WBMT.....What baffled me today

Rapscallion said:
If you ever get asked a similar question, just say you are renting and apologise that you can’t give them any work.
Works for double glazing salesmen as well!
Click to expand...
I usually tell them that is what I do for a living, concrete, windows, Jehovah's guys and anything else.
If I'm bored I'll let them waste time quoting and then say "the other guy that knocked yesterday was much cheaper"

broc said:
My father used to tell spam phone callers he was busy making a cup of tea
Click to expand...
I'm not sure if this is genuine, or not, I hope it is though ..

Tom Mabe
 
Cobra said:
I usually tell them that is what I do for a living, concrete, windows, Jehovah's guys and anything else.
Click to expand...
Tell JWs your an apostate and watch the reaction!;)
 
Baloo said:
Tell JWs your an apostate and watch the reaction!;)
Click to expand...
My usual stance is to discuss Darwin with them or try, they usually walk away before I have barely got in to my rhythm :)

2 knocked on the door the other day,
We'd like to talk to you about...

Stop right there I said, come in for tea and biscuits.
They drunk their tea, ate the biscuits.

Right O I said, what do you want to talk about,
they looked at each other with slightly bemused looks on their faces.
The elder one spoke and said, f*** knows, we've never got this far before :D
 
1) Oh, great that you have contacted me, it sounds like you can help, I've been struggling to get double glazing in this listed building
2) That's no problem, I can give your details to the landlord
3) Oh, I have so been waiting for your to call. What colour pants have you got on?
4) Scammy c*** f*** off
 
Pound Coin said:
1) Oh, great that you have contacted me, it sounds like you can help, I've been struggling to get double glazing in this listed building
2) That's no problem, I can give your details to the landlord
3) Oh, I have so been waiting for your to call. What colour pants have you got on?
4) Scammy c*** f*** off
Click to expand...
One of my favoured techniques to waste their time is to just answer yes in a varying tone of voice. Surprising how long you can keep the conversation going with just one word! Mostly I just put the phone down, but occasionally like to 'play'!
 
Rapscallion said:
One of my favoured techniques to waste their time is to just answer yes in a varying tone of voice. Surprising how long you can keep the conversation going with just one word! Mostly I just put the phone down, but occasionally like to 'play'!
Click to expand...

That seems a risky move. In most cases not but if they phone up to get you to, say, change your fuel supplier and record your answer, as they will, … :(
 
sphexx said:
That seems a risky move. In most cases not but if they phone up to get you to, say, change your fuel supplier and record your answer, as they will, … :(
Click to expand...
It was referring to the typical spam call from an Indian call centre where they will have no real idea who you are!
PS, there is no way a recording where they don't perform any identity checks will stand up.
 
Rapscallion said:
It was referring to the typical spam call from an Indian call centre where they will have no real idea who you are!
PS, there is no way a recording where they don't perform any identity checks will stand up.
Click to expand...
Maybe, but you’ve already passed the identity checks where you confirmed (“yes”) your name and address etc. If the recording doesn’t stand up “in courts” it could still be very inconveniencing. Maybe theyve stopped doing those fuel supplier changes now but it was a practice at one time ;(.

”They have no idea who you are“ but more often than not, if I answer the phone to them, they know my surname — could be my father’s or brother’s who both lived at the same address/phone number.

Personally I think it’s best just not to answer the phone if the number is false (usual case now) and/or answer without speaking.
 
I don't have a landline and don't answer unknown calls, neither does my wife. We'll call back if it's genuine, and if it's someone we want to speak with.
 
Cobra said:
My usual stance is to discuss Darwin with them or try, they usually walk away before I have barely got in to my rhythm :)

2 knocked on the door the other day,
We'd like to talk to you about...

Stop right there I said, come in for tea and biscuits.
They drunk their tea, ate the biscuits.

Right O I said, what do you want to talk about,
they looked at each other with slightly bemused looks on their faces.
The elder one spoke and said, f*** knows, we've never got this far before :D
Click to expand...
I received this in the post today, strange coincidence or the work of god!

1649238533306.png
Amusingly they had addressed this to St Evil rather than St Eval!
 
Baloo said:
I received this in the post today, strange coincidence or the work of god!

View attachment 349294
Amusingly they had addressed this to St Evil rather than St Eval!
Click to expand...
Spooky, eh!

Though the two things that stand out to me, are the "me and my family" and not 'my family and I'.........and I have never knew there was such a word as "commerating" ;)

Having said that, there are no doubt some folk that would indeed take comfort from such an open letter and just perhaps reply....so I hope it is genuine :thinking:
 
Box Brownie said:
Spooky, eh!

Though the two things that stand out to me, are the "me and my family" and not 'my family and I'.........and I have never knew there was such a word as "commerating" ;)

Having said that, there are no doubt some folk that would indeed take comfort from such an open letter and just perhaps reply....so I hope it is genuine :thinking:
Click to expand...
Well I have texted a reply to the number provided, I do not think they will like it much, I suggest they get help to get them out of the cult they are in!

What I think, is that people in the neighbourhood are aware that my mother has just been put in a home and is very ill, its normally when people are at their lowest that these cults try to trap you.
 
Baloo said:
Well I have texted a reply to the number provided, I do not think they will like it much, I suggest they get help to get them out of the cult they are in!

What I think, is that people in the neighbourhood are aware that my mother has just been put in a home and is very ill, its normally when people are at their lowest that these cults try to trap you.
Click to expand...
Ah! context is all....was the letter addressed to you personally or a local 'wide' Dear Neighbour sort of letter?
 
Box Brownie said:
Ah! context is all....was the letter addressed to you personally or a local 'wide' Dear Neighbour sort of letter?
Click to expand...
1649240530541.png

Sent second class mail. Will ask neighbours if they have received one.
 
Bearing in mind what you said above, I would like to think it was not personal to you..... so wonder if your neighbours did also get the letter???
 
I too have received a handwritten "Dear Neighbour" letter addressed to "The Householder" from the local JWs.
God must've run out of manna, so now he's sending spam.
 
Box Brownie said:
Bearing in mind what you said above, I would like to think it was not personal to you..... so wonder if your neighbours did also get the letter???
Click to expand...
Checked neighbours, no one else has received it, so I think my guess may be accurate.
Tori_T said:
I too have received a handwritten "Dear Neighbour" letter addressed to "The Householder" from the local JWs.
God must've run out of manna, so now he's sending spam.
Click to expand...
Pity he/she is not delivering by hand, he/she might even convince this atheist!:cool:
 
I've never seen anything wrong with religion, provided it's practiced in private and you wash your hands carefully afterwards...

:tumbleweed:
 
The last thing to talk about with JWs who call at your home is the their Bible.I say 'their' Bible because it's different to the King James version that people think of when the Bible is mentioned. It's called 'The New World Translation" and was first published in 1950 .The organisation is US-based and called 'the 'Watchtower Bible and Tract Society.'

A JW told me that evolution was quote..."a fairy tale".This coming from an intelligent person who I personally know and once befriended but had to call it a day because he lived it. He went on "If it were true why aren't we seeing apes turn into humans ? " It makes my comment on him being an intelligent person seem rather contradictory...an oxymoran. When I criticised him for taking his grandchildren (about 10/12 years old I think ) door to door because of the negativity they'd be met with he told me not to worry as they "take from an early age"

However, so you can get a step onto your ground (which I'll come to) let them tell you about Jesus..it's always Jesus rather than God. Tell them you've heard a few things about the organisation ..it's a cult and a nasty one at that but best not to say that or they'll be off.

Eg. They won't like this.. " I heard that there's going to be an Armageddon ?..a bit worrying.." Put a look of anxiety on your face. Don't overdo it, though. The fact is that they've forecast 5 dates since the first on in 1914 when Jesus is to return to Earth to establish his kingdom and as a result have quietyly dropped it. Not least because they lost tens of thousands of members who were disillusioned as well as being delusional in the first instance. They defintely won't like this being brought up.

Next. "I'm concerned about the issue re the denial of a blood transfusion .

A Dr Osama Maromuto carried out research on the number of recorded JW deaths as a result of the policy of refusing a transfusion. He made very generous allowances but still came up with the figure of 32,000 worldwide deaths in a 50 year period from 1966 to 2016 and in that last year 1230 died.

This is taken from the JW website:

Anyone “Willingly and unrepentantly taking blood”, is automatically disassociated from the organization, thereafter they will be subject to shunning, which includes cutting off from all fellow Jehovah’s Witnesses, including immediate family members."

Not much love and compassion there. That statement highlights another despicable and deadly rule. Shunning.. properly-called 'disfellowshipping' A South American Human Rights organisation has declared the practice to be a form of torture.

Take a look at these. https://nypost.com/2018/02/21/woman-shunned-by-jehovahs-witnesses-kills-entire-family-cops/

eu.freep.com

Ex-Jehovah's Witnesses break silence on shunning: 'My mother treats me like I'm dead'

In the wake of a Keego Harbor murder-suicide involving a Jehovah's Witness family, ex-JWs nationwide are blasting the faith over shunning practices.
eu.freep.com eu.freep.com

According various sources Jehovah's Witnesses commit suicide at a rate far exceeding the general population. My theory is that those who join are already having problems in their lives and their experiences within the organisation tips them over the edge.. I've been a long-time fan of The Shadows and was horrified to learn that Hank Marvin became a JW. His son Dean fell out with him and Hank's second wife over it .According to Dean they also disapproved of his girlfriend, who he wanted to marry, simply because she wasn't prepared to become a JW. Dean was at odds with them on becoming JW. That resulted in him involving himself in drink/drugs and ultimately his early death. I put this to my JW friend who said that the world is full of kids who blame their parents.

Interview with Dean. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/...is-not-always-thicker-than-water-1282153.html

Mysogyny: The place of women. http://thesydneyfeminists.blogspot.com/2019/02/the-position-of-women-in-jehovahs.html

Female members of the Jehovah’s Witnesses face multiple restrictions in their life. First, they have the lowest positions in the religious hierarchy and, most of the time, they are excluded from any governing decisions.

Lastly, here are a number of negatives to put to them. I'm thinking more re the children here. No birthdays, no mothers/fathers' day..no christmas. no firends who aren't JW hence why many of them are home-tutored nto avoid none-JW https://thoughtcatalog.com/marcus-e...t-sucked-about-growing-up-a-jehovahs-witness/

There's even an organisation that helps those who want to leave and find it difficult https://jw.support

The damned organisation should be proscribed as it is in many countries. IMO bringing up children in that organisation is a form of child abuse. It enjoys charity status too but take a look at this. They were taking the Charity Commission to court to stop an investigation in how they dealt with child sexual abuse. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...charity-drops-attempts-to-block-abuse-inquiry

Never mind Jesus and what's in their Bible get them onto these issues. You'll never be bothered by them again.They'll probably walk away before you can get through it all.
 
Last edited:
JohnC6 said:
The last thing to talk about with JWs who call at your home is the their Bible.I say 'their' Bible because it's different to the King James version that people think of when the Bible is mentioned. It's called 'The New World Translation" and was first published in 1950 .The organisation is US-based and called 'the 'Watchtower Bible and Tract Society.'

A JW told me that evolution was quote..."a fairy tale".This coming from an intelligent person who I personally know and once befriended but had to call it a day because he lived it. He went on "If it were true why aren't we seeing apes turn into humans ? " It makes my comment on him being an intelligent person seem rather contradictory...an oxymoran. When I criticised him for taking his grandchildren (about 10/12 years old I think ) door to door because of the negativity they'd be met with he told me not to worry as they "take from an early age"

However, so you can get a step onto your ground (which I'll come to) let them tell you about Jesus..it's always Jesus rather than God. Tell them you've heard a few things about the organisation ..it's a cult and a nasty one at that but best not to say that or they'll be off.

Eg. They won't like this.. " I heard that there's going to be an Armageddon ?..a bit worrying.." Put a look of anxiety on your face. Don't overdo it, though. The fact is that they've forecast 5 dates since the first on in 1914 when Jesus is to return to Earth to establish his kingdom and as a result have quietyly dropped it. Not least because they lost tens of thousands of members who were disillusioned as well as being delusional in the first instance. They defintely won't like this being brought up.

Next. "I'm concerned about the issue re the denial of a blood transfusion .

A Dr Osama Maromuto carried out research on the number of recorded JW deaths as a result of the policy of refusing a transfusion. He made very generous allowances but still came up with the figure of 32,000 worldwide deaths in a 50 year period from 1966 to 2016 and in that last year 1230 died.

This is taken from the JW website:

Anyone “Willingly and unrepentantly taking blood”, is automatically disassociated from the organization, thereafter they will be subject to shunning, which includes cutting off from all fellow Jehovah’s Witnesses, including immediate family members."

Not much love and compassion there. That statement highlights another despicable and deadly rule. Shunning.. properly-called 'disfellowshipping' A South American Human Rights organisation has declared the practice to be a form of torture.

Take a look at these. https://nypost.com/2018/02/21/woman-shunned-by-jehovahs-witnesses-kills-entire-family-cops/

eu.freep.com

Ex-Jehovah's Witnesses break silence on shunning: 'My mother treats me like I'm dead'

In the wake of a Keego Harbor murder-suicide involving a Jehovah's Witness family, ex-JWs nationwide are blasting the faith over shunning practices.
eu.freep.com eu.freep.com

According various sources Jehovah's Witnesses commit suicide at a rate far exceeding the general population. My theory is that those who join are already having problems in their lives and their experiences within the organisation tips them over the edge.. I've been a long-time fan of The Shadows and was horrified to learn that Hank Marvin became a JW. His son Dean fell out with him and Hank's second wife over it .According to Dean they also disapproved of his girlfriend, who he wanted to marry, simply because she wasn't prepared to become a JW. Dean was at odds with them on becoming JW. That resulted in him involving himself in drink/drugs and ultimately his early death. I put this to my JW friend who said that the world is full of kids who blame their parents.

Interview with Dean. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/...is-not-always-thicker-than-water-1282153.html

Mysogyny: The place of women. http://thesydneyfeminists.blogspot.com/2019/02/the-position-of-women-in-jehovahs.html

Female members of the Jehovah’s Witnesses face multiple restrictions in their life. First, they have the lowest positions in the religious hierarchy and, most of the time, they are excluded from any governing decisions.

Lastly, here are a number of negatives to put to them. I'm thinking more re the children here. No birthdays, no mothers/fathers' day..no christmas. no firends who aren't JW hence why many of them are home-tutored nto avoid none-JW https://thoughtcatalog.com/marcus-e...t-sucked-about-growing-up-a-jehovahs-witness/

There's even an organisation that helps those who want to leave and find it difficult https://jw.support

The damned organisation should be proscribed as it is in many countries. IMO bringing up children in that organisation is a form of child abuse. It enjoys charity status too but take a look at this. They were taking the Charity Commission to court to stop an investigation in how they dealt with child sexual abuse. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2...charity-drops-attempts-to-block-abuse-inquiry

Never mind Jesus and what's in their Bible get them onto these issues. You'll never be bothered by them again.They'll probably walk away before you can get through it all.
Click to expand...

It would be a lot easier just to say 'No thank you' and close the door ...
 
MartynK said:
It would be a lot easier just to say 'No thank you' and close the door ...
Click to expand...

Thats what I do, politely. Very occasionally for some religious callers I say “Sorry I’m with the other guy”. They usually reply Catholic/CofE/etc and I say “No, the one with the horns and a tail”. I guess it’s the devil in me ;).
 
JohnC6 said:
Not for me it isn't. I like to call them out on their hideous cult. I never did take the 'easy road' in life.
Click to expand...

You're entitled to 'call them out' if you wish, and have every right to do so, but I can't be bothered arguing with zealots over trivialities. The only time I've encountered Jehovah's Witnesses was when my wife and I were walking near the Edinburgh University (George Square) campus and we were approached by two young women. They were personable, courteous and made no secret of who they were. That's okay, I was willing to 'chat' (not argue) but my wife decided we had to be somewhere else ... they were really very pretty, and I think she picked up that I'd noticed that. Women! ;)
 
JohnC6 said:
Not for me it isn't. I like to call them out on their hideous cult. I never did take the 'easy road' in life.
Click to expand...
I am with you John, they prey on the distressed and emotionally unbalanced, I think of it like this, if a con man came to my door I would not let him wander down to the little old lady down the road. That is how I feel about all snake oil salesmen.
 
MartynK said:
You're entitled to 'call them out' if you wish, and have every right to do so, but I can't be bothered arguing with zealots over trivialities. The only time I've encountered Jehovah's Witnesses was when my wife and I were walking near the Edinburgh University (George Square) campus and we were approached by two young women. They were personable, courteous and made no secret of who they were. That's okay, I was willing to 'chat' (not argue) but my wife decided we had to be somewhere else ... they were really very pretty, and I think she picked up that I'd noticed that. Women! ;)
Click to expand...

Martyn.. First off... Yes.. your post was humorous. I mean, what bloke wouldn't want to stop and chat to attractive young ladies and no doubt your wife did pick up on that :)

Would you answer honestly ? Did you read any of the links I included in my post ? I know many links go unread. The reason I ask is that you've characterised the content as 'trivial' .You said " I can't be bothered arguing with zealots over trivialities" I made it clear that it was a waste of time discussing the Bible with them as they study it..they know it..or more to the point the sections that support their view....inside out. They are expected to read some passages each day. From the JW website "For example, if you read from three to five chapters of the Bible every day, you can read the entire Bible in just one year. The chart on the following pages shows how this can be done"

All the questions I suggested be put to them if someone was so inclined were concerning the way the organisation is run. The edicts from the management. So, on the face of it you were describing the practices of shunning leading to family breakdowns and at worst murder and suicide.. mysogyny...32,000 unnecessary deaths worldwide over a 50 year period re the rejection of life-saving blood transfusions with 1230 deaths in 2016...Depriving children of what is the norm outside their faith,taking small children door to door where they will sometimes be met with abuse at worst and at best, as with yourself, a polite "no thank you" and closing of the the door . Can you imagine what that does to a child ? That is very damaging . They are often home-tutored (I mentioned this) to stop them mixing with non JW in case they experience what is normal for a child to experience and are discouraged from having non-JW friends as are the adults. People who are “worldly” (ie not JW ) are seen as bad influences or “bad associations.” That's off their website. I recall hearing a child's birthday party in the garden of a near neighbour (before the Covid restrictions ) for ..5/6 year olds. It was noisy but something really uplifting about the joyfulness. A JW child is denied that. When they are in school they aren't allowed to partake in any Christmas activity and whatever they do at Easter . Ie they are not included..or putting in a more negative way.... excluded. As I mentioned..no mother's/father's day either. I won't go through why the Charity Commisioin held an inquiry into them..all I'd do is urge you to open that link. They have a 'two-witness' rule when a child makes a complaint of sexual abuse. What abuser carries out the abuse infront of a witness ? Victims of abuse are required to provide details of their abuse to a group of male elders, which may cause additional trauma. 2017 .Look at what they say.

https://revealnews.org/blog/jehovahs-witnesses-double-down-on-scripture-used-to-ignore-abuse/

I could write a couple of pages about all this and my feeling is that you didn't read the links otherwise you wouldn't have described the contents as 'trivialities' As for them being polite, courteous. Absolutely. They've weaponised it. A quickie . A missive from the top setting out a scenario for JW who have new neighbours move in and they took a young couple as an example .Paraphrasing. " Greet them. Say hello each time you see each other and have a chat . Do not mention you are JW. Become friendly with them. One day invite them for afternoon coffee. Do not mention you are JW. Do this another time or two and then gently introduce the subject but don't press it. Another time introduce them to our Bible and then a visit to a meeting' There's a word for that behaviour. Insidious. There's a website called JW victim .org which made for disturbing reading but I've just checked and it's now 'private' It comes to something when there's a support group for ex members .

I stand by my assertion that they should be proscribed but we live in a democracy that allows freedom of worship even if that religion has the capacity to inflict so much damage on its adherents.
 
Last edited:
WBMT?
Carrier picked up my Amazon delivery from the local hub, about 5 miles away,
then took it to Northampton delivery station about 20 miles away, and then out for delivery before 12:30.
He needs to get a bit of a wriggle on if he's going to make that :D
 
WBMT?

It seems I've done the impossible without even trying.
I've had a buddleia bush growing in a corner for years, every year I've cut it back quite hard, late winter, as it only flowers
on new growth. Each spring it bursts into life.
Not this time, It seems I've killed it. Oh well it was getting out of hand,
and very few butterfly's seem to take advantage of it, anyway,

Now what to replace it with? Another one or something different to fill the corner?.
The choice is quite baffling..
 
Cobra said:
WBMT?

It seems I've done the impossible without even trying.
I've had a buddleia bush growing in a corner for years, every year I've cut it back quite hard, late winter, as it only flowers
on new growth. Each spring it bursts into life.
Not this time, It seems I've killed it. Oh well it was getting out of hand,
and very few butterfly's seem to take advantage of it, anyway,

Now what to replace it with? Another one or something different to fill the corner?.
The choice is quite baffling..
Click to expand...
It may be just late, everything seems topsy turvy this year.
 
sphexx said:
It may be just late, everything seems topsy turvy this year.
Click to expand...
Its (was) very resilient, everything else is on time.
I didn't think it was actually possible to kill one, seems I succeeded though :D
 
Cobra said:
WBMT?

It seems I've done the impossible without even trying.
I've had a buddleia bush growing in a corner for years, every year I've cut it back quite hard, late winter, as it only flowers
on new growth. Each spring it bursts into life.
Not this time, It seems I've killed it. Oh well it was getting out of hand,
and very few butterfly's seem to take advantage of it, anyway,

Now what to replace it with? Another one or something different to fill the corner?.
The choice is quite baffling..
Click to expand...


Something different or even turf over the spot (if practicable). If it's a pathogen of some sort that helped you finish it off, it may be in the soil so replacing it like for like might result in another dead'un.
 
Nod said:
Something different or even turf over the spot (if practicable). If it's a pathogen of some sort that helped you finish it off, it may be in the soil so replacing it like for like might result in another dead'un.
Click to expand...
Nope I cut it back too hard.
Everything else near it is growing / sprouting well :D
 
Last edited:
Cobra said:
Nope I cut it back too hard.
Everything else near it is growing / sprouting well :D
Click to expand...
I once thought I had cut back one too hard and it sprouted again.............best dig it out before it 'gets its own back.....' ;)
 
Cobra said:
Nope I cut it back too hard.
Everything else near it is growing / sprouting well :D
Click to expand...


Like you, I'm very surprised that that killed it - they hacked one off at ground level at the g*lf course and ran a mower over the stump but it still came back!

We had a rosemary that died and Mrs Nod planted another in the same spot which lasted a couple of months despite being cared for. The bulbs and cyclamen that grew under it were fine.
 
  • Haha
Reactions: Nod
Tori_T said:
I too have received a handwritten "Dear Neighbour" letter addressed to "The Householder" from the local JWs.
God must've run out of manna, so now he's sending spam.
Click to expand...
We have had one too. Mrs Pound Coin thought it was from those neighbours two doors down.

I was happy to disabuse her.
 
"Can we tell you the good news?!?!"

Me: Yes, please do.

"Stuff about creation, eternal life, and so on."

Me: Well, sometimes I come out of this door at night and look up. There's so many stars! And some of the light we see is billions of years old. It is amazing.

"Oh, yes, God is amazing..."

Me: and then I think - who'd have made all that, it is huge, so big! But then having made it, this glorious being waits around for billions of years, for us?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top