How do you deal with overzealous d-bags?

We've all been there. We're minding our own business when someone we barely know comes up to us, because they heard about our particular religious belief and go, "It's a shame you don't believe in so and so, because he/she/it/shchlee is the one true whatever-the-fuck."

The most common of these D-bags are the Jehova's Witness motherfuckers. These guys will actually take time out of their lives to go door to door telling people to convert before they get sent to hell. That's rediculous.

Now, I'm not saying having a religion is bad. I mean, go ahead, have a religion, that's cool, but...don't drag other people into it, you know?

My friend's girlfriend came home crying yesterday, she's 17, i think i should clarify, because some guy just paid her 2 dollars for one of her art projects, stating, "It's too bad you don't believe in god(she's Theist Agnostic)Because he blessed you with such artistic skills, if you prayed to him he'd make you better. Instead, the devil will claim your soul in the end, and all those talents will go to waste."

Now, my friend isn't exactly...articulate...so his only idea was to find the guy and punch him in the face. Instead, I offered my advice on things to SAY to him next time he says something like that, most were harmless, the usual brush it away, take it in stride, pretend you're listening. She didn't want to hear any of that though, so I shrugged and told her the next time he says something like that, stop him mid sentence and go, "Hold on one second, it's time to pray." Then kneel down on a nearby carpet and begin spouting off made up Arabic words, to mess with him.

What would you guys advise?

Tell the wingnut to fuck off. Perfect solution right there

You can just kneel down and start chanting random sutras... JK, just slam the door in his/her/schlee's face and call the police if they hang around.

I wouldn't recommend the fake-Islam thing, you never know if you'll get arrested for "suspicious behavior"
What I do, if I have time, is start going on at length about my religion. Then if they try and stop me I say, "Oh, you don't want to know about my beliefs? Good, we understand each other." and leave :D

Shove a Popsicle into their mouth and wave them goodbye.

There was a bit of advice given in my "How Do You Act Around a Racist?" thread that I think fits here:

Just don't bother. You're not going to change the person's mind, so don't even try to. Just ignore them or ask them to go away.

About the incident your friend's girlfriend had, I'll be frank - she overreacted. She cried because someone said she'd go to hell? If she's going to burst into tears every time someone tells her that, she might as well become a Christian, just to avoid it. Of course, people will still say shit to her, so maybe it wouldn't help after all. My point is, you can't cry whenever a person says something to you that you don't like. If she truly believes that she will not go to Hell when she dies, his words should mean nothing. Also, people say bad shit all the time. At least he complimented her art instead of saying that it sucked.

Throwing this out there because there seems to be a bit of a bias so far - atheists do this same shit. It's not always pompous Christians. Very often, I hear pompous atheists talk down to others because of a difference in belief. Like I said above, the best thing to do is to ignore them if they're being a douchebag. It doesn't matter what the belief is, if a person is being a royal jackass about it, it sucks, but the person isn't likely to change his mind. Getting into an argument won't help anything.

Hey, I think this is the first time you've actually said something good. Though I fixed the grammar for you.

Anyway, ofc I think all these "you go to hell" religious mofos ain't quite right in their mind, but I do not think there is any need to get upset about them. -_- Just ignore them, or if u can't, tell them to stfu when they go on about whatever religion they follow.

You should say to him "didn't I see you on date-line".

I find it with some Christians the time and with some atheists.

I've had some christians telling me that playing video games is wrong, fiction is wrong, I should find a new hobby and that I'm a bad christian.

I've had some atheists complaine about religous beliefs being pushed on them when they are being more pushy on their atheists beliefs.

I guess sometimes unless this belief is being forced on you or you're being discriminated its just fair to speak up your own mind as well. Ive encountered some of these myself.

One time I was on a plane and this guy kept looking at me then on the way out he gave me this letter saying that he thinks im a witch and that I should return to Jesus and all. Im NOT. He was pleasant about it though really but still...

Then here at work, I have to deal with this manager who keeps on telling me to em... that jesus loves me and someone loves me, what is he implying that no one loves me and I am so alone???... I dont know really why these people approach me.

But in both cases they were reasonable so I listened to their beliefs decently and just told them I respect what they believe and I will consider thinking about them.

On cases where in its not civilized or theyre just plain idiotic id say, "Go to hell".

When I was in college, there was a group of born again christians who tried to convert other students, even after they were told to stop by the administration (given that the school was actually a christian one, you can imagine what sort of trouble they actually caused to be told to stop).

Whenever they tried to approach me (our bunaglow hangout was adjacent theirs), I'd engage them in conversation... and then ask uncomfortable questions.

I didn't try to be snarky or impolite. Unlike the racist thread, these are notpeople motivated by hate. They may be misguided, but for the most part they actually _care_. I just asked things I knew they couldn't answer. Pretty soon they stopped approaching me. The funny thing was, some of the other students saw this, and tried my approach.

"Hey fatman, I did what you did. You should have seen the sour look on their face!"

For the actual douchebags (who would likely be douchebags whether or not they followed a religion anyway), treat them like you would the guys in the racist thread -- have fun with them if you can talk rings around them, or just ignore them.



Urgh. And they had some of the best looking girls in school. I mean, truly fap-ilicious.

Yo, bro. We can't read that business on any carpets. Has to be special, holy ones. Y' dig?

T-on: I suppose the usual, "Go fuck yourself." would suffice... But if you wanna' up the knowledge a little bit you could tell him/hurt to... Wait for it... Go fuck himself[Or you could, as the above poster said, talk rings around him. You know, if you like to waste time.]. It's not his/her place to ass rape you with his/her religion. No. That's what your parents are 'upposed to do.

When people come knocking on the door, the easiest way to deal with them is to simply not answer. Not going to bother telling people off or doing anything to offend people. Ignoring their presence works wonders.

^Straight from Black Jesus' mouth

I personally never had this problem and i've made perfectly sure that i've never given anyone else this problem

I usually let them ramble on about whatever they believe and then slam the door shut mid sentence.

Jehova's Witness here are quite persistent, nearly every week you get them at the door. also when you try to slam the door shut they usually try to block the door with their feet just to get their point across. (the nickname "Bleu Feet" is the most common used)

Haven't heard from them ever since I said.
"Your god doesn't protect you from the might of satan!"

Tell them I don't believe them flip them off.

Take out a Nazi arm band and do a Hitler Salute.