How do you deal with people who try and give you pamphlets?

[deactivatedfedcba]

The same way I'd deal with people offering any kind of pamphlet - just say something like "thank you, but I'm not interested" and walk away.  

[ProjectOmicron88]

If they don't have a moustache, I say, "Sorry, I don't accept pamphlets from anyone without a moustache." If they have a moustache, I just say I'm not interested.  

[MoonJeli]

I actually enjoy talking to people about religion. Even evangelists.

It also doesn't hurt to take the pamphlet. I know at least I will recycle it, while someone else they gave it to might simply toss it in the trash. Heh. Oh, and Chick Tracts are always an amusing read.

I am extremely secure in my (lack of) beliefs. I do not feel the need to convert other people to my belief, or to defend my beliefs. Therefore the conversations are never uncomfortable... at least not for me.

If someone asks me if I believe in god, I simply smile and say no. If they ask why not, I usually say, "It's something I've studied and read a great deal about, and believing in a god doesn't fit with my experiences. However, I do enjoy learning more about all religions."

I live with two people who are both my partners. We are all three engaged to be married in a polyfidelitous triad. One of my partners is also an atheist, and the other is vaguely spiritual but in no way Christian. We have some Jehovah's Witnesses who come to our house at least once a month, to give us the most recent Awake and other religious publications. (One is always the same woman, and she brings someone different with her each time.) I enjoy talking to them. I am never rude. I never tell them that their beliefs are wrong. They have told me on several occassions that is refreshing how nice we are to them. It is sad to me that other people are so unkind to them, and that we, a very non-traditional mostly atheist group of people, are some of the only ones who are kind to them.

It's another case of leading by example. Heh. Christians often say that the best way to witness is to show how loving you are and what a great life you have. Well, I'm witnessing that atheists can be kind, accepting, loving people too.

I also understand that the reason most people witness is out of fear, responsibility and guilt. Many Christians are taught that people who do not believe what they believe are going to hell. Many of them feel personally responsible for this. If someone is not saved, then they have not been doing their part to help that person. Can you imagine how much guilt that would be, that because you didn't talk to a person, they are damned to eternal firey punishment? This is not true for all Christians, but I know that many feel this way.

There are times that I do speak up during a conversation and correct some major failing of logic, but I do not criticize things that are unfalsifiable. It would be a waste of time.

smile  

[Orson Welles]

It depends on my mood. I'll be well-mannered and tell them I'm not religious if they walk up to me when I'm having a good day.

Though, there have been times where I've been handed a pamphlet and I just rip it in their faces and yell something along the lines of "I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOU'RE FAKE GOD AND YOUR STUPID ******** PAMPHLETS!"  

[Arios V]

I would just politely say "Thanks, but no thanks" and hope they just leave me be. If they don't I'll just reiterate what I said and if they still don't get the message, that's when I'll say something that isn't very nice.  

[[The Looney Bin]]

The dinosaurs are returning...

I remember in 2007 at the Cinco de Mayo festival here in Portland there was this huge yellow tent across the street.
I walked past it with a friend to walk him to the MAX (a public train for public transportation).
Then I walked past the giant yellow tent again and I was looking at it and found out it was for Scientology.

While I was reading some of the stuff and walking by this guy behind me was like "sir" "sir" "sir" and I ignored him thinking he was talking to someone else, then he tapped me on the shoulder and was all "you are a sir right".

And I turned around and was all "uh-huhhhh".
And he was all "can I interest you in Scientology?".
And I was all "I'm not really into religion".
And he was all "well... [pause] neither am I" and he handed me two pamphlets.

I thought to myself.
This guy can't be helped.
So I gave him back his pamphlets and ran back into Cinco de Mayo.

...and they want their oil back.

 

[Sini X]

I just say that I'm not interested. If I'm passing pamflets too (mine are usually about animal rights or nuclearpowerplants or something like that mrgreen ) I ask if they'd like to trade and then I tare the other pamflet and throwit in the trash.
There's this place in Helsinki where there's always people giving out religious pamflets and sometimes even giving speeches with a microphone and a small speaker. Once there was this man talking about how young people are feeling so bad about theirselves and it's all because they haven't found "god" and when he was talking about "...the young people are feeling so bad they're commiting suicides..." I shouted back to him "And it's your and your god's fault" and walked away. The guy went really silent for a while.  

[Mr woman]

i actually take the high road some times, and just ignore them completely.
but i've had a run in with some annoying as ******** jehovah's witnesses coming to my door and refusing to leave.
they stick around and ask if they can help with chores or mowing my lawn.
i mean, jeez. if they aren't leaving and they put their toe in the door, im going to get pissed.
i tell them to get the hell ot of my house and off my property, because i am already very serious in what i believe.
showing up naked at the door just doesn't work sometimes.  

[Dirty Dirty Shisno]

Every time someone tries to convert me I just let them try. If they convince me then obviously I was wrong for being an atheist in the first place. If not (53 times and counting) then that just reasures me that I've made the right decision in believing there is no god, because frankly, I can't ever see me believing in god again. If I get a pamphlet giver trying to give me one I just take it read it and discard it.  

[Lux7]

I ussually say no thanks but if they keep pushing it or try to convert me i just do the same thing to them. Scares them off most of the time. mrgreen  

[Atheistic]

I've never really had a problem with it before. I normally just say "No thanks I don't believe in God..." and stroll away. I walk away before they can say anything else...  

[[The Looney Bin]]

Mr. Woman

i actually take the high road some times, and just ignore them completely.
but i've had a run in with some annoying as ******** jehovah's witnesses coming to my door and refusing to leave.
they stick around and ask if they can help with chores or mowing my lawn.
i mean, jeez. if they aren't leaving and they put their toe in the door, im going to get pissed.
i tell them to get the hell ot of my house and off my property, because i am already very serious in what i believe.
showing up naked at the door just doesn't work sometimes.

The dinosaurs are returning...

Are you meaning to say that they offer to mow your lawn and you say no?!
Darn man!
Have them mow your lawn!
Make them do craploads of chores.

AND THEN SHUFFLE THEM OUT THE DOOR.

I've never had that amazing luxury =[[[.
I NEED FREE DOOR TO DOOR HOUSE CLEANERS!

...and they want their oil back.

 

[55may55]

Daffodil the Destroyer

I LOVE religious pamphlets and will gladly accept them from anyone who doesn't then proceed to engage me in extended conversation. I have quite the collection, including some that my grandmother collected back in the day. I think they're incredibly funny, so I keep them around to read for entertainment now and then. I even got one a year or so ago that tried to convince me that evolution was a sham. I chuckled and put it in the box with the others. XP

I also love reading them. The pictures and stories are SO funny, it kills me.  

[Tenth Speed Writer]

[The Looney Bin]

The dinosaurs are returning...

I remember in 2007 at the Cinco de Mayo festival here in Portland there was this huge yellow tent across the street.
I walked past it with a friend to walk him to the MAX (a public train for public transportation).
Then I walked past the giant yellow tent again and I was looking at it and found out it was for Scientology.

While I was reading some of the stuff and walking by this guy behind me was like "sir" "sir" "sir" and I ignored him thinking he was talking to someone else, then he tapped me on the shoulder and was all "you are a sir right".

And I turned around and was all "uh-huhhhh".
And he was all "can I interest you in Scientology?".
And I was all "I'm not really into religion".
And he was all "well... [pause] neither am I" and he handed me two pamphlets.

I thought to myself.
This guy can't be helped.
So I gave him back his pamphlets and ran back into Cinco de Mayo.

...and they want their oil back.

It's alright, they can't really be helped..
El Ron is already feasting on his delicious life-sustaining brains.  

[T3xtual Harassm3nt]

if it was one of the ones who come to your house, i pretend im not home.

i would probably just take it, and chuck it first chance i get.