The Proselytizing Condolence Letter

[Sterngard Friegen]

A letter sent to the Friegen Family, at my Father's last address, was just forwarded to me. It's a handwritten note, saying the writer and her husband were neighbors of my Father, that they just learned of the death, and that they were sending their condolences. And then came the proselytization along with a small handout talking about the Resurrection.

I was pretty offended. So offended that I penned a letter to these ghouls, suggested they trolled the obituaries, and that they were too lazy to go door-to-door like their fellow co-religionists. I also told them that I hope they go to hell for intruding on my mourning, but that since there is no sky daddy that won't happen.

I felt better and wasn't going to send the letter. Then I decided to Google "jehovah's witnesses writing condolence letters to strangers" and it turns out these importunations during a family's time of grief are best practices for the Jehovah's Witnesses cult.

So I'm going to send my letter. If they want to proselytize I want to push back.

PS: Their letter was polite, and intrusive. My letter is impolite, and intrusive.

Anybody else have this experience?

[Tiredretiredlawyer]

A letter sent to the Friegen Family, at my Father's last address, was just forwarded to me. It's a handwritten note, saying the writer and her husband were neighbors of my Father, that they just learned of the address, and that they were sending their condolences. And then cvame the proslytization along with a small handout talking about the Resurrection.

I was pretty offended. So offended that I penned a letter to these ghouls, suggested they trolled the obituaries, and that they were too lazy to go door-to-door like their fellow co-religionists. I also told them that I hope they go to hell for intruding on my mourning, but that since there is no sky daddy that won't happen.

I felt better and wasn't going to send the letter. Then I decided to Google "jehovah's witnesses writing condolence letters to strangers" and it turns out these importunations during a family's time of gried are best practices for the Jehovah's Witnesses cult.

So I'm going to send my letter. If they wsant to proselytize I want to push back.

PS: Their letter was polite, and intrusive. My letter is impolite and intrusive.

Anybody else have this experience?

Never had this. Bravo for pushing back! That is sick stuff.

[MN-Skeptic]

Nah.

But once the legal notice was put in the paper re my mom's probate, I just got a bunch of letters from real estate agencies offering to help me sell my mom's house. I don't think so.

Sending your letter sounds like a great idea in my opinion. Go for it.

[Sterngard Friegen]

[Hektor]

Am I a bad person if I want to send a letter thanking them for their kind condolences and their selfless interest in their fellow earthling's immortal souls and then ask if they have rapture insurance because do I have a deal for them!!!!

[Sterngard Friegen]

Am I a bad person if I want to send a letter thanking them for their kind condolences and their selfless interest in their fellow earthling's immortal souls and then ask if they have rapture insurance because do I have a deal for them!!!!

No. And it's a very pretty idea. But these are stoopid people and they wouldn't get that they are being trolled.

[Sunrise]

Hektor, you're not only a very pretty person but a very discerning and innovative person. Your idea is

[ZekeB]

Am I a bad person if I want to send a letter thanking them for their kind condolences and their selfless interest in their fellow earthling's immortal souls and then ask if they have rapture insurance because do I have a deal for them!!!!

Start it out with “you, too, can be one of the 144,000 chosen few.” I had one of them banging on my door a couple of months ago. The wind chill was in the -40 range. I was NOT going to invite her in. I got tired of standing at the door in my comfortable clothes and finally told her to give me the Watchtower and be gone. Her leaflet went in my trash as I headed back to the living room.

[Dan1100]

Am I a bad person if I want to send a letter thanking them for their kind condolences and their selfless interest in their fellow earthling's immortal souls and then ask if they have rapture insurance because do I have a deal for them!!!!

Start it out with “you, too, can be one of the 144,000 chosen few.” I had one of them banging on my door a couple of months ago. The wind chill was in the -40 range. I was NOT going to invite her in. I got tired of standing at the door in my comfortable clothes and finally told her to give me the Watchtower and be gone. Her leaflet went in my trash as I headed back to the living room.

You are way too nice. As soon as I figure out who they are, I tell them to leave immediately or I'll call the sheriff and have them charged with trespassing. If they say anything else, I pick up my cell phone and start dialing.

[TheNewSaint]

these importunations during a family's time of grief are best practices for the Jehovah's Witnesses cult.

And other pseudo-Christian cults as well. I remember it being taught to me as "people at a time of loss are most receptive to the prompting of the spirit" or some such drivel. Of course, it's exactly what you called it: preying on people at a time of emotional weakness. It's sick, and it deserves to be called out for the used car sales tactic it is.

[SLQ]

This is just sick. You might want to copy the church headquarters:

World Headquarters of Jehovah's Witnesses  
1 Kings Dr
Tuxedo Park, NY 10987

Edit: to add address

[Sterngard Friegen]

This is just sick. You might want to copy the church headquarters:

World Headquarters of Jehovah's Witnesses  
1 Kings Dr
Tuxedo Park, NY 10987

Edit: to add address

It won't help. The JW cult's website has sample letters to send out.

[Estiveo]

I got two of those letters after Estiveo's Mom died. Mine didn't come with return addresses, though, so I did not get the pleasure of sending a response. I also got several letters, also hand written, from someone who was very insistent he be allowed to buy the house for *CASH!* right away. Him I responded to.

[SLQ]

This is just sick. You might want to copy the church headquarters:

World Headquarters of Jehovah's Witnesses  
1 Kings Dr
Tuxedo Park, NY 10987

Edit: to add address

It won't help. The JW cult's website has sample letters to send out.

Very slimy.

[DejaMoo]

Maybe you can tell them this site made an exception just for them: all of their deceased loved ones are now gay.

[Notorial Dissent]

Stern I agree 1000%, that is particularly heinous, the only thing I find more vile is bank or real estate people sending solicitation letters.

[stoppingby]

I got two of those letters after Estiveo's Mom died. Mine didn't come with return addresses, though, so I did not get the pleasure of sending a response. I also got several letters, also hand written, from someone who was very insistent he be allowed to buy the house for *CASH!* right away. Him I responded to.

I get letters offering to buy my house for cash a lot (I live in what passes in the rustbelt for a gentrifying neighborhood.) But mine are typed, in that font that makes it look handwritten. Its written to make it sound like its some nice guy looking for a home for his family, rather than a sleazebag scam artist that it is. It infuriates me, because I know its a scam, but there are elderly people living in this area who don't. One recently was asking around the neighborhood about this "Steve" who kept writing her to buy her house. There is a special ring in hell for con artists who pray on the elderly, the desperate, and the grieving.

Edited to add: Give them hell, Mr. Friegan! I am fairly tolerant of proselytizers who ring my doorbell, because I think that they are well intentioned but misguided, but particularly singling out the grieving is unforgivable.

[Sterngard Friegen]

This is just sick. You might want to copy the church headquarters:

World Headquarters of Jehovah's Witnesses  
1 Kings Dr
Tuxedo Park, NY 10987

Edit: to add address

It won't help. The JW cult's website has sample letters to send out.

Under "condolences" on the JW cult's site is this story about how to combine condolences with prosselytizing: https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/302 ... nces&p=par

“DO YOU KNOW MRS. NADIA?” Nadia is a pioneer in a congregation in northern Italy. In September 2009 she spoke through the intercom to a man who immediately interrupted her to tell her that his wife had just died and that he did not want to talk to her. The following Sunday, Nadia went back to express her condolences and to highlight the Bible’s resurrection hope, but the man’s reaction was the same. The Watchtower Study that was held that same afternoon included the experience of a sister who had written a letter to someone who had lost a loved one in death. That made Nadia think of the man she had spoken to over the intercom, so she decided to write a letter of condolence and include details about the resurrection hope. Two days later, she left the letter in the man’s mailbox.

Asked by a grieving widower to leave him alone, this JW cult member persisted and wrote him a letter. Of course, there is a happy ending in the next paragraph of this tale.

Several days later, Nadia was engaging in street work and stopped a man in his 70’s to read a Bible verse to him. The man asked if she was one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, and Nadia replied that she was. The man went on to explain that he had been visited by one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, who had left him a beautiful letter that deeply moved him. He then asked, “Do you know Mrs. Nadia?” With much amazement on the part of both of them, Nadia introduced herself and made arrangements to visit him with her husband. Not only did the man start to study the Bible but he is now regularly attending the meetings.

So bothering grieving family members is not an aberration. It's a way of life for Jehovah's Witness cult members. I posted the letter a couple of hours ago. I feel very good about having done so.

[AndyinPA]

This is disgusting. I lost my mother in the last few years so I know how upset I would have been.

[maydijo]

I'm very sorry this happened to you. My MIL has a similar experience. A JW friend learned her husband has just died and berated her, telling her that he was in hell now and that she'd go there too unless she converted. My MIL has a stubborn streak when it comes to such things; she kicked the woman out and told her never to come back.

Not all JWs are the same. We have a neighbor who is a JW and she is such a sweetheart, she hands out candy to the kids on Halloween (she tells me she figures if it's a sin, God will forgive anything that brings joy to children,) has never proselytized, and responded to my FIL's death with sincere and heartfelt sympathy.

[RoadScholar]

When I lived with an artist friend in SF, there was a group of JWs that made the rounds early every Saturday morning knocking on doors trying to save hungover sinners, I guess.

We got pretty tired of it. So one time we got up early, put on white face paint and red robes, prepared a recording of Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D minor, and answered the door holding lit black candles and plucked dead chickens from the Chinese grocery.

We opened the door and asked the JWs if they would like to come in and talk about the art of rising from the dead.

They were never seen in the neighborhood again, much less in our building.

[RTH10260]

When I lived with an artist friend in SF, there was a group of JWs that made the rounds early every Saturday morning knocking on doors trying to save hungover sinners, I guess.

We got pretty tired of it. So one time we got up early, put on white face paint and red robes, prepared a recording of Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D minor, and answered the door holding lit black candles and plucked dead chickens from the Chinese grocery.

We opened the door and asked the JWs if they would like to come in and talk about the art of rising from the dead.

They were never seen in the neighborhood again, much less in our building.

Hearsay from a different forum, some time back: (1) one lady got tired of all the callers that ignored the do.not.trepass sign so she showed up naked one time at the door. JWs were never to be seen again... (2) a guy invited a JW lady in to his home once she started off spaking all that love, asked her to free herself while he would be taking a shower. Lady was not keen on that love and fled, and the guys place must have been blacklisted too.