• betterdeadthanreddit@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    If you can do it politely but with a firm rejection of what they believe, that’s one way to undermine their persecution narrative. A purpose of their mission trips is to widen the divide between them and the “gentiles” (because coming up with their own term for the rest of us would be hard) so they’ll get embedded deeper into the crazy.

    As much as I’d like to send them off with profanity and a slammed door, that reaction plays into the hands of their leaders. It helps to remember that they’re victims of abuse and indoctrination even as they try to drag you in.

    Bonus points if you can plug !exmormon@lemmy.world or other similar resources that might help them find a way out.

    • RegularGoose@sh.itjust.works
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      1 year ago

      If you can do it politely but with a firm rejection of what they believe, that’s one way to undermine their persecution narrative.

      No, it genuinely isn’t. I’ve known enough people who grew up in these cults. Under these modern “christians are so persecuted” narratives, simply communicating a disbelief in their religion is literally persecution. There is really nothing that will work, because, in their minds, undermining their narrative is persecution in and of itself, no matter how demonstrably good the thing you did is.

      They determine good acts and ideas from bad ones not by value, merit, or impact, but by whether or not it agrees with their existing belief structure. Making them uncomfortable enough not to come back is the only thing you can do that will do anyone any good.

    • mateomaui@reddthat.com
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      1 year ago

      What you’re suggesting is a waste of my time, and it gives them opportunity to attempt rebuttal which is more time wasted. Closed door with no comment is enough, if they knock again I’m pulling out the super soaker.

      • Zorque@kbin.social
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        1 year ago

        Saying “No thanks” and politely closing the door is too much effort?

        Pretty sure yelling profanities and slamming the door takes a lot more energy, super soakers even more so.

        • mateomaui@reddthat.com
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          1 year ago

          It’s odd how I keep saying with no comment, and you keep saying yelling profanities.

          It’s almost like you’re illiterate, or intentionally skewing what I said.

          Slamming a door doesn’t require words. No comment means no profanities being yelled.

          Got that yet?

            • mateomaui@reddthat.com
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              1 year ago

              Yeah, it’s that insistence that’s the problem. If you could actually say “no, thank you” and they would go away, and stay away, I would do that. But my experience is they won’t take no for an answer and insist on negotiating, at which point it’s “no, fuck you” and a closed door.

              Just skip to closing the door without comment and they’ll get the message. And I’m sure as hell not thanking them for anything nicely, because they’ll put you on a list of people that turned them down nicely and possibly someone they can convert later.

              If you’re still peddling your religion door to door these days, you need to expect people to not be hospitable to your random visit, get over it and go peddle elsewhere.

              edit: I have to add that my favorite strategy some of them use is to go around in bad weather, and when you open the door, they immediately ask to come inside out of the elements, before even telling you what their purpose is, so it’s more difficult to eject them.

              No, stay outside, and tell me what you want. Ok, now go away.

        • RegularGoose@sh.itjust.works
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          1 year ago

          It’s more effort in the long run, because if you’re polite, they’ll come back. These people have to be shut down hard if you want them to leave you alone.