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Handling soliciting situations

Yesterday morning a very pushing lady who came to my door with bible in hand. With my 3yo daughter standing next to me she smiled held up her bible and went right in to a sermon on how "the bible is very modern in helping us raise our children", and "How it is my responsibility as a parent to teach my children the ways of righteousness and the path to heaven's gate through our savior Jesus Christ." I politely smiled, as a usually do, and said, "no thank you we're fine" and began closing the door. This lady's smile turned to a smirk as she stuck her hand on the door and pushed back saying something about how my children were destine for hell if I did not have Jesus save their souls. My patience was about worn thin at this point, so again I smiled and politely said "no thank you we're atheists" and again began to close the door. The look on her face was that of shock and awe. She looked at me like I was Satan himself. She then again pushed on the door, but I had already closed and locked it. Our front door has a huge glass window in the middle of it so I could see her raise her bible above her head and mumbled something with her eyes closed. Then the lady said, and I quote, "You f@#$ing heathens and your f@#$ing heathen children are going to burn in hell!" That was when I took out my cell phone dialed 911 (but didn't hit send yet) and placed the phone against the window so she could see it. She left mumbling what could only be more choice words of wisdom and making hand gestures that I usually reserve for ignorant drivers.

My daughter is an extremely bright 3 year old and asked me why the lady was yelling at me. How should I handle this one, I thought. Not one to sugar coat things, I quickly told her "the lady was upset because we didn't believe the same thing she did, and some people don't tolerate different things very well. Especially ignorant people who sell lies, like that lady." My daughter, seemingly satisfied, dismissed the event and went back to playing with her sister, but the event leaves me wondering how best to protect my children from ignoramuses like this woman.

How do I handle this if it happens again? Of course I want to arm my children with knowledge, reason, and a fair amount of tolerance, but besides karate lessons instead of ballet, what else is one to do? Does anyone have any experience with this sort of thing? How do you handle events similar to the one I had? What do you tell your kids, or what did you tell your kids on how to deal with people like that?

Tags: children, guidence, soliciting

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Permalink Reply by Brent Messer on October 4, 2011 at 3:28pm

Mathew Chapter 10, 14 - 15. Funny how some people pick and choose.

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Permalink Reply by Prog Rock Girl on October 4, 2011 at 12:42pm

Allright it's one thing to come to someone's door to proselytize religion (even though that's annoying enough), it's another to stand on someone else's property, uninvited, and curse them out. I'd have called the police even after she left.

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Permalink Reply by Brent Messer on October 4, 2011 at 3:25pm

Next time I will. She did commit an act of assault against me and my child, but she left and didn't do any damage. She hopefully knows not to come back.

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Permalink Reply by Prog Rock Girl on October 4, 2011 at 4:20pm

It is assault, and if she's making rounds in the neighborhood and bothering other people after you, if you call the cops they might run into her.

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Permalink Reply by Pat on October 4, 2011 at 12:48pm

I agree with Prog. While showing her the "911" number, you should have hit "send" in front of her and then filed a formal complaint. You did the right thing in protecting your daughter, and in handling the situation with your daughter and explaining to her that there are ignorant, intolerant liars in the world. What do you tell your kids? I think leading by example is the best method, and I'd say your example of staying sane was pretty darned good.

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Permalink Reply by Nerdlass on October 4, 2011 at 5:35pm

Reminds me of a friend of mine who answered to the question, "Have you found Jesus?" with his best 'demonic' voice,

"Yes, he was very delicious," followed by lick-lick slurpee sounds. Those people ran off. XD

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Permalink Reply by zeeman barzell on November 15, 2011 at 8:03pm

Funny, a few years back I was at a friend's house on a Saturday morning when the JWs showed up. My friend answered the door, only to have the Watchtower waved in his face.

He said, "Oh, I'm so glad you're here! You showed up just in time for me TO EAT YOU!!!!"

Without saying anything, they backed off the porch and left. The fact that he happened to also be wearing a Bad Religion t-shirt, probably helped them on their way....

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Permalink Reply by Secular Forces 2013 on October 4, 2011 at 3:08pm

FFRF has mini books. i'll post em or message u ...

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Permalink Reply by Brent Messer on October 4, 2011 at 3:23pm

Great thanks!

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Permalink Reply by Grace Fitzpatrick on October 4, 2011 at 3:48pm

I'm guilty of just taking the pamphlet, saying thanks and sending them on their way. I suppose that's leading them on, but I really just want rid of them and I don't care what they think. I tell my kids people like that are crazy. They know enough normal religious people to know that is out there behavior.

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Permalink Reply by Prog Rock Girl on October 4, 2011 at 4:19pm

I do that too. The last person who came just seemed so nervous and I didn't feel like being rude to her. If they picked a fight (like this person) that would be different...

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Permalink Reply by Grace Fitzpatrick on October 4, 2011 at 4:49pm

I've never had one do that. I usually check first to see if I know who it is before answering the door. I thought I was going to have this sort of experience this morning, but it was just a lost old man.