Ambushed

[_wenglund]

Hi Grayskull,

Your OP caught me a little off guard. From the subject line I had expected to read about an Al Quida terrorist attack in your area. Imagine my suprise when it turns out that it was just a rather benign visit from a couple of well-intending missionaries dropping by unaware that this was your one night during the week to spend with wife.

Anyway, your harsh reaction raised some reasonable questions in my mind. Would you have felt the same way were instead of LDS missionaries, it would have been several young black kids selling magazines? Would you have thought they were "ambushing" you? Would you thought to give them an "F-U answer"? Would you have felt the need to lament that experience at a discussion board know to have people who are prejudiced against blacks?

I am just trying to get some insights into your motives in posting here what you did.

Thanks, -Wade Englund-

[_Who Knows]

Hi Grayskull,

Your OP caught me a little off guard. From the subject line I had expected to read about an Al Quida terrorist attack in your area. Imagine my suprise when it turns out that it was just a rather benign visit from a couple of well-intending missionaries dropping by unaware that this was your one night during the week to spend with wife.

Anyway, your harsh reaction raised some reasonable questions in my mind. Would you have felt the same way were instead of LDS missionaries, it would have been several young black kids selling magazines? Would you have thought they were "ambushing" you? Would you thought to give them an "F-U answer"? Would you have felt the need to lament that experience at a discussion board know to have people who are prejudiced against blacks?

I am just trying to get some insights into your motives in posting here what you did.

Thanks, -Wade Englund-

Considering the fact that he has specifically asked NOT to be contacted, I thought he handled it quite well.

If a group of black (not sure what that has to do with anything) kids stopped by my house again and again after I specifically asked them not to return - then yes, I'd consider it a-ok to be rude to them.

[_Runtu]

Considering the fact that he has specifically asked NOT to be contacted, I thought he handled it quite well.

If a group of black (not sure what that has to do with anything) kids stopped by my house again and again after I specifically asked them not to return - then yes, I'd consider it a-ok to be rude to them.

Yes, I would say that's the key: he had asked not to be contacted. I'm not sure why some church leaders don't feel the need to respect the DNC list, but some don't.

[_Yoda]

From the subject line I had expected to read about an Al Quida terrorist attack in your area.

LOL!

In that case, it would have been in the "Off Topic" Forum.

;)

Anyway, your harsh reaction raised some reasonable questions in my mind. Would you have felt the same way were instead of LDS missionaries, it would have been several young black kids selling magazines? Would you have thought they were "ambushing" you? Would you thought to give them an "F-U answer"? Would you have felt the need to lament that experience at a discussion board know to have people who are prejudiced against blacks?

I am just trying to get some insights into your motives in posting here what you did.

Thanks, -Wade Englund-

I think his frustration stems from the fact that he specifically requested "no contact" from the Church, and according to his account, it's obvious that at least the older gentleman who was with the missionaries was aware of this.

I think his reaction may have been different if it had just been random missionaries coming to the door doing tracting.

[_Yoda]

Anyway, your harsh reaction raised some reasonable questions in my mind. Would you have felt the same way were instead of LDS missionaries, it would have been several young black kids selling magazines? Would you have thought they were "ambushing" you? Would you thought to give them an "F-U answer"? Would you have felt the need to lament that experience at a discussion board know to have people who are prejudiced against blacks?

I am just trying to get some insights into your motives in posting here what you did.

Thanks, -Wade Englund-

Hey Wade---I just noticed something about your post, and I'm curious.

Taking a look at the portion I bolded....

In comparison...Do you really feel that Shade's board is "prejudiced against Mormons"? That seems to be what you're implying.

I don't really see this as the case.

Just curious as to your take.

[_wenglund]

Anyway, your harsh reaction raised some reasonable questions in my mind. Would you have felt the same way were instead of LDS missionaries, it would have been several young black kids selling magazines? Would you have thought they were "ambushing" you? Would you thought to give them an "F-U answer"? Would you have felt the need to lament that experience at a discussion board know to have people who are prejudiced against blacks?

I am just trying to get some insights into your motives in posting here what you did.

Thanks, -Wade Englund-

Hey Wade---I just noticed something about your post, and I'm curious.

Taking a look at the portion I bolded....

In comparison...Do you really feel that Shade's board is "prejudiced against Mormons"? That seems to be what you're implying.

I don't really see this as the case.

Just curious as to your take.

No, I wouldn't characterize Shade's board as prejudiced against Mormons. But, I do believe there are several participants here who are deeply prejudiced against Mormons. A couple of them added their sympathetic spite to Grayskull's lament--which I suspect Grayskull had anticipated, and may even have desired.

And, I understand that it can be somewhat frustrating when people don't honor certain requests. But, I have found it helpful to be somewhat understanding of mild infractions, particularly when the request is made to a large organization. It is quite possible that some people may have not gotten the word.

Even still, I don't see how it would serve anyone's benefit to gripe and complain about it here. Certainly not something as seemingly insignificant as a chance visit for a minute or two. Besides, there are some rather significant issues facing the world that may well warrant discussion, so why sweat the small stuff?

Thanks, -Wade Englund-

[_Who Knows]

Besides, there are some rather significant issues facing the world that may well warrant discussion...

Good point. So why are we even discussing Mormonism at all?

[_marg]

So here I am at the door. One guy, silent. One guy a little older, over and over, trying to BRT by saying things like, "Hey, I understood you went on a mission to ...., I just got back from there." "Hey, what part of ... were you in?" Like, you know, the one free night my wife and I have all week (or more) with all kinds of pressures and stresses I'm just going to drop it all and say, "Oh yeah? Hey, come on in. Let's talk about ... while I let my wife sit on the sidelines. Maybe she'll feel the spirit and ask to be baptized huh? It's all so simple you know.

I have a friend I have to be very firm and blunt with to get off the phone. And other people I know have the same problem with her. Every day I get at least one phone call at a minimum but typically more and again I'm not the only one she calls frequently. Last night my daughter was over for dinner, my friend called, I talked for about 5 minutes and then explained that I had to get off due to my daughter being there, and she said okay but continued talking as if I hadn't mentioned I had to get off. At which point in a more stern emphatic voice I said again I had to go and she complied. So my point is that sometimes when people don't listen and are intent on getting their way irrespective of your wishes, one has to be stern and blunt.

Now my experience with missionaries has been quite pleasant. For whatever reason when I was living in California for about 4 years I would get missionary visits about once a year. I actually enjoyed it, though I was never thoughtful enough to ask them in. So at the door I'd carry on conversations with them, and when they'd say they "know" something I'd explain it was likely they "believed" rather than they knew. That what they believed was what they were taught with from a young age and not something they ever critically evaluated. I'd get into the bits of my historical knowledge on Mormonism, perhaps J.Smith's polygamy..but the whole conversation never really lasted all that long or as long as I'd like. It would seem in no time they would want to leave. It was never me, breaking it off, it was always them and they never offered to come back.

I suppose I didn't have any emotional hot buttons and so discussions for me would be pleasant. In retrospect, I wish I was better prepared with what to talk about and had asked them in. I certainly did not look upon them as being ill intentioned.

[_Yoda]

Every day I get at least one phone call at a minimum but typically more and again I'm not the only one she calls frequently

Time to get Caller ID!

;)

[_grayskull]

Brother Wade,

Your OP caught me a little off guard. From the subject line I had expected to read about an Al Quida terrorist attack in your area.

Why? Haven't you ever crossed paths with a metaphor?

Imagine my suprise when it turns out that it was just a rather benign visit from a couple of well-intending missionaries

Wait a second. It's going to take some extend analysis, questions and probing on your part, to uncover my motives for writing this post, but it's transparent that my visitors were well-intending without any further consideration?

unaware that this was your one night during the week to spend with wife.

And probably unaware that I'm on the no-contact list. It wasn't a huge deal, but it wouldn't even had been a big deal if they had taken "no" for an answer. They don't need to push and push to either get me to bend or give them the sure sack as if I'm a new contact and they're trying to squeeze in a 1st. They have my number. The Elder's quorum president calls now and again.

Would you have felt the same way were instead of LDS missionaries, it would have been several young black kids selling magazines?

The young black kids would have got the negative answer faster. I don't waste more than a few seconds with solicitors. I'm more civil with missionaries, and I wasn't rude to them at all until it was clear they were going to loom in the doorway until I either let them in or told them to get lost.