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Old 11-18-2017, 01:01 AM
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Meraviglioso
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Join Date: Jul 2014
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What to do about religious ministries

This is a bit off topic but still has to do with my sobriety as I am doing my best to not get too stressed about things, about saying "no", etc.

I have these very nice Jehovah's Witnesses who come to my house on what is starting to become a very regular basis. I have always said hi and have taken their little pamphlets because I feel like if handing out this stuff and making a visit is really what is going to get them into their heaven who am I to deny them that? If taking a little booklet and saying thanks will do anything to further their chances of getting into heaven, why not? It doesn't cost me a thing to just take the booklet and then thumb through it or just simply throw it into the recycling. I have no intentions of joining their church, inviting them into my house for further discussion or converting to a religion. But again, it doesn't hurt to be nice and help them... or does it?
My ex boyfriend tells me what I am doing is actually wrong, that I am giving them false hope they might convert me (which may be true) and that I should just say no and not speak to them at all.
I have a very hard time with this. First, it is difficult for me to be rude. Secondly, again, I feel like if I can give them a little lift or make them feel like they are doing their witnessing work well, why not? But it has gotten to the point where they are now coming by multiple times per week and are dropping off bigger and bigger books. In the past I had no issue just recycling them, now I am concerned about her amount of money that went into these larger publications and the many trees that went into producing them, we're talking hundred page paperback materials.
But now I am in so deep. I don't know how to politely tell them that I don't want to join their church, I never had any intention of it, I was just trying to be nice.
I thought being at work all day would help but now they have figured out my schedule and come by on my lunch break and the weekends.
HELP!
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