Impressive proselytizing effort

[RobbieB]

Since I toss all junk mail in the trash unopened, this ploy won't work on me.

[scrabbler1]

Today, I got an unsolicited phone call from someone trying to get me to check out some religious website. I know I should have just let the call go to my answering machine, or just not bothered answering it altogether because the phone number, although within my area code, was not one I knew of.


The caller started off by politely telling me she wasn't a telemarketer, but maybe 10 seconds later began with some religious shtick. I yelled back, "Cut it out with your religious nonsense!" and hung up. I looked up the number later and saw the name associated with it wasn't anywhere close to the one in the CID. I have since blocked the number and posted a comment about it on 800notes.com


What is it with these people?

[Yoheadden]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ronin Mine was handwritten and return address was a local resident (seemingly). JW pitch about the kingdom of heaven. Appropriately filed. Made me look though.

I received the same. Like the OP, I appreciated the look and effort it apparently took to create this pitch, I filed it in the appropriate round filing cabinet without a response.

It’s sad to say, but I feel if you respond to such snail mail, email, texts, phone calls or any other unsolicited offers, that it just opens you up to future scammers and problems.

[RobbieB]

At least the covid has kept the JW's from knocking on my door every other month.

Small favors.

[Teacher Terry]

Robbie, I have a good sized grumpy cat sign with him giving the middle paw saying no soliciting. It’s rare now for anyone to ring the doorbell.

[RobbieB]

Nobody rings the doorbell now except deliveries on their way out.

[Teacher Terry]

I bought the sign 8 years ago. Once the virus is gone it will ring again)

[CaptTom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by scrabbler1 Don't these people have better things to do than send proselytizing letters to atheists?

No, they don't.

They're basically [MOD EDIT] committed to spreading their beliefs. The organizers of the religion/cult/political party/charity have an army of true believers willing to do God's/the cult leader's/the party's/the cause's work for free.

I'm working may way through a series of BBC podcasts about a cryptocurrency scam. There's also a web site about it if you'd rather read than listen.

I'm fascinated by confirmation bias in human nature; how willingly we will follow a leader or leaders, and how easily we dismiss anything contrary to our preferred narrative. I found the third episode in the podcast above particularly chilling in today's climate of partisan polarization.

[calmloki]

Guess I've a little different take on the hand-written letter ploy. To me it represents a (given the laborious and careful writing style of the letter I got) substantial effort on the part of the writer. I can admire the work even if it is expended on something I don't want - granted, that thing needs NOT to intrude on my life. I can admire the effort that goes into building an eco-home out of used tires and bottles as long as long as it isn't right in my living room window. Tossing a letter out is easier than getting up to answer the doorbell, though in this case I still have the letter to show people and get their input.

[Koolau]

Ah, yes. One of the advantages of living in a locked building. Access is quite limited so never an unsolicited knock at the door. I can deal with mail I don't want. We even have a trash chute.

I'm suspicious of any mail that looks too perfect yet hand written. YMMV

[CaptTom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaptTom No, they don't. They're basically [MOD EDIT] committed to spreading their beliefs. The organizers of the religion/cult/political party/charity have an army of true believers willing to do God's/the cult leader's/the party's/the cause's work for free.

I just want to thank the mods for fixing my post. I don't even recall what I wrote, but presumably it added nothing to the sentence because it looks fine with the offending word or words removed.

I try very hard not to be either judgmental or political about this. I'm just fascinated by the way human nature has evolved to put such great value on tribalism and following leaders, often against the individuals' own interests. Some very smart people, whom I respect a lot, have exhibited this fierce tribal loyalty and blindness to contrary information. I find it easier to accept things when I understand them. So I try to understand. It's not always easy.

[athena53]

DH had an uncle who was a devout Jehovah's Witness. He had the percentages figured out- W% wouldn't answer the door, X% would answer the door but tell him to go away, Y% would listen, Z% would come to a meeting and become members. He knew how many doors he had to knock on before he recruited enough people to open a new Kingdom Hall (they limit the size of congregations).

Not my thing at all- I'm an Episcopalian and one priest used to drily observe that the reason the Evangelicals got to the pioneers in the West first was that the Episcopalian preachers waited till the railroads came through to venture out to the hinterlands.

I've been getting religion-related mailings ever since I ordered prayer cards for DH's funeral 4 years ago- apparently the company sold my contact information. I keep the address labels but don't send them any money.

[Gumby]

I don't really mind door to door or phone evangelizing. I've chatted with Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons and some others whom I can't recall right now. They all operate on the principle of "if you don't ask, you don't get". I'm quite capable of telling them "no thank you". And, especially now that I'm retired, there's usually nothing urgent that they could be interrupting. I suppose if they just wouldn't take no for an answer and continued to come every day, I might feel differently, but so far all the ones I've dealt with have appeared to be quite nice people, even after I turn them down.

[Texas Proud]

Quote:

Originally Posted by donheff Maybe it was done with an autopen. They look real.

+1... they are getting very good at making things look hand written...


Edit to add....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=We_v0tJ0qHI

[Out-to-Lunch]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Texas Proud +1... they are getting very good at making things look hand written... Edit to add.... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=We_v0tJ0qHI

Wow! It is even writing boustrophedon (sort of). Very cool/scary.

Upon reflection, I am not sure why I found that so unnerving: I was using HP Plotters to do similar things more than 35 years ago.