Knock knock knocking

Jehovah's Witnesses called today, and I was just on my way out to the gym. I could truthfully say "I'm just on my way out". I only had a small window of opportunity for the gym today and couldn't stay there long, but I guess any exercise is better than none. So anyway, they gave me some pamphletts and said if I need any answers to check out the Bible. I don't mind JWs coming round, and this pair were smiley types. I remember we used to get them quite often when I was living at home, so now we're nearby I suppose it's bound to happen. Must be on their regular route.

Perhaps living in pubs has been a deterrent in-between times - although there's no reason a landlord can't be religious. Or is there? Maybe we're bad influences in the world, or something. It's hard to imagine them coming into an open pub to evangelise. And it's bloody difficult to find a reasonable hour to call when it's shut. I know some religions forbid alcohol, but say, CofE Christianity doesn't proscribe it. Maybe it would disapprove of drunkenness? But then so do landlords, (at least at the point someone becomes an asshole). I've no idea what the JW take on alcohol is, might have to see what I can find on it, out of curiosity.

I think my attitude to JWs is probably more tolerant than some they will meet with: more so since I met on-line a JW. I remember her saying that people can ask not to visited and their wishes will be respected. I suppose if people aren't generally aware of that, it doesn't help the JW's image. I could ask to be listed, but I don't mind chatting to them if I'm around. Maybe I'd just be wasting their time, given my atheism... Then again, I remember very briefly having a job selling door-to-door and it was very daunting & unpleasant. I think someone being civil to them is probably a nice relief.

What I do find interesting about them as a group is their apolitical stance. They tend not to vote and refuse military service, do not run for office and avoid patriotic gestures: they are only interested in the Kingdom of God, not the human constructs of nation or country. They find wars between countries "detestable in the eyes of God". At least no-one need fear a theocracy of JWs.

These sort of beliefs led to their persecution during the Holocaust, which I hadn't been aware of previously. Always tend to think of the Jews, gay people, the disabled and the Romany people in relation to concentration camps, not the JWs or FreeMasons, for example.

Which reminds me, my great-grandfather on my gran's side was a big bug in the FreeMasons. (Not really relevant, but it's my family history, therefore interesting to me).