condition imposed by courts.

 

[nottsnurse]

Also many 'family courts' (the organisations largely responsible for deciding issues of child custody during divorce) in the US consider the religious beliefs of parents in a positive light, whereas irreligious parents are viewed negatively.

Then of course there is the view held by many in the US military that being irreligious is incompatible with being a service person. Indeed it is considered a 'risk factor' that officers should be on the look out for.

http://m.theweek.com/article/index/247830/the-us-military-has-a-problem-with-atheists

 

[Oswyntail]

Maybe it is a response to the veiled threats. .....

That is a possibility. If people feel threatened - in this case by something they don't really understand - an aggressive response is natural.

I think so, because it's a belief based on no rational evidence. ...

I have no problem with you having that approach, though I personally believe an adherence to strict rationalism closes off a wealth of experiences which I quite enjoy. But I have no need to call rationalists names!

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

There are seven states which ban atheists from running for office.

How can you possibly justify what you say above as an example of the "persecution" in America that you stated in your earlier post.

In Britain, unless a law repeal has been made of which I am unaware, it is not possible for a Roman Catholic to hold a certain office of statehood, but this is not "persecution" in the widely-understood meaning of the word.

 

[matt_world2004]

That is a possibility. If people feel threatened - in this case by something they don't really understand - an aggressive response is natural.

I think people understand these religions all too well. it is the fact that the representatives of these religions feel that it is nesscescary to shove it down peoples throats which causes the rudeness.
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How can you possibly justify what you say above as an example of the "persecution" in America that you stated in your earlier post.

In Britain, unless a law repeal has been made of which I am unaware, it is not possible for a Roman Catholic to hold a certain office of statehood, but this is not "persecution" in the widely-understood meaning of the word.

What banning people of a certain faith from running for political office is persecution

 

[MidnightFlyer]

How can you possibly justify what you say above as an example of the "persecution" in America that you stated in your earlier post.

In Britain, unless a law repeal has been made of which I am unaware, it is not possible for a Roman Catholic to hold a certain office of statehood, but this is not "persecution" in the widely-understood meaning of the word.

Google defined persecution for me as:

hostility and ill-treatment, especially because of race or political or religious beliefs; oppression

... which not allowing atheists to run for office in seven states sounds like an example of. I am presuming those positions you allude to in the UK which Catholics cannot stand for are based around the monarch: I am tempted to say in that case they are not the same thing - America allegedly is the beacon of freedom of expression and freedom to be whatever you so wish without repercussions, which the UK monarchy isn't. We are talking about basic political roles here which people cannot stand for, not the sovereign of a state based on a certain religion. It's a bit like saying, to use your example, in certain UK counties Catholics cannot stand as MPs.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

What banning people of a certain faith from running for political office is persecution

Your phraseology used above (unless you have purposely omitted punctuation) does not read correctly. Can you clarify, please, as what you say goes totally against the point you made in an earlier posting.
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Google defined persecution for me as....

Come now, young sir, Google is not to be taken as the fount of all knowledge as only human beings with human frailties are the composers of such entries.

 

[matt_world2004]

Your phraseology used above (unless you have purposely omitted punctuation) does not read correctly. Can you clarify, please, as what you say goes totally against the point you made in an earlier posting.

Banning people of a certain faith is persecution. How much more simply do you want it put?

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Come now, young sir, Google is not to be taken as the fount of all knowledge as only human beings with human frailties are the composers of such entries.

So is the entire Internet. So is everything else ever published. What source do you want then?

 

[oddiesjack]

So is the entire Internet. So is everything else ever published. What source do you want then?

I seem to remember from one of my long doorstep chats with the Jehovah's Witnesses that they believe that the Bible is the literal WORD OF GOD. They struggled a bit when I asked about proof-reading, or did they reckon God ran all the type-setting and printing processes too.

 

[DarloRich]

We have them at Milton Keynes as well. They stand outside the station entrance

I think anyone who follows any religion is a simple minded brainwashed fool who is being played upon both morally and financially in a shocking manner.

That said if someone wishes to follow a religion they should not be prevented from doing so. That is their right and that right should be defended.

I don’t have a problem with the god bothers at MK they don’t speak to you unless you approach them simply standing their looking smart proffering a selection of leaflets. They do have immense stamina mind as they seem to be there all day in all weathers!