Peddling religion to children - not at our house you don't!

[Arse]

Even when they are violent its because they're egged on by women.

Are you joking, Ani? That statement is so retarded, either you're joking or you are ....well, I won't break the forum rules.

[Trolldor]

You don't think a man would feel similarly about peddling religion to children, Ani?


I've just sent the following modified version of the op to our local paper's Letters to the Editor section. I'd be very surprised if they include it, but worth a try.

(Comment to editor: If you plan to edit this letter I would prefer you did not even put it into the paper. Please insert as is or not at all. Thank you and regards, *name here*.)

A pair of door to door religion merchants encountered my ten year old son at our door this morning and proceeded to tell him the 'good news' about [paraphrase]the coming end of the world and how he must repent his sins in order to avoid awful consequences for his sinfulness in hell, and spend eternity in paradise with the saviour and all the other repenters[/paraphrase].

My son is a smart lad and he told me that he made light of it with them before accepting their tract and bringing it to me. I took the tract, went out into the street after them and handed it back and told them not to peddle their religious nonsense to my children. One of them actually argued with me that because my son answered the door she was entitled to do so. The look on my face and tone of my voice when I told her why they are not was enough to impress upon her that this was not up for debate. She took the tract and left.

If they or others return they'll now be met with the following message posted at our front door: Religion peddlers are not welcome. It's bad enough that you indoctrinate your children with nonsense. DO NOT try to peddle it to the children here.

I'm thinking of getting a signwriter to make a more permanent one just like it, including the angry looking lettering. *fume*

I don't know what your paper is like, but the SMH would post it. I'd be interested to see the responses if it gets posted, more than anything. It would make a worthwhile anecdote.

[charlou]

@ Ani:

My temper is not vicious and I am not violent. When riled I am extremely cool and assertive and a tad acerbic.

[Animavore]

You don't think a man would feel similarly about peddling religion to children, Ani?

Doubt it. Or maybe Irish men are just more laid back than Australians
I certainly wouldn't give a bollox. I would laugh it off and tell the child not to mind the wierdos. Although judging by my family (including extended and nieces) I would think that any kids I would have would be in no danger of being in any way taken in or influenced by that rubbish anyway so I wouldn't have much cause for concern.

[Animavore]

Even when they are violent its because they're egged on by women.

Are you joking, Ani? That statement is so retarded, either you're joking or you are ....well, I won't break the forum rules.

I think anyone on the site who knows me well enough by now knows that I am incredibly flippant in most all of what I say.

[charlou]

You don't think a man would feel similarly about peddling religion to children, Ani?

Doubt it. Or maybe Irish men are just more laid back than Australians
I certainly wouldn't give a bollox. I would laugh it off and tell the child not to mind the wierdos. Although judging by my family (including extended and nieces) I would think that any kids I would have would be in no danger of being in any way taken in or influenced by that rubbish anyway so I wouldn't have much cause for concern.

I am fairly confident my children are safe too, but that's not the only point. It's the audacity of these people thinking they're entitled to do so in the first place that I'm having a go at: No, they are not.

[tattuchu]

This is really beyond the pale, and I can understand your anger. Fucking with someone's children absolutely crosses the line Of course, from the woo merchant's point of view, they were simply trying to help the boy It's just...to do anything, anything at all, with a person's child with their parent's presence and permission...is the most breathtaking audacity The fact that your child is not even safe in his own home :pissed:

[tattuchu]

You don't think a man would feel similarly about peddling religion to children, Ani?

Doubt it. Or maybe Irish men are just more laid back than Australians
I certainly wouldn't give a bollox. I would laugh it off and tell the child not to mind the wierdos. Although judging by my family (including extended and nieces) I would think that any kids I would have would be in no danger of being in any way taken in or influenced by that rubbish anyway so I wouldn't have much cause for concern.

If it it were me, I guess it would depend what kind of mood I was in, and if I'd taken my Ritalin recently. But I think under similar circumstances, I would likely be furious. Not only would I be furious, but I think I might very well resort to physical violence

[Animavore]

You don't think a man would feel similarly about peddling religion to children, Ani?

Doubt it. Or maybe Irish men are just more laid back than Australians
I certainly wouldn't give a bollox. I would laugh it off and tell the child not to mind the wierdos. Although judging by my family (including extended and nieces) I would think that any kids I would have would be in no danger of being in any way taken in or influenced by that rubbish anyway so I wouldn't have much cause for concern.

If it it were me, I guess it would depend what kind of mood I was in, and if I'd taken my Ritalin recently. But I think under similar circumstances, I would likely be furious. Not only would I be furious, but I think I might very well resort to physical violence

Over a couple of idiots calling to the door? I nearly feel sorry for these cunts. I say nearly because feeling sorry for people is their line of business.

I dunno. I must be really soft or something. I certainly couldn't lose the head at any class of simpleton who probably think they're doing good. Poor things.

[Ian]

Instances like this make me appreciate my neighborhood. Solicitors and religious loonies occasionally come around, but most stay away thanks to a neighborhood ordinance restricting door-to-door salesmen. If those folks showed up at my house, I could've called the cops on them. :twisted:

[tattuchu]

Over a couple of idiots calling to the door? I nearly feel sorry for these cunts. I say nearly because feeling sorry for people is their line of business.

I dunno. I must be really soft or something. I certainly couldn't lose the head at any class of simpleton who probably think they're doing good. Poor things.

Well, if it was me who'd answered the door, I'd prolly just be polite and say I wasn't interested, that I was an atheist and didn't believe in that sort of thing. That's what I've done in the past and they give up easily enough. Not sure why. Maybe it's all the tattoos, although I don't think I look particularly hard
But if it were my kid that answered the door, that's quite a different animal. You fuck with my kid, on my property, in my own fucking home, without my knowledge or permission...fuck, I'm getting angry just thinking about it, and I don't even have a kid

[Animavore]

I've to go to bed.

I don't want anyone thinking that I think what Chalou done was wrong. I'm just saying its not what I would've done. Things like these don't have a right or wrong. Just different ways of dealing with it. If it were me I would just ask my son what the lady said and break my hole laughing at the bullshit and then slagged the tract. There is another reason for this rather than I just simply can't be bothered with conflict and that is that I wouldn't want to be seen as opposing religion or espousing atheism because if the little bastard was anything like me he would probably have a rebellious streak and become the total opposite of what I am if he has any indication of what that is. Sure I didn't know any of my Fathers views on religion and politics (not fully anyway) until I was nearly in my twenties and they turned out to be the same as mine anyway.

Anyway. Night. I'll check any replies in the morning.

[charlou]

I've to go to bed.

I don't want anyone thinking that I think what Chalou done was wrong. I'm just saying its not what I would've done. Things like these don't have a right or wrong. Just different ways of dealing with it. If it were me I would just ask my son what the lady said and break my hole laughing at the bullshit and then slagged the tract. There is another reason for this rather than I just simply can't be bothered with conflict and that is that I wouldn't want to be seen as opposing religion or espousing atheism because if the little bastard was anything like me he would probably have a rebellious streak and become the total opposite of what I am if he has any indication of what that is. Sure I didn't know any of my Fathers views on religion and politics (not fully anyway) until I was nearly in my twenties and they turned out to be the same as mine anyway.

Anyway. Night. I'll check any replies in the morning.

First reply: Pretty much agree with the bolded bit ... so long as the ways of dealing with it don't include violence ... Dealing with these people the way you advocate is certainly a valid, even admirable, approach.

re the rebelliousness concern ... I bear that possibility in mind always, and try to impart to my children that at the end of the day their minds, views and decisions are their own. I've never considered any of their autonomous behaviour to be 'acts of rebellion'.


tat, I did get angry but I didn't lose my cool or my head.

[charlou]

Instances like this make me appreciate my neighborhood. Solicitors and religious loonies occasionally come around, but most stay away thanks to a neighborhood ordinance restricting door-to-door salesmen.

Good idea. "Don't call us, we'll call you".

[Red Katie]

This is now posted at our front door:

Well posted, say I.