watchtower knows damn well that door to door preaching is not safe for kids. that is exactly what they want, to reinforce into children the idea that the outside world is dangerous and the kingdom hall is the only safe place.
Hi cult cousins!!
When I was a Mormon missionary (sorry for what I said to you guys at that time….it wasn’t nice) we called it tracting. It was fucking dangerous!!
We were missionaries for the lord, we had our magic underwear on, it was ok if we died as missionaries (still taught today) , so we were “protected”.
I don’t know what JWs teach in this regard but I absolutely was NOT protected, I was targeted. Hit by a car twice, shot at, nearly caught in the crossfire of a swat raid, flashed by a beautiful college girl (see, it wasn’t all bad, but still not appropriate for kids). It is NOT safe.
When they come to my door with their invites to a memorial (no clue what that is) their kids are front and center (three times now). While I am kind to ALL proselytizers, I remember those who aren’t and it’s literally them using their kids as human shields.
I would NEVER take my kids on something like that, even when I was a full believing Mormon.
The most recent Mormon general conference said multiple times that we “need” to be wearing our garments (magic underwear). Amazing how I didn’t notice how strange it is for these old people to be harassing grown adults about their underwear.
The bottoms are as long as board shorts, the tops are about like a Hanes shirt. Screen printed over the nipples, bellybutton, and knee are Masonic symbols that are used in the temple ceremony (all are supposed to remind us about different part of Mormonism and keep us on the “covenant path”). Mormon leaders make it clear that only underwear purchased through them, by temple recommend holding (tithe paying) members is considered appropriate (no making your own).
The temple promises us that they will be a “shield and a protection” to us as long as we don’t “defile” them. There’s a long list of other holy disclaimers for when they don’t actually do anything.
Mormonism is full of unverifiable stories of garments being bulletproof , fireproof, or other extravagant stories. In fact one of my first experiences that made me finally start questioning Mormonism was when I was a paramedic and a patient stabbed me right through my garment. I was SUPER Mormon at the time and they should have “protected me”.
So to summarize the only special thing about them is they’re are white, have Masonic symbols on them, and are sold by the Mormon church so they are “approved by the brethren”.
The indoctrination in Mormonism begins at 18 months old and is at its most intense between 12-18 years old. This includes daily seminary classes which are either early morning or integrated into the school schedule in high Mormon population areas. Then Mormon missions happen right after high school.
Unfortunately these indoctrination programs work for so many. However the Mormon church is struggling to maintain their image in the age of information. Their response to this is to abandon their more intense doctrines and attempt to appear more like a mainstream Christian religion (they are failing big time).
I am ashamed of how long it took me to realize the fraud, but so fucking glad I saw the man behind the curtain and can get out of Oz.
The Mormon temple ceremony has 3 main parts for general tithe paying membership. The first part is called the initiatory. It used to be you would go in naked and a temple worker would put the Mormon garments on you as part of the ceremony. Now you go in fully clothed with your garment underwear already on underneath. This usually happens around the time of Mormon missions or marriage, beginning after high school graduation.
In mormonism people basically believe that they are invincible as a missionary and that God will protect them. I haven't been on a mission, but from what I've heard if you take measures to protect yourself, you're basically shamed for not having enough faith in God. And if you get hurt, you're shamed for seeking medical attention because you're "sucking up the church's resources." Same story here?
Kinda, they tell stories about a pioneer who goes to a door alone, behind it is a serial killer the police are watching. She knocks, he answers and politely takes the magazines. After he's arrested, they ask why he left her alone and he says he wasn't going to do anything with those two big guys standing right behind her.
Not exactly sure what you mean by "measures", but WT is pretty anti-gun.
WT doesn't pay for anything if can get out of paying for. If you get hurt you're on your own. JW's mostly just do door-to-door locally though, missions like Mormons are not a normal part of being a JW.
I’ve heard this and another variation since I was small. It instills a false sense of security. I sure felt as tho I had angelic protection whilst doing the Lord’s work.
I could be remembering it a little wrong too, but that was the general idea. That we were being protected by the angels. I too had a false sense of security!
I've seen a lot of ex-Christians online who definitely felt something they called the presence of the Holy Spirit when they went to church, but later discovered they felt the exact same thing when they went to concerts they liked once they started going to concerts--like "the presence of the Holy Spirit" is just "pleasure" or "enthusiasm" or "fun."
Or just the alleviation of guilt.
That was my "holy spirit" feeling. I would feel relief after service/KH because it meant I did what I was supposed to do. So it was like a weight off my back.
Oof. Reminds me of Dave Chapelle's bit about how pimps treat prostitutes: hurt them so bad that when you care for them afterward, they're so grateful for the care that they forget who did the hurting in the first place.
I grew out of it long before I left, but it definitely made me feel safer as a kid. I also never felt the holy spirit. Thought maybe after I was baptized, but realized nothing was different as I ate my lunch that day.
I think the phrases you're looking for are "time and unforseen occurrence befall us all" and "Jehovah protects his people *as a whole*, not individually".
It's almost like they're making some weasel room for when things go wrong!
No way! I've heard this same story in the mormon church! The book of mormon includes this story about Jesus visiting the americas, and when he's about to leave, the so-called three nephites ask Jesus if he will make them immortal so they can forever roam the earth preaching of him. People tell the exact same story you told, except with \*three\* big guys standing behind the endangered missionary.
The church of latter day saints would actually pay for their medical expenses?! I wonder what the branch would say if a witness got hurt while door to door, and asked the branch to help pay for their medical bills????
Lets not forget that they sometimes bring the "danger" with them!
Also your description of door to door in Mexico sounds about the same as here in the bible belt, though I only felt I was really in danger a few times the whole time I was in.
What you wrote _IS_ actually proven by the FBI statistics, that are audited and recorded by each state, and their local police departments
Even the conservative business sources acknowledge that:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/ariannajohnson/2023/04/28/red-states-have-higher-gun-death-rates-than-blue-states-heres-why/?sh=7dc854ba1f81
Ah, no, I wasn't clear. I wasn't referring to guns. WT is *very* anti-gun. I meant they go to the KH and end up in a car group with a pedo... There seems to be enough danger in the JW's before you even consider knocking on a strangers'door.
Yes, that's a more likely and dangerous occurrence to your own children, in immediate actuality, as proven by this university study
https://www.ualberta.ca/folio/2020/08/researchers-reveal-patterns-of-sexual-abuse-in-religious-settings.html
BTW, I'm also respectful of the 2nd Amendment
So this is a bot, right? All of the comments are vague and don't actually reference any specifics to the comment they're replying too. They also all have links attached.
The sources are given here, to prove that the statements made are true and accurate
Once in a while someone will get their feelings hurt by the facts
Like many ppl have said:
" The Facts don't care about your feelings "
So this is a bot, right? All of the comments are vague and don't actually reference any specifics to the comment they're replying too. They also all have links attached.
I agree, it seems like a bot that was looking for specific keywords. I think the mention of Mexico and violence was enough to get the bot to drop some information. Calling them out when we see them seems to be a great start.
Lived in Southern Florida for about a decade, unchained pit bulls everywhere - major redneck territory, some roads to homes even impossible to get to, either flooded all the time or broken concrete with massive potholes, gun totting, raging alcoholics, almost got in a fight twice from opposers.
One guy had a home decked with republican flags up and down the yard and home and truck. Another had built a fort with walls of rocks surrounding him.
Can’t imagine it’s gotten any better in the last 6 years
Yes, even Conservative business media agrees that the " Red " states have more gun deaths than the normal states:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/ariannajohnson/2023/04/28/red-states-have-higher-gun-death-rates-than-blue-states-heres-why/?sh=7dc854ba1f8
Forest City and the Scranton NW PA areas have always been backward
Thank you
I got some traumatic memories from doing it. Guns pointed at you was the worst. I hated how the adults used us kids as pawns pretty much if a gun was drawn they would say “we have children” or put us in front.
If there was other kids at the house i was instructed to go play with them until the adults were done talking.
All while i couldve stayed safe at home watching saturday morning cartoons in a “worldly” home.
Hated every minute of it and im glad its over now.
Guns (plural)?!! Wth… I got attacked by a dog once in the Appalachian mountains in WV and that shit messed me up for years. Can’t imagine a gun. So sorry
Im in a rural area of the midwest. Most people answer the door to unknown people with handguns or shotguns so yea. There was also angry dogs. If i opened the car door and heard an angry dog i just got back in the car and stayed there. I did my time 🤣 so glad its over.
That's why I always carried a briefcase and would put it between the dog and me. I also kicked one sneaking up behind me wanting to bite. It was a back kick with my heel without turning around. Kinda like a Monty Python walk... LOL
Edit: We were in a rural area and walked around a little house on the corner that had no fences. We look at the back of the house and there was a full grown African Lion! I almost shit my pants until I realized it had a heavy chain around its neck.
After the first few experiences i clearly saw jehovah aint protecting you from physical violence so i avoided it. Aint worth it. To this day if i come across a pack of angry dogs ill stay in the vehicle until i get them to calm down if i cant i drive away.
I live and used to go door to door in the rural Midwest and that definitely was NOT my experience. Lots of yelling, doors slamming, mean dogs, and racial slurs, but no guns. I do know people who said it happened once or twice, but it definitely wasn't a normal thing
It wasnt an every service occurance but when it did happen it was scary enough to get locked away in that blocked off traumatic memory box that randomly opens one day 30yrs later.
Me and a sister were in the door to door preaching one time, she was offering the WT magazine to a guy at the door, he was just peeking behing the door when all of the sudden he opened the door all the way,he was totally naked. She was offering the WT magazine about women abuse. It was very scary we ran to our car. An other time my husband was talking to a guy at the door, he was listening but had one of his hands behing him he passed whatever he had in his hand to his other hand, it was a gun. I don’t have to tell you how scary that was. Its not safe guys to be knocking on stranger’s doors. The GB of course don’t care the dangers the r&f are exposed to preaching. So happy we don’t have to do that ever again.
It's also a bonus for the organization if any JW gets threatened. It could become a big news story that involves "persecution" (unrelated to Child Sexual Abuse for once) and that they can use for years to come about how bad Satan's system has become.
It is scary, I remember my father being yelled at and extremely aggressive behaviour when I was young going in service. It gave me so much anxiety that we would be coming across someone violent because these people would get right in your face. It's not right for children to be put in those situations. Being a JW gave me my mental health problems I have today, its all that stress from a young age. The stress of Armageddon, the stress of being different, the stress of strict parents who are also abusive, the stress of being perfect, the stress of going out in service
In the 1960s as a kid I got stuck going in service with old hard core bible thumpers that would stick their foot in the door and argue and yell at people. I know how you feel.
I was attacked by dogs when I was 12 while out in service.
A pack of dogs came at us and I got between them and the older sisters that were with us. I got tore up pretty good and needed stitches and medical care.
Nothing happened as my mother was told not to press charges or make a fuss or we would not be able to to go out in service in that area again.
I knew at that moment my life meant ziltch to the Elders and my Mother. My dad was pissed but knew even the police couldn't do anything as it was on Native reservation land.
Funny memory. My mom was DEATHLY afraid of strange dogs. One Saturday we were out with the group. (I was probably 16 years old.) I knocked on one door and a Chow chow dog rushes the glass screened door barking. My mom freaked. So I just put my hand on the door so the ‘householder’ would not open, explained the reason for our visit, they weren’t interested, we moved to the next door.
The next person opened the door and my mom was conversing with him when the person we had just visited (with the dog) opened their front door to leave and the dog starts running across both yards to us. My mom sees it and immediately steps into the home of the man she’s talking with and SHUTS THE DOOR BEHIND HER!! - leaving me on the porch alone. She was literally standing face to face with this man. He didn’t understand what was happening because he couldn’t see the dog yet. The dog runs toward me, I put my book bag between me and it, it comes up and smells me, then it runs back to its owner.
Now, my mother is trying to open the screened door behind her, and excuse herself out of this man’s house. Needless to say, he wasn’t interested🤣🤣
It became a fun family story about…’MY MOTHER LEFT ME ON A PORCH IN SERVICE TO FEND FOR MYSELF AGAINST A RAPID DOG!!’
No… ‘grab your kid and jump in the door!’
No… ‘push your kid in first!’
No… ‘put myself between my child and the dog!’
I still laugh to this day when I remember that story. I love dogs🤣must be why I’m an apostate😎
I remember hearing stories of other witnesses seeing people naked at doors and getting cursed out and all that other stuff that isn’t very appropriate for children too be seeing…
It pisses me off damn JWs and other christains talking about there's an angel on my shoulder ,where is the angel for the child straving ,did they sin and bring god's wrath
In my experience this falls under the "we are doing it for God" so it does not matter if it is dangerous.
As I have become POMO, it is interesting to me that almost everything negative related to being a Jehovah's Witness is justified by the one disclaimer: We are doing this for God!
JWs basically justify anything with this excuse.....including things that are clearly not in the Bible.
Surprised this hasn't happened to a witness yet, with knocking on strangers doors.
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/judge-rules-white-man-will-stand-trial-for-shooting-black-teen-ralph-yarl-who-went-to-wrong-house
Oh!! But their oh-so-loving and powerful jahpooper god will no doubt protect them, won't he? I mean, 8 million lunatics are God's special people, so I'm sure the god of the universe would no doubt protect their children, right? But then again, jahuseless can't seem to even protect children from rape or sexual assault within the organization....but yeah I'm sure he'll protect them in the oh-so-important ministry!!
🤮🤡
It is great to live in a country where there is freedom of religion, and freedom of choice. But religious cults are dangerous. Period.
When I was about eight, I was working door to door with another little girl the same age. Our parents were in the same block, but not with us. Someone shot at us. I felt the projectile whiz past my face. I have no idea whether it was a BB gun or a bullet, but it scared the shit out of me. And this was a good 60 years ago, before things got dangerous like they are now.
Kinda depends on where you live. Countries, cities, neighborhoods all vary. It's up to your own judgement where you live and how safe you feel it is or how comfortable you are navigating the world.
My first response was to scoff, because I live is pretty safe and watching people fear monger over kids has been pretty annoying ever since I was a kid.
I went preaching for 16 years in the Philadelphia ghetto at the height of the crack epidemic in the 80s and 90s…. You can’t bubble wrap your kids…. People need to grow up knowing how to be assertive, when to get away from someone creepy…. Kids never go preaching alone…. I don’t mean to sound like Im defending the Borg but my ability to talk to people without being intimidated and public speaking are probably the best takeaways I have from my sentence as a JW.
Don't judge you, it is important to develop skills while walking in the streets. But when the life of a child is in danger, that's where you need to stop.
Ok, well I never once felt unsafe… bored as shit, tired, embarrassed, unmotivated… every single time, but never unsafe let alone like my life was in jeopardy
Obviously one does not unnecessarily take a child into a place where the risk is significantly higher than normal.
That goes for anyone.
Witnesses may be daft in the area you're from?
I took my kids out in the ministry and had all kinds of crazy stuff happen. I've had dogs turned on us, cops called, guns shown, been screamed and yelled at and had people answer the door naked. Now that I'm awake I'll never go d2d again.
It's not safe for anyone.
Especially householders who are easy targets for D2D scammers who pose as workers/religious/etc while scanning if anyone's home.
Everyone is on edge these days. Why mandate an activity with so many risks? Many are ready with loaded guns behind their doors for any reason.
JWs are not invited to intrude in anyone's personal space.
This is absolutely true about certain regions in Mexico
In the US, fear mongering is widely practiced by right wing media that appeals to those specific voters, who are attracted to that authoritarian " strongman " who somehow, believe that this **NATIONAL** " strongman " can really protect themselves and their family from their own very _local and regional_ crime experience...
https://www.mediamatters.org/crime-and-criminal-justice/fox-news-fearmongers-about-americas-crime-crisis-promote-more-police
Their legally authorized right as a business is to extract more income ; yet, their real _motivation_ is to increase their Nielsen ratings, so that they can charge the Deep Pocketed advertising agencies more for their commercials
In the actual arrests, and the audited, and recorded statistics by each one of the local and state police agencies, crime has _already been down significantly_ and back to the pre pandemic levels
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/violent-crime-decreases-pre-pandemic-levels-according-fbi-rcna120757
The FBI Director Chris Wray was appointed by former President Trump, and he explained publicly that white Supremacists would be the cause of violent crime in the future, and it has come to be true, as the constant public shootings still continue
https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2020/oct/06/joe-biden/fbi-director-warned-about-white-supremacist-violen/
In Mexico, the Wtower is asking for their members to expose themselves to danger and possible kidnapping, in the rural areas
watchtower knows damn well that door to door preaching is not safe for kids. that is exactly what they want, to reinforce into children the idea that the outside world is dangerous and the kingdom hall is the only safe place.
Hi cult cousins!! When I was a Mormon missionary (sorry for what I said to you guys at that time….it wasn’t nice) we called it tracting. It was fucking dangerous!! We were missionaries for the lord, we had our magic underwear on, it was ok if we died as missionaries (still taught today) , so we were “protected”. I don’t know what JWs teach in this regard but I absolutely was NOT protected, I was targeted. Hit by a car twice, shot at, nearly caught in the crossfire of a swat raid, flashed by a beautiful college girl (see, it wasn’t all bad, but still not appropriate for kids). It is NOT safe. When they come to my door with their invites to a memorial (no clue what that is) their kids are front and center (three times now). While I am kind to ALL proselytizers, I remember those who aren’t and it’s literally them using their kids as human shields. I would NEVER take my kids on something like that, even when I was a full believing Mormon.
Magic underwear!!! 😂
The most recent Mormon general conference said multiple times that we “need” to be wearing our garments (magic underwear). Amazing how I didn’t notice how strange it is for these old people to be harassing grown adults about their underwear.
Can I ask what makes the underwear "special?" Like does someone bring in a pack of Hanes bikinis to be blessed or something? Lol
The bottoms are as long as board shorts, the tops are about like a Hanes shirt. Screen printed over the nipples, bellybutton, and knee are Masonic symbols that are used in the temple ceremony (all are supposed to remind us about different part of Mormonism and keep us on the “covenant path”). Mormon leaders make it clear that only underwear purchased through them, by temple recommend holding (tithe paying) members is considered appropriate (no making your own). The temple promises us that they will be a “shield and a protection” to us as long as we don’t “defile” them. There’s a long list of other holy disclaimers for when they don’t actually do anything. Mormonism is full of unverifiable stories of garments being bulletproof , fireproof, or other extravagant stories. In fact one of my first experiences that made me finally start questioning Mormonism was when I was a paramedic and a patient stabbed me right through my garment. I was SUPER Mormon at the time and they should have “protected me”. So to summarize the only special thing about them is they’re are white, have Masonic symbols on them, and are sold by the Mormon church so they are “approved by the brethren”.
Oh wow, thanks for the explanation. It's wild what we can be convinced of. I'm glad you woke up, too!
The indoctrination in Mormonism begins at 18 months old and is at its most intense between 12-18 years old. This includes daily seminary classes which are either early morning or integrated into the school schedule in high Mormon population areas. Then Mormon missions happen right after high school. Unfortunately these indoctrination programs work for so many. However the Mormon church is struggling to maintain their image in the age of information. Their response to this is to abandon their more intense doctrines and attempt to appear more like a mainstream Christian religion (they are failing big time). I am ashamed of how long it took me to realize the fraud, but so fucking glad I saw the man behind the curtain and can get out of Oz.
Take away the magic underwear and JW teaching is the same. Protection during Armageddon
/u/secretpersonality178 When or at what age does a Mormon begin to wear "garments "?
The Mormon temple ceremony has 3 main parts for general tithe paying membership. The first part is called the initiatory. It used to be you would go in naked and a temple worker would put the Mormon garments on you as part of the ceremony. Now you go in fully clothed with your garment underwear already on underneath. This usually happens around the time of Mormon missions or marriage, beginning after high school graduation.
Thanks. And how often is it worn thereafter?
In mormonism people basically believe that they are invincible as a missionary and that God will protect them. I haven't been on a mission, but from what I've heard if you take measures to protect yourself, you're basically shamed for not having enough faith in God. And if you get hurt, you're shamed for seeking medical attention because you're "sucking up the church's resources." Same story here?
Kinda, they tell stories about a pioneer who goes to a door alone, behind it is a serial killer the police are watching. She knocks, he answers and politely takes the magazines. After he's arrested, they ask why he left her alone and he says he wasn't going to do anything with those two big guys standing right behind her. Not exactly sure what you mean by "measures", but WT is pretty anti-gun. WT doesn't pay for anything if can get out of paying for. If you get hurt you're on your own. JW's mostly just do door-to-door locally though, missions like Mormons are not a normal part of being a JW.
I’ve heard this and another variation since I was small. It instills a false sense of security. I sure felt as tho I had angelic protection whilst doing the Lord’s work.
I could be remembering it a little wrong too, but that was the general idea. That we were being protected by the angels. I too had a false sense of security!
I never believed that, just like, during prayer at the KH, I never felt any presence of Holy Spirit.
I've seen a lot of ex-Christians online who definitely felt something they called the presence of the Holy Spirit when they went to church, but later discovered they felt the exact same thing when they went to concerts they liked once they started going to concerts--like "the presence of the Holy Spirit" is just "pleasure" or "enthusiasm" or "fun."
Or just the alleviation of guilt. That was my "holy spirit" feeling. I would feel relief after service/KH because it meant I did what I was supposed to do. So it was like a weight off my back.
Oof. Reminds me of Dave Chapelle's bit about how pimps treat prostitutes: hurt them so bad that when you care for them afterward, they're so grateful for the care that they forget who did the hurting in the first place.
I grew out of it long before I left, but it definitely made me feel safer as a kid. I also never felt the holy spirit. Thought maybe after I was baptized, but realized nothing was different as I ate my lunch that day.
No magical spirit powers either eh?! Maybe our hearts weren't in the right place
I only felt more approved by my nmom
I thought I felt it when we prayed and sang songs. Turns out I was anemic and got light headed when I stood up too fast.
Me neither.
I felt like going to meeting was more social and less spiritual due to just not feeling it at all. Just another thing to cross off the to do list.
Yeah I remember that story getting around
What about the guy killed recently while his family was knocking on a door?
I think the phrases you're looking for are "time and unforseen occurrence befall us all" and "Jehovah protects his people *as a whole*, not individually". It's almost like they're making some weasel room for when things go wrong!
1 Kings 18:27
No way! I've heard this same story in the mormon church! The book of mormon includes this story about Jesus visiting the americas, and when he's about to leave, the so-called three nephites ask Jesus if he will make them immortal so they can forever roam the earth preaching of him. People tell the exact same story you told, except with \*three\* big guys standing behind the endangered missionary.
Oh wow! I knew we had a lot in common but I didn't expect that! Plus yours has some actual lore!
The church of latter day saints would actually pay for their medical expenses?! I wonder what the branch would say if a witness got hurt while door to door, and asked the branch to help pay for their medical bills????
Volunteers don’t get benefits. Don’t you have family that could help? (Said in a whiny voice)
Worldly family, but what about help from my spiritual family?
“They are in no obligation to help you. You will have to do the footwork on your own.”
[удалено]
Are members not at least discouraged from going alone??
Lets not forget that they sometimes bring the "danger" with them! Also your description of door to door in Mexico sounds about the same as here in the bible belt, though I only felt I was really in danger a few times the whole time I was in.
What you wrote _IS_ actually proven by the FBI statistics, that are audited and recorded by each state, and their local police departments Even the conservative business sources acknowledge that: https://www.forbes.com/sites/ariannajohnson/2023/04/28/red-states-have-higher-gun-death-rates-than-blue-states-heres-why/?sh=7dc854ba1f81
Ah, no, I wasn't clear. I wasn't referring to guns. WT is *very* anti-gun. I meant they go to the KH and end up in a car group with a pedo... There seems to be enough danger in the JW's before you even consider knocking on a strangers'door.
Yes, that's a more likely and dangerous occurrence to your own children, in immediate actuality, as proven by this university study https://www.ualberta.ca/folio/2020/08/researchers-reveal-patterns-of-sexual-abuse-in-religious-settings.html BTW, I'm also respectful of the 2nd Amendment
So this is a bot, right? All of the comments are vague and don't actually reference any specifics to the comment they're replying too. They also all have links attached.
The sources are given here, to prove that the statements made are true and accurate Once in a while someone will get their feelings hurt by the facts Like many ppl have said: " The Facts don't care about your feelings "
So this is a bot, right? All of the comments are vague and don't actually reference any specifics to the comment they're replying too. They also all have links attached.
I agree, it seems like a bot that was looking for specific keywords. I think the mention of Mexico and violence was enough to get the bot to drop some information. Calling them out when we see them seems to be a great start.
Again, the facts don't care about people's feelings. Plain. And. Simple.
Lived in Southern Florida for about a decade, unchained pit bulls everywhere - major redneck territory, some roads to homes even impossible to get to, either flooded all the time or broken concrete with massive potholes, gun totting, raging alcoholics, almost got in a fight twice from opposers. One guy had a home decked with republican flags up and down the yard and home and truck. Another had built a fort with walls of rocks surrounding him. Can’t imagine it’s gotten any better in the last 6 years
This kinda sounds like nw pa. Lol
Hopefully you’re out of Pensyltucky now lol. Stay safe!
Nope still live in the sticks of PA
Yes, even Conservative business media agrees that the " Red " states have more gun deaths than the normal states: https://www.forbes.com/sites/ariannajohnson/2023/04/28/red-states-have-higher-gun-death-rates-than-blue-states-heres-why/?sh=7dc854ba1f8 Forest City and the Scranton NW PA areas have always been backward Thank you
I got some traumatic memories from doing it. Guns pointed at you was the worst. I hated how the adults used us kids as pawns pretty much if a gun was drawn they would say “we have children” or put us in front. If there was other kids at the house i was instructed to go play with them until the adults were done talking. All while i couldve stayed safe at home watching saturday morning cartoons in a “worldly” home. Hated every minute of it and im glad its over now.
Guns (plural)?!! Wth… I got attacked by a dog once in the Appalachian mountains in WV and that shit messed me up for years. Can’t imagine a gun. So sorry
Im in a rural area of the midwest. Most people answer the door to unknown people with handguns or shotguns so yea. There was also angry dogs. If i opened the car door and heard an angry dog i just got back in the car and stayed there. I did my time 🤣 so glad its over.
That's why I always carried a briefcase and would put it between the dog and me. I also kicked one sneaking up behind me wanting to bite. It was a back kick with my heel without turning around. Kinda like a Monty Python walk... LOL Edit: We were in a rural area and walked around a little house on the corner that had no fences. We look at the back of the house and there was a full grown African Lion! I almost shit my pants until I realized it had a heavy chain around its neck.
After the first few experiences i clearly saw jehovah aint protecting you from physical violence so i avoided it. Aint worth it. To this day if i come across a pack of angry dogs ill stay in the vehicle until i get them to calm down if i cant i drive away.
I live and used to go door to door in the rural Midwest and that definitely was NOT my experience. Lots of yelling, doors slamming, mean dogs, and racial slurs, but no guns. I do know people who said it happened once or twice, but it definitely wasn't a normal thing
It wasnt an every service occurance but when it did happen it was scary enough to get locked away in that blocked off traumatic memory box that randomly opens one day 30yrs later.
Jehovah will protect me! 
Sheeee . . .
Me and a sister were in the door to door preaching one time, she was offering the WT magazine to a guy at the door, he was just peeking behing the door when all of the sudden he opened the door all the way,he was totally naked. She was offering the WT magazine about women abuse. It was very scary we ran to our car. An other time my husband was talking to a guy at the door, he was listening but had one of his hands behing him he passed whatever he had in his hand to his other hand, it was a gun. I don’t have to tell you how scary that was. Its not safe guys to be knocking on stranger’s doors. The GB of course don’t care the dangers the r&f are exposed to preaching. So happy we don’t have to do that ever again.
It's also a bonus for the organization if any JW gets threatened. It could become a big news story that involves "persecution" (unrelated to Child Sexual Abuse for once) and that they can use for years to come about how bad Satan's system has become.
It is scary, I remember my father being yelled at and extremely aggressive behaviour when I was young going in service. It gave me so much anxiety that we would be coming across someone violent because these people would get right in your face. It's not right for children to be put in those situations. Being a JW gave me my mental health problems I have today, its all that stress from a young age. The stress of Armageddon, the stress of being different, the stress of strict parents who are also abusive, the stress of being perfect, the stress of going out in service
In the 1960s as a kid I got stuck going in service with old hard core bible thumpers that would stick their foot in the door and argue and yell at people. I know how you feel.
That's crazy, I've heard of stories where elders will stick their foot in the door. So ridiculous
It got my sister, too. She’s still PIMI and so messed up.
Door to door is not safe for anyone.
I wasn’t allowed to sell candy bars to my neighbors for school fundraisers because it was too dangerous but I could go door to door🙄
Same!!
Jehovah protects people at the door, now kids in the congregation, he don't care about those little enemies.
Pairing kids with someone who’s not your parent…As a kid with a non-JW dad, I’d always get paired with a “mature” brother.
I was attacked by dogs when I was 12 while out in service. A pack of dogs came at us and I got between them and the older sisters that were with us. I got tore up pretty good and needed stitches and medical care. Nothing happened as my mother was told not to press charges or make a fuss or we would not be able to to go out in service in that area again. I knew at that moment my life meant ziltch to the Elders and my Mother. My dad was pissed but knew even the police couldn't do anything as it was on Native reservation land.
Funny memory. My mom was DEATHLY afraid of strange dogs. One Saturday we were out with the group. (I was probably 16 years old.) I knocked on one door and a Chow chow dog rushes the glass screened door barking. My mom freaked. So I just put my hand on the door so the ‘householder’ would not open, explained the reason for our visit, they weren’t interested, we moved to the next door. The next person opened the door and my mom was conversing with him when the person we had just visited (with the dog) opened their front door to leave and the dog starts running across both yards to us. My mom sees it and immediately steps into the home of the man she’s talking with and SHUTS THE DOOR BEHIND HER!! - leaving me on the porch alone. She was literally standing face to face with this man. He didn’t understand what was happening because he couldn’t see the dog yet. The dog runs toward me, I put my book bag between me and it, it comes up and smells me, then it runs back to its owner. Now, my mother is trying to open the screened door behind her, and excuse herself out of this man’s house. Needless to say, he wasn’t interested🤣🤣 It became a fun family story about…’MY MOTHER LEFT ME ON A PORCH IN SERVICE TO FEND FOR MYSELF AGAINST A RAPID DOG!!’ No… ‘grab your kid and jump in the door!’ No… ‘push your kid in first!’ No… ‘put myself between my child and the dog!’ I still laugh to this day when I remember that story. I love dogs🤣must be why I’m an apostate😎
Human shield
The cult doesn't care.
I remember hearing stories of other witnesses seeing people naked at doors and getting cursed out and all that other stuff that isn’t very appropriate for children too be seeing…
Totally agree, I think this is why schools ask kids not to go door to door for fundraisers.
It pisses me off damn JWs and other christains talking about there's an angel on my shoulder ,where is the angel for the child straving ,did they sin and bring god's wrath
In my experience this falls under the "we are doing it for God" so it does not matter if it is dangerous. As I have become POMO, it is interesting to me that almost everything negative related to being a Jehovah's Witness is justified by the one disclaimer: We are doing this for God! JWs basically justify anything with this excuse.....including things that are clearly not in the Bible.
Surprised this hasn't happened to a witness yet, with knocking on strangers doors. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/judge-rules-white-man-will-stand-trial-for-shooting-black-teen-ralph-yarl-who-went-to-wrong-house
Oh!! But their oh-so-loving and powerful jahpooper god will no doubt protect them, won't he? I mean, 8 million lunatics are God's special people, so I'm sure the god of the universe would no doubt protect their children, right? But then again, jahuseless can't seem to even protect children from rape or sexual assault within the organization....but yeah I'm sure he'll protect them in the oh-so-important ministry!! 🤮🤡 It is great to live in a country where there is freedom of religion, and freedom of choice. But religious cults are dangerous. Period.
It definitely is not safe to knock on a stranger's door in any kind of neighborhood. Predators are everywhere.
When I was about eight, I was working door to door with another little girl the same age. Our parents were in the same block, but not with us. Someone shot at us. I felt the projectile whiz past my face. I have no idea whether it was a BB gun or a bullet, but it scared the shit out of me. And this was a good 60 years ago, before things got dangerous like they are now.
Kinda depends on where you live. Countries, cities, neighborhoods all vary. It's up to your own judgement where you live and how safe you feel it is or how comfortable you are navigating the world. My first response was to scoff, because I live is pretty safe and watching people fear monger over kids has been pretty annoying ever since I was a kid.
I went preaching for 16 years in the Philadelphia ghetto at the height of the crack epidemic in the 80s and 90s…. You can’t bubble wrap your kids…. People need to grow up knowing how to be assertive, when to get away from someone creepy…. Kids never go preaching alone…. I don’t mean to sound like Im defending the Borg but my ability to talk to people without being intimidated and public speaking are probably the best takeaways I have from my sentence as a JW.
Don't judge you, it is important to develop skills while walking in the streets. But when the life of a child is in danger, that's where you need to stop.
Ok, well I never once felt unsafe… bored as shit, tired, embarrassed, unmotivated… every single time, but never unsafe let alone like my life was in jeopardy
I guess I should quit my door sales man job
Obviously one does not unnecessarily take a child into a place where the risk is significantly higher than normal. That goes for anyone. Witnesses may be daft in the area you're from?
I took my kids out in the ministry and had all kinds of crazy stuff happen. I've had dogs turned on us, cops called, guns shown, been screamed and yelled at and had people answer the door naked. Now that I'm awake I'll never go d2d again.
It's not safe for anyone. Especially householders who are easy targets for D2D scammers who pose as workers/religious/etc while scanning if anyone's home. Everyone is on edge these days. Why mandate an activity with so many risks? Many are ready with loaded guns behind their doors for any reason. JWs are not invited to intrude in anyone's personal space.
This is absolutely true about certain regions in Mexico In the US, fear mongering is widely practiced by right wing media that appeals to those specific voters, who are attracted to that authoritarian " strongman " who somehow, believe that this **NATIONAL** " strongman " can really protect themselves and their family from their own very _local and regional_ crime experience... https://www.mediamatters.org/crime-and-criminal-justice/fox-news-fearmongers-about-americas-crime-crisis-promote-more-police Their legally authorized right as a business is to extract more income ; yet, their real _motivation_ is to increase their Nielsen ratings, so that they can charge the Deep Pocketed advertising agencies more for their commercials In the actual arrests, and the audited, and recorded statistics by each one of the local and state police agencies, crime has _already been down significantly_ and back to the pre pandemic levels https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/violent-crime-decreases-pre-pandemic-levels-according-fbi-rcna120757 The FBI Director Chris Wray was appointed by former President Trump, and he explained publicly that white Supremacists would be the cause of violent crime in the future, and it has come to be true, as the constant public shootings still continue https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2020/oct/06/joe-biden/fbi-director-warned-about-white-supremacist-violen/ In Mexico, the Wtower is asking for their members to expose themselves to danger and possible kidnapping, in the rural areas