I guess the shortest answer is that we just don't know. It would be easier I guess if we all wore nametags or something that said Christian, Unsaved, Not Interested, or whatever. But in reality, we don't. I do invite people to church and give out gospel tracts. But if people say they are not interested in it, then I leave it at that.

I know most people think that everybody in America has heard the gospel, but that really isn't true. I have two very close friends who were saved in their late teens who never heard the gospel until then. They had never even opened a Bible. Yes, the chances in America are greater that they have already heard. But, there are still people out there who have not.

I'm sorry that you feel like it is harassing. I'm sure in their hearts the people do not mean it that way. Maybe next time you could just politely but firmly tell them you are not interested.

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Liz-Proud wife of a US Airman and stay-at-home-mommy to two beautiful boys!

Visit our blog: In The Harvest

Thank you for answering my question. Your first paragraph above is pretty much what I expected you to say. I guess I feel that evangelicals are working under the assumption that people have NOT heard the gospel, whereas I think it is presumptuous for folks to make that assumption. And it is harassment. Maybe you go away when people politely & firmly tell you they are not interested, but most do not. I used to tell my mom to hang a crucifix upside down on the front door just so they wouldn't knock. I don't think I should have to hide in my own home, or answer the door to a stranger, or go about my business while they ring the doorbell & knock for 5 minutes. It is harassment.

Now, if you happen to be in a conversation with someone you know, or just met that you feel comfortable with, and you want to hand them a tract or extend an invite to your church, that's different, IMO. I'd still throw the tract away & make note to avoid you in the future , but that is not the same as knocking on my door, IMO.

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Sorry you all have to deal with people not properly demonstrating the love of God.


You can always post a No Tresspassing sign on your door and that should stop it.

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Liz-Proud wife of a US Airman and stay-at-home-mommy to two beautiful boys!

Visit our blog: In The Harvest

VERY VERY well said!! Thank you!

Can I ask why you would avoid someone that merley invited you to church or handed you a pamphlet?

I believe religion to be a more private thing, not something that is sold door to door, and I also believe most people do not demonstrate proper behavior at times regardless of whether or not they believe in a god.

I will not put a No trespassing sign on my door. I believe I have a right to privacy, and that it should be respected without my having to put a sign up. My question is why some brands of Christianity feel they have the right to invade my privacy, my space, my front porch. They don't have that right, and that is why I don't understand why they continue this practice.

Please understand I'm not harping on you personally. I imagine you have been brought up in this faith and it therefore seems to be an entirely natural, harmless practice. Does it discourage you at all when people might slam the door in your face, ask you to leave, or firmly but politely put you off? I would imagine that would get pretty tiring. I also feel very sad for the children being hauled along w/ the parents door to door as it always seems to be in the rain.

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I agree with you wholeheartedly and I'm a Christian and a seminary graduate.

Jesus demonstrated his love by serving others and loving people where they were at, not by knocking on their doors telling them there is something wrong with them / lacking in them.

To me knocking on people's doors is a perfect example of not properly demonstrating the love of God!

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Mom to dd (age 9) and ds (age 11)
blogging daily about purpose and personal identity

I watched the Penn Jillette video. Now I'm watching more of them...He really needs to keep his hair in a pony tail at all times! What he was talking about was totally totally different than knocking on doors or following a person around to talk about what Jesus has done for you. I think that Christians often over exaggerate the number of people they believe have not "heard the gospels" and since I believe the Bible is misinterpreted in many aspects, that's irrelevant anyway.

I agree... We even HAD a sign on our front doot that said that my god is not sold door to door. with a few other things. I say HAD beacuse the same "people" who are going door to door to recruit for their god took the sign off my front door as I watched them and they left a leaflet with thier information on it ... I called their church and left my call back information to what I thought about what they did to my sign. So yes MOST people that do sell their god door to door are not doing it for the right reasons. IMO

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I believe all of you 100%, so please don't think that is my intention in saying this. But, I have NEVER had anyone knock on my door to share the Christian gospel with me. Nope, I don't have "I love Jesus" stickers all over my door or "God rocks" signs in my yard, and still I have never been approached at my home.

In fact, the only time anyone has ever knocked on my door to discuss any form of religion, was about 11 years ago and it was 2 men sharing the Book of Mormon. They were nice and left when asked. I had no issue with them.

I am just really surprised that so many of you have had the "door knocking" experience.

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