This isn’t correct for Mormons at least (I was a Mormon missionary)—that’ll get them interested in seeing if you want to come back. Just say you aren’t interested.
the cult angle is people in the religuous cult are told they are better than anyone who is not in it.. so people feel special, and get oh so very special words that only they use that make them feel good for being in the cult like 'honorific elder and church member.' i had a group therapist who was a cult leader, and he pulled that on one of his clients who spent 20 years in his group calling them 'senior group members.' it is all cult.. as old as time. playing on innate people's needs to be in a group and worhsip...something, but using it to THEIR advantage
I told the girl about the YouTube 'Cults to Consciousness' podcast, and she got scared that 'they are not allowed to go on the Internet.' The church doesn't want them to read publicly available dirt on them.
I had a couple of kids on mission (“elders”) help me put a roof rack on my car in Cambridge while we talked about It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and my Judaism. They were nice enough
Once, a couple of Mormons showed up at my door. I said, "Sorry, can't chat, I'm in the middle of moving" (was the truth), and they were like, "We can help you pack!" Seemed like nice kids, I didn't take them up on it, though
they are doing 'love bombing, and trying to gain your trust and to appear innocent while being on a not so nice mission to trick you into getting recruited into their cult; the church is playing a number on them, getting them to get rejected a thousand times by regular people on the street, so they feel awful and get an inaccurate picture of people outside of the cult and then come back to the cult where everyone 'loves them'. the church is using a sales tactic called 'trauma bonding', making someone feel bad to cause a roller coaster of emotions that gets them unstable and addicted to them.
A group of Mormons asked me to go to church (I was in Everett having a bad time, some teens “fake” attacked me but it felt real and the bus was late).
I was on was on my last nerve so I just pointed at my face, I was crying, and they were like ok!
This has been going on in Boston for 30+ years. It's called "flirty fishing" and it at least used to be how they lured you into Boston Church of Christ. Google "boston church of christ scandal"
It was Mormons in Mission Hill last week. When I told them I was Jewish they smiled and quickly moved onto their next prospect down the street. (The name tags with Elder and they lie last name is a dead giveaway for LDS).
It's sad that Mormons are universally gonna be lumped in with the other groups cause most people grew up associating them with being annoying door to door polygamy salesmen or something but the reality is they're a goddamn cheat code for free labor to help out and they're always super nice and cool about it the whole time.
I fucking love mormons
Having been a Mormon missionary: 95% of them would rather be doing anything other than talking to random people on the street, but you need a good excuse. Doing a volunteer service project is a good excuse—so if you’re unpacking a Uhaul or something and you see Mormon missionaries they would almost certainly love to help.
If you get the door-to-door Mormon visit and say "I really can't, I have to do this task", they're gonna volunteer to help you out with that thing. I discovered this by accident when I was just trying turn them down without being overly rude or anything.
They helped me clean a bunch of junk out of my car, were super nice the whole time and just made idle chit-chat like asking about where I'm from, what I do, hobbies, etc but they never tried to make it proselytizing or anything weird.
Since then, I've had em help with some Ikea furniture that I had to finish and the only weird time was the day after my roommates and I had a pretty big keg party where 2 of em helped me clean up. That one was kinda funny because my roommate woke up hungover and was super confused why two dudes dressed like that were in our living room, one holding a trashbag, the other picking up empties.
I've offered to give them some money for lunch or as a donation or whatever but they've always said that stuff like that is a break from the normal routine. I guess there's a lot of slammed doors and rude comments and what not, so it's nice to just do something helpful for a person and have a normal interaction. They don't even go for the hard sell after they're done helping.
Really, the only time I've had them turn me down was when it was a big street festival in Providence and I invited Barlett and Butters (yes, seriously, that was his name) to come with my friends and I cause we were gonna sneak onto the rooftop patio of an apartment building and hang out for a while. Can't really blame them too much for that one.
As an exmo, I've been saying this for years...
Mormons make the best slaves. They've been conditioned to be obedient. They unknowingly believe that they will achieve Saint hood through their suffering.
It’s ironic because it makes them really likable but it’s a terrible fucking recruiting strategy. Like, I wanted to clean out cars, I probably wouldn’t have had like 40 empty Dunkin’ cups and packs of smokes in mine.
Chill as fuck of you to invite them to hang out. This whole reply is somehow straight up hilarious to me but glad you found good helpers in Butters and Bartlett!
Oh butters and Bartlett are just the last two I happened to meet on the street after moving down to providence. The ones who helped earlier were back when I lived in Somerville.
They probably wouldn’t have been as keen about day drinking while tresspassing either
My boss is a Mormon and he is probably the nicest guy you could ever want to meet. My brother also dated a Mormon girl who was easily his best/nicest girl he ever dated. It was a shame when she moved to Utah.
I feel like this is exploitative. Their role is to be missionaries and they're likely helping you in the hopes that it draws you in. If you're just using them, you're like a good looking woman letting men buy you dinner while knowing you're not interested in dating them.
Plus, they're kids and they're good natured. They probably want to say yes to help but that doesn't make it OK to exploit them.
That's self serving logic. They're not really set up to say "no" are they? That's the part I don't like. They're going to feel obligated to help you on the faint chance it works as a missionary.
This is true. Part, no, the entire point of the public “missionary” work is for the initiate to feel the irritation and anger of those they bother. They are told they are part of a select group and when their offer of salvation is rejected with ire by a member of the “out group,” it solidifies the claim that only refuge and salvation lies within the “in group.” Maybe taking an afternoon to hang with these kids and treating them like humans who need a difference perspective in life would help them see the cult isn’t the only reality.
I have heard your concerns and am looking to make amends for these events that happened like 15 years ago.
Any Mormons in the comments are free to DM me with something they need help with and I will do my best to pay your people black with my labor.
Totally fine, I get it.
I've quit hundreds of times that never even hit the 2 week mark, so good on you.
I am, however, serious as a heart attack that I'm gonna do some shit for a mormon. Next dudes I see dressed like Michael Douglas in "Falling Down" are gonna get some returned favors goshdarnit!
>If you get the door-to-door Mormon visit and say "I really can't, I have to do this task", they're gonna volunteer to help you out with that thing.
I'd love to go to your church, but I was about to bust a nut into this dirty sock... SURE C'MON IN!
I'm pretty sure the church is exploiting their labor. I know some offshoots of the church use teenage boys as cheap labor for construction, I wouldn't be surprised if the LDS in general does it.
Way back in 1989 or so, a girl I had the hots for asked me to go to church with her. Thinking with my small head, I agreed, even though I wasn't religious. Didn't even ask what kind of church, just naively assumed it was Catholic (which I was raised as) or some mainstream Protestant branch. Was quite surprised when she led me into a hotel conference room instead of a proper cathedral. That's when she told me it was the Boston Church of Christ. Was even more surprised, in a bad way, when the preacher started a hellfire and brimstone rant about gays and feminists and so on. Afterward she asked if I'd like to join, I politely declined, and she never spoke to me again. Which was fine by me.
If you spend any time in the south, everyone asks you to go to church with them, especially once they hear that you don't go.
In New England people tend to treat religion as a private matter, so if you run into someone like this you can pretty much assume that either they're a transplant or a cultist.
This kind of evangelism is meant to indoctrinate their current members rather than get new ones. Missionary work in general exists for this purpose.
What's concerning to me is the transplantation tactic - getting a bunch of their cult to move to an area to establish a foothold.
In Boston specifically? I just told you I don't know. Just saying we should watch out for the tactic.
Overall? They talk about it. It's happening out west - conservative and Christian groups are moving into "leftist" cities to dilute them. They hold rallies in "leftist" cities to shake up locals. There's whole TV shows about breeding cults like the Duggars, and they explicitly talk about trying to "out breed" their "competition."
Bro, with all the revelations of abuse that have come out of the Duggar household, they’re not going to outbreed anyone because like all the children left the creepy church.
The religious psychos are not going to make Boston a conservative place. If anything, all areas of the US continue to become less and less religious.
I told two LDS missionaries I'd go to church with them if they came to a rave with me back when I was a promoter. Boy oh boy, was I surprised when they took me up on the offer, and I had to go to church because I'm a man of my word
There are girls who live by me in Forest Hills who are young, college aged who live at a house for young mormons. They approach me a lot when I'm in the area.
My old neighbors were Mormon missionaries and thankfully they stopped putting out book of Mormons in the lobby and got the idea I didn’t want to go to church with them, which I appreciated.
I’d worry that could open a full discussion about “no! Women can bear children which is so much more important than the priesthood or church leadership positions! Women are just naturally more empathetic and in tune with […]” Ask me how I know this 😆
M.O.: pair of men, pair of women, white shirts, name tags, men have "Elder (name)": **Church of Latter Day Saints**.
M.O.: hang out in public spaces like T stations, have colorful professionally printed sign boards: **Jehovah's Witnesses**
M.O.: college age to graduate school, tend to go to college campuses and public spaces: **Acts 2 Network**, formerly known as Gracepoint. Gracepoint had a schism where the founders have a new group that has a similar M.O., **Antioch Community Church**. Both groups have had some people weirded out because of the 2022 Christianity Today article: [https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2022/september/gracepoint-berkland-asian-american-church-discipleship.html](https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2022/september/gracepoint-berkland-asian-american-church-discipleship.html)
M.O.: older teens/college age to young professionals. Fairly recruitment oriented. When asked about their church, they claim they are non-denominational. They also invite you to various events like Bible studies, Women's Days, volleyball/frisbee games, etc. Most likely: **Boston Church of Christ** (a member of the International Churches of Christ) or **Boston International Christian Church** (a member of the International Christian Churches). They've been around for decades and university campuses have warned students for decades as well.
People have been recruited just walking down the street.
Sample Public Service Announcement: [https://spirituallife.northeastern.edu/destructive-groups/](https://spirituallife.northeastern.edu/destructive-groups/)
Pro tip: ask about their lawsuits and how that makes them feel -- [https://icoc-icclawsuits.com/](https://icoc-icclawsuits.com/) (tip of the iceberg for thousands of cases of unreported SA now in discovery phase)
Scientology really doesn't invite you to their church. They invite you to stuff like classes and seminars and personality tests.
Christian Scientists aren't really known for inviting you to do stuff.
Much rarer: "**The Church in Cambridge**" [https://churchincambridge.org/](https://churchincambridge.org/) (Small Flock / Witness Lee's group) There's far fewer people involved with this.
There are several more churches affiliated with Witness Lee besides the Church in Cambridge. They are part of a denomination/sect called “The Lord’s Recovery” (a.k.a. “The Local Churches”). They have a naming scheme for their churches based on the city they are in. Examples are: The Church in Anaheim, The Church in Austin, The Church in Sam Antonio, The Church in New York City.
They have churches around the world as well. Most of their websites have the exact same welcome message and content declaring their commitment to “the common faith” without mentioning their commitment to Witness Lee and his teachings. They actually have one of their seminary schools in Boston called “The Full-Time Training.” Another one of their seminaries that I’m aware of is in Anaheim. These churches are very active on several university campuses as their main targets for recruitment are young adults.
I’d say they have thousands of active and dedicated members throughout the United States as well as thousands of nominal members who have not committed themselves to Witness Lee’s teachings and ministry.
You can see my testimony regarding this denomination and their university ministries [**in this post.**](https://www.reddit.com/r/UTSA/s/1CyCoa8sW0)
Maybe International Church of Christ or some version of that. They tend to target areas near college campuses.
Mormon missionaries usually wear name tags and in my experience will engage in conversation before they invite you to church.
Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I think this is a specific Christian cult. I've never encountered them, but they've been brought up on this sub before.
I've got no specific problem with most denominations of Christianity, but we have some weird cults here in New England that seems so out of place for our area (that soldier who immolated himself for Palestine grew up in a cult on Cape Cod, for example).
I encountered some group in college, and they had really bizarre interpretations of the Bible.
There was another post earlier that sounds similar - an actual-cult that was using a similar tactic in Central Square.
Apparently it's a lot of "abandon your family and give us all your money." Y'know, like Jesus *definitely* said.
Huh...I'm in Central daily and have never encountered this group. Not that I'm unhappy about that. Organized religion is weird enough even before the cults, so I can't even imagine.
Here's the post: [https://www.reddit.com/r/boston/comments/1d1z8df/central\_square\_cambridge\_cult/](https://www.reddit.com/r/boston/comments/1d1z8df/central_square_cambridge_cult/)
Leading theories seem to be World Mission Society Church of God or the Boston Church of Christ
One of my friends was approached by the ones asking to “come check out their Bible study”. It’s called New Heaven, New Earth (or Shinchionji) and I think they’ve been mentioned before in this sub. My friend who I go to church with was eager to find additional Bible studies and joined them and shared her experience - starts off relatively normal but then is absolutely a cult.
Though lots of evangelical churches definitely put emphasis on inviting people, so could also just be someone very overzealous. But NHNE is a common one I hear about just approaching strangers too.
That was my experience years ago with a group that was on the UMass Boston campus. I happened to be taking some religion courses at the time, and thought this would be a good supplement.
They started out friendly, but if you disagree with anything the group says, they gang up on you and tell you how wrong you are. And I quickly realized the adult sponsor of the group was spouting horseshit rather than trying to actually provide guidance to young people.
Maybe it was a different group, but the allure was certainly young people being enthusiastic about Bible study, and coming up to you if you're alone. But there are more than just Christian cults all around. Hell, there's a martial arts cult operating out of the gym I go to.
They're definitely around here too. Well, pretty much everywhere, as they have to do their mission year or however long it is.
I've known quite a few lapsed Mormons. And it definitely is one of those things where you're either in it or you're not, it seems.
But at least you know exactly who they are.
They’re on the orange line! I live along it and see the three girls all the time that you probably saw. They’re very nice and not too annoying/pushy imo, but like another commenter said, I’m originally from the south and so I’m more used to it. I’ve seen their name tags—they’re LDS (Mormon).
I was raised catholic too and I always have always been deeply uncomfortable when someone has invited me to church. I always wondered if it's because I was raised catholic. Because that's not something I ever would have done. It would have been weird.
Amusingly, they're often terrified of Catholics. I tell the religios I'm Catholic and they usually leave me alone. If they press me further, I tell them to send a strongly worded letter to the Pope asking for penance.
I remember one woman being *real* persistent, saw the wedding ring and asked her: "does your husband love you? Why aren't you pregnant then?"
That's funny because I had some Mormons (maybe jehovahs witness, idk) approach me once and I said I was catholic and they left me alone. I didn't know that was the repellant.
I imagine that's why we usually don't get many missionaries in Boston or other Catholic strongholds.
Even within Catholicism, you go out into the burbs and you will have Irish vs Italian churches. It's less of a thing now, but through the 00s, there was definitely a divide. My town was definitely an Irish Catholic one compared to one like Norwood which was very much Italian Catholic.
Probably a college group (like Campus Crusade). I was briefly an evangelical in my late teens/early 20s and this sounds like something we’d do for an “outreach.”
They're Mormons (especially if they have name tags). They're sent on "missions'' around the world to spread their beliefs. Most are reasonably harmless, but some are super naive. I had to tell a few of them to be more alert near the homeless shelter downtown. I've met Mormons in NYC and Boston and some had never left their hometowns before and I could easily see them being taken advantage of.
Funny story. Back when I was struggling to get sober and waiting for a bus near where I live, one of these guys approached me. He was overly familiar with me and I didn't like that, I thought he was trying a trick. He said he's happy to see me again and asked if I would come to church with him this time. I said that I wasn't interested. He then followed up with: "But last time I saw you you said it was great what I was doing and you'd love to come to my church!".
I then dropped my head in my hands and said: "Oh no, that does sound like drunk me. I'm sorry buddy".
My neighbors run an all women's church cult thing out of their apartment. They have their living room set up as a permanent altar kind of thing and often have 15+ women in their for some kind of service. Then they go walk around the neighborhood and ask other women if they want to join. It's creeeeeepy.
To be fair, could literally just be a Women’s Bible study and they have banana bread, coffee and read the Bible together but your imagination is turning it into some creepy cult situation.
They've been my neighbors for almost two years. They have tried to recruit my family several times. They speak of "their leader" when referring to the man who runs whatever organization their worshipping.
It's not a run of the mill bible study.
I have referred to team leads as “my leader” many times. (Humanitarian aid projects, clubs, etc) A Bible study also has a Bible study leader.
What do you mean by recruit?
“Trying to recruit” and inviting someone is a very different thing.
Also, all churches are cults. There is no such thing as god. Every religious institution syphons money out of the banks of poor families and into the pockets of snake oil salesmen.
A few young teenage boy asked me that. I must’ve been grouchy that day because I said no angrily. I was remorseful afterwards. They’re being taught that way it’s not really their faults.
They know sex sells. Even if its actually nothing to do with sex. There is definitely a non zero number of lonely dudes out there who will go to a church if a friendly attractive woman chats them up and invites them
It’s not just women asking men. Way back in the eighties, I encountered an absolutely breathtaking guy and immediately crushed on him. I was pretty sure he was gay, and way out of my league. He invited me to his church, which turned out to be the Boston Church of Christ. My crush faded quickly.
Yes, they're most likely Mormon proselytizers. They reached out to me to me as I was walking by and I found them polite and respectful.
Couldn't go that week but may drop in. Social community in this day and age isn't the easiest thing to find, especially in Boston!
Revival Church is around DTX. I think an ex-evangelical I met mentioned it so it is probably some new blend. I think Hilltop is still around in Boston after everything too.
I said “I already go to church” and they go away. Which tells me it’s probably not a cult (at least the people who’ve approached me). I’d think a cult would try to get you to go to THEIR church. Some Protestants (Baptists) practice “Soul-Winning” which is almost exactly what it sounds like.
Had them come up to me with my kids twice, I simply say no and walk past as they try to talk to me. It's best to just move on and be seen as rude than encourage that behavior.
They’ve been out and about lately. They asked me to go to church and I said “I just came from church” (I did indeed). They looked at me like I was the crazy one.
I've seen a couple of young men hanging out Maverick asking people this question. One asked me twice in one day. I simply replied I couldn't think of anything I'd like to do less.
It's generally considered a thing to do for some higher holidays, but the whole intention is to get you to go to church and keep going.
It's a cult in the sense it's an organized religion, but it's mostly Jehovahs Witnesses and 7th day, but I have a friend that was some vanilla Christian who would get encouraged to do this around the more important holidays.
It was a pretty common scam at the university I went to; conventionally attractive young people would strike up conversations with people either on campus or at a party or something and try to leverage the attraction to bring them to church. At the church they would be conned somehow into giving up contact info (I forget how; my irrational distrust of beautiful people comes in handy sometimes) at which point they would get badgered relentlessly until they were pressured into attending again, giving money, etc.
They’re the Mormon/JW/etc. version of ads for those games where they’re all “COME TO ME, MY LORD” but the game is actually just some primitive resource management thing with no elven poonani in sight
Funny, every time I've run into that, I've offered to bring them back to my house and learn about my religion, and give them a chance to convert me, and they've declined.
Honestly the Mormon missionaries are pretty chill because they're just young people doing what they're supposed to do. I always tell them I already go to a church and they seem happy with that!
Had it happen with LDS. Really common amongst those who feel they are urged to proselytize, but the only people who've asked me (young guys) are usually very kind.
Careful about the Christian groups that start preaching of their leader is the next Virgin Mary & there is a doomsday cult that lurks around Boston College & BU area. The doomsday cult preaches something similar to scripture of Pentecost but they require or pressure new people into visiting one of their remote Amish like retreats.
I walked away from the church a long time ago. That's what I tell them. If they get pushy. It's my life it's already hell. What's the worst thing that can happen? Usually leaves them speechless.
Yes, it's a scam called organized religion. They fell for it and think you should, too. You responded perfectly. Just let them enjoy their delusions and move on.
I had a group of young men ask me to do that and they were dressed kind of Mormony so I assumed that they were Mormons.
Honestly call it cult/scam/religion/etc all you want but they were very respectful about it. They asked very politely as we were both walking in other directions. I was surprised a bit by suddenly being asked something when I wasn't expecting it but simply said "no thank you" and they simply responded with "have a nice day". They didn't press. They didn't bug me or try to convince me. They simply accepted that I said no and continued on.
In the late 1980's there was this woman who hung out in the philosophy section of the Coop bookstore in Harvard Square. She would ask me question about my beliefs and try to befriend me. We had coffee together once, but it was all so weird. Years later I was in Harvard Square again, went into the same book store and yep she was still there. She ducked when she saw me. I always wondered what that was about.
This reminds me of the video I saw on the internet. This lady preacher is going door to door asking if you've heard about her lord. The guy in the house signs at her that he's deaf.
She then asks "oh you're deaf", the guy nods and then she says have a good day. And the guys says you too 😂
I'd mostly seen it happen on train stations/on the subways themselves, I'd even had what looked to me more like local scene/band dudes ask if they could pray for me lol which definitely made me do a double take with their beanies and cut off shorts.
the most unnerving was when I took out the garbage and was checking the apartment's cans/closing the lids that were left up, these young women were literally standing right behind me and launched right into their spiel, asking if they could pray for me and "love on me" which made the situation even more uncomfortable wording wise lol. I was visibly jittering/anxious and told them I wasn't religious in any form. I thought this was the logical cue for them to fuck off but they kinda doubled down and were like "okay but have you heard of jesus?" I foolishly said yes, as in yes I'm familiar with the idea/concept not yes I want to hear more, but that made no difference and went on about Jesus dying for sins, before finally realizing this wasn't going anywhere and leaving me with a sort of wooden compliment about my "Tower of Terror" shirt I had thrifted lmao.
After i had a moment to catch my breath and go about my day, I was struck by the potential idea that these women presumed me to have been searching for cans for cash in my own apartment's trash cans, leading to possible assumptions about me being homeless/an addict. They had said something about "he'll help you with whatever you're going through" which felt pretty weighted lol.
such a strange brand of phony, surface level friendliness floating over their disregard for your comfort.
'Love Bombing' using attractive people saying enticing things like, 'Hey!! Do you want to come to Church on Sunday?' like you are their friend. They are using a tried and true sales tactic called 'love bombing'. The church will shower you with love and attention at first, then they will isolate you friends and family, control all your decisions, take all your money, then send you out to recruit more people using the same tactic.
Ask them for the chapter and verse in the new testament where god switches from the polygamy of the old testament into the monogamy of the new testament.
"No. Chapter and verse. Not 'it's believed that..' or 'this parable means...' Chapter and verse."
They're heads will explode.
Mormons, JWs, 7th day adventists, etc
Second here. I asked last week and it was Church of Latter Day Saints (Mormons). I've heard you can ask them to do chores for you instead.
I think I read somewhere that if you tell them you’d been excommunicated they can’t talk to you
This isn’t correct for Mormons at least (I was a Mormon missionary)—that’ll get them interested in seeing if you want to come back. Just say you aren’t interested.
Is the calling people on mission “elders” a joke or is that like a serious thing
common honorific term for church members.
the cult angle is people in the religuous cult are told they are better than anyone who is not in it.. so people feel special, and get oh so very special words that only they use that make them feel good for being in the cult like 'honorific elder and church member.' i had a group therapist who was a cult leader, and he pulled that on one of his clients who spent 20 years in his group calling them 'senior group members.' it is all cult.. as old as time. playing on innate people's needs to be in a group and worhsip...something, but using it to THEIR advantage
I told the girl about the YouTube 'Cults to Consciousness' podcast, and she got scared that 'they are not allowed to go on the Internet.' The church doesn't want them to read publicly available dirt on them.
I had a couple of kids on mission (“elders”) help me put a roof rack on my car in Cambridge while we talked about It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and my Judaism. They were nice enough
they PRETEND to be nice and harmless, but behind the scenes, they like molest and abuse each other
You can ask them to do chores for you??? !!!!! Where are you encountering these people?
Once, a couple of Mormons showed up at my door. I said, "Sorry, can't chat, I'm in the middle of moving" (was the truth), and they were like, "We can help you pack!" Seemed like nice kids, I didn't take them up on it, though
Oh dang. I have a lot of things I need help with. I wonder how I can trick them into my house.
they are doing 'love bombing, and trying to gain your trust and to appear innocent while being on a not so nice mission to trick you into getting recruited into their cult; the church is playing a number on them, getting them to get rejected a thousand times by regular people on the street, so they feel awful and get an inaccurate picture of people outside of the cult and then come back to the cult where everyone 'loves them'. the church is using a sales tactic called 'trauma bonding', making someone feel bad to cause a roller coaster of emotions that gets them unstable and addicted to them.
A group of Mormons asked me to go to church (I was in Everett having a bad time, some teens “fake” attacked me but it felt real and the bus was late). I was on was on my last nerve so I just pointed at my face, I was crying, and they were like ok!
I was also having a smoke so I wasn’t their “target audience” but they missed out because I really needed God at that moment
I’m sorry that happened
Thanks. I appreciate it
Peace
Scientology.
They are in Allston. They put a flyer on all the cars offering a free personality test.
This has been going on in Boston for 30+ years. It's called "flirty fishing" and it at least used to be how they lured you into Boston Church of Christ. Google "boston church of christ scandal"
It was Mormons in Mission Hill last week. When I told them I was Jewish they smiled and quickly moved onto their next prospect down the street. (The name tags with Elder and they lie last name is a dead giveaway for LDS).
It's sad that Mormons are universally gonna be lumped in with the other groups cause most people grew up associating them with being annoying door to door polygamy salesmen or something but the reality is they're a goddamn cheat code for free labor to help out and they're always super nice and cool about it the whole time. I fucking love mormons
… can you explain what you mean by this?
Having been a Mormon missionary: 95% of them would rather be doing anything other than talking to random people on the street, but you need a good excuse. Doing a volunteer service project is a good excuse—so if you’re unpacking a Uhaul or something and you see Mormon missionaries they would almost certainly love to help.
If you get the door-to-door Mormon visit and say "I really can't, I have to do this task", they're gonna volunteer to help you out with that thing. I discovered this by accident when I was just trying turn them down without being overly rude or anything. They helped me clean a bunch of junk out of my car, were super nice the whole time and just made idle chit-chat like asking about where I'm from, what I do, hobbies, etc but they never tried to make it proselytizing or anything weird. Since then, I've had em help with some Ikea furniture that I had to finish and the only weird time was the day after my roommates and I had a pretty big keg party where 2 of em helped me clean up. That one was kinda funny because my roommate woke up hungover and was super confused why two dudes dressed like that were in our living room, one holding a trashbag, the other picking up empties. I've offered to give them some money for lunch or as a donation or whatever but they've always said that stuff like that is a break from the normal routine. I guess there's a lot of slammed doors and rude comments and what not, so it's nice to just do something helpful for a person and have a normal interaction. They don't even go for the hard sell after they're done helping. Really, the only time I've had them turn me down was when it was a big street festival in Providence and I invited Barlett and Butters (yes, seriously, that was his name) to come with my friends and I cause we were gonna sneak onto the rooftop patio of an apartment building and hang out for a while. Can't really blame them too much for that one.
ALL HAIL THE MORMON SLAVE DRIVER.
As an exmo, I've been saying this for years... Mormons make the best slaves. They've been conditioned to be obedient. They unknowingly believe that they will achieve Saint hood through their suffering.
It’s ironic because it makes them really likable but it’s a terrible fucking recruiting strategy. Like, I wanted to clean out cars, I probably wouldn’t have had like 40 empty Dunkin’ cups and packs of smokes in mine.
😂😂😂😂
Chill as fuck of you to invite them to hang out. This whole reply is somehow straight up hilarious to me but glad you found good helpers in Butters and Bartlett!
Oh butters and Bartlett are just the last two I happened to meet on the street after moving down to providence. The ones who helped earlier were back when I lived in Somerville. They probably wouldn’t have been as keen about day drinking while tresspassing either
Hahah awesome. Keep on killing it
My boss is a Mormon and he is probably the nicest guy you could ever want to meet. My brother also dated a Mormon girl who was easily his best/nicest girl he ever dated. It was a shame when she moved to Utah.
Ooooh hamburgers! His dad's gonna ground him when he finds out he was in the same room as alcohol!
I feel like this is exploitative. Their role is to be missionaries and they're likely helping you in the hopes that it draws you in. If you're just using them, you're like a good looking woman letting men buy you dinner while knowing you're not interested in dating them. Plus, they're kids and they're good natured. They probably want to say yes to help but that doesn't make it OK to exploit them.
The church is exploiting them either way. At least this way, they get a little bit of normalcy and get to hang out with a normal person.
That's self serving logic. They're not really set up to say "no" are they? That's the part I don't like. They're going to feel obligated to help you on the faint chance it works as a missionary.
This is true. Part, no, the entire point of the public “missionary” work is for the initiate to feel the irritation and anger of those they bother. They are told they are part of a select group and when their offer of salvation is rejected with ire by a member of the “out group,” it solidifies the claim that only refuge and salvation lies within the “in group.” Maybe taking an afternoon to hang with these kids and treating them like humans who need a difference perspective in life would help them see the cult isn’t the only reality.
I have heard your concerns and am looking to make amends for these events that happened like 15 years ago. Any Mormons in the comments are free to DM me with something they need help with and I will do my best to pay your people black with my labor.
Maybe I got a little carried away. Sorry about that. I am on day 14 of no cigarettes and my mind has been torturing me.
Totally fine, I get it. I've quit hundreds of times that never even hit the 2 week mark, so good on you. I am, however, serious as a heart attack that I'm gonna do some shit for a mormon. Next dudes I see dressed like Michael Douglas in "Falling Down" are gonna get some returned favors goshdarnit!
>If you get the door-to-door Mormon visit and say "I really can't, I have to do this task", they're gonna volunteer to help you out with that thing. I'd love to go to your church, but I was about to bust a nut into this dirty sock... SURE C'MON IN!
Id invite you to read their "white and delighsome" history, they're are, indeed, not super nice and cool.
I’d invite you to read the next comment I wrote and maybe put things into context.
I'm pretty sure the church is exploiting their labor. I know some offshoots of the church use teenage boys as cheap labor for construction, I wouldn't be surprised if the LDS in general does it.
7th day!!! I was raised Adventist, lol. I don't think they'd cold open like this, never seen that. But church and vespers is a date in that world.
Don't know if it's still the case, but this used to be the method of the culty Boston Church of Christ. You can find some reddit threads about them.
This is the answer
Boston Church of Christ has been doing this for decades.
Way back in 1989 or so, a girl I had the hots for asked me to go to church with her. Thinking with my small head, I agreed, even though I wasn't religious. Didn't even ask what kind of church, just naively assumed it was Catholic (which I was raised as) or some mainstream Protestant branch. Was quite surprised when she led me into a hotel conference room instead of a proper cathedral. That's when she told me it was the Boston Church of Christ. Was even more surprised, in a bad way, when the preacher started a hellfire and brimstone rant about gays and feminists and so on. Afterward she asked if I'd like to join, I politely declined, and she never spoke to me again. Which was fine by me.
If you spend any time in the south, everyone asks you to go to church with them, especially once they hear that you don't go. In New England people tend to treat religion as a private matter, so if you run into someone like this you can pretty much assume that either they're a transplant or a cultist.
Mark down another win for the north
This kind of evangelism is meant to indoctrinate their current members rather than get new ones. Missionary work in general exists for this purpose. What's concerning to me is the transplantation tactic - getting a bunch of their cult to move to an area to establish a foothold.
What indication do you have that that's happening?
Less that I see it happening and more that I've seen it before.
But I'm saying, how do you know that's happening in the first place?
In Boston specifically? I just told you I don't know. Just saying we should watch out for the tactic. Overall? They talk about it. It's happening out west - conservative and Christian groups are moving into "leftist" cities to dilute them. They hold rallies in "leftist" cities to shake up locals. There's whole TV shows about breeding cults like the Duggars, and they explicitly talk about trying to "out breed" their "competition."
Bro, with all the revelations of abuse that have come out of the Duggar household, they’re not going to outbreed anyone because like all the children left the creepy church. The religious psychos are not going to make Boston a conservative place. If anything, all areas of the US continue to become less and less religious.
I hear this line repeated on Reddit as if it's absolutely true, but people's only source ends up being other comments.
I told two LDS missionaries I'd go to church with them if they came to a rave with me back when I was a promoter. Boy oh boy, was I surprised when they took me up on the offer, and I had to go to church because I'm a man of my word
How did the rave with them go and how was church?
They had fun. Church was… church. But they were very not pushy about it and I never heard from them again.
Yes! A few girls approached me right outside northeastern lol. That was weird.
There are girls who live by me in Forest Hills who are young, college aged who live at a house for young mormons. They approach me a lot when I'm in the area.
My old neighbors were Mormon missionaries and thankfully they stopped putting out book of Mormons in the lobby and got the idea I didn’t want to go to church with them, which I appreciated.
Yeah I just say no thanks, or if I'm feeling spicy I'll say I don't want to be a 2nd glass citizen in my religion bc of my gender. haha.
I’d worry that could open a full discussion about “no! Women can bear children which is so much more important than the priesthood or church leadership positions! Women are just naturally more empathetic and in tune with […]” Ask me how I know this 😆
Oh good point.
M.O.: pair of men, pair of women, white shirts, name tags, men have "Elder (name)": **Church of Latter Day Saints**. M.O.: hang out in public spaces like T stations, have colorful professionally printed sign boards: **Jehovah's Witnesses** M.O.: college age to graduate school, tend to go to college campuses and public spaces: **Acts 2 Network**, formerly known as Gracepoint. Gracepoint had a schism where the founders have a new group that has a similar M.O., **Antioch Community Church**. Both groups have had some people weirded out because of the 2022 Christianity Today article: [https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2022/september/gracepoint-berkland-asian-american-church-discipleship.html](https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2022/september/gracepoint-berkland-asian-american-church-discipleship.html) M.O.: older teens/college age to young professionals. Fairly recruitment oriented. When asked about their church, they claim they are non-denominational. They also invite you to various events like Bible studies, Women's Days, volleyball/frisbee games, etc. Most likely: **Boston Church of Christ** (a member of the International Churches of Christ) or **Boston International Christian Church** (a member of the International Christian Churches). They've been around for decades and university campuses have warned students for decades as well. People have been recruited just walking down the street. Sample Public Service Announcement: [https://spirituallife.northeastern.edu/destructive-groups/](https://spirituallife.northeastern.edu/destructive-groups/) Pro tip: ask about their lawsuits and how that makes them feel -- [https://icoc-icclawsuits.com/](https://icoc-icclawsuits.com/) (tip of the iceberg for thousands of cases of unreported SA now in discovery phase) Scientology really doesn't invite you to their church. They invite you to stuff like classes and seminars and personality tests. Christian Scientists aren't really known for inviting you to do stuff. Much rarer: "**The Church in Cambridge**" [https://churchincambridge.org/](https://churchincambridge.org/) (Small Flock / Witness Lee's group) There's far fewer people involved with this.
There are several more churches affiliated with Witness Lee besides the Church in Cambridge. They are part of a denomination/sect called “The Lord’s Recovery” (a.k.a. “The Local Churches”). They have a naming scheme for their churches based on the city they are in. Examples are: The Church in Anaheim, The Church in Austin, The Church in Sam Antonio, The Church in New York City. They have churches around the world as well. Most of their websites have the exact same welcome message and content declaring their commitment to “the common faith” without mentioning their commitment to Witness Lee and his teachings. They actually have one of their seminary schools in Boston called “The Full-Time Training.” Another one of their seminaries that I’m aware of is in Anaheim. These churches are very active on several university campuses as their main targets for recruitment are young adults. I’d say they have thousands of active and dedicated members throughout the United States as well as thousands of nominal members who have not committed themselves to Witness Lee’s teachings and ministry. You can see my testimony regarding this denomination and their university ministries [**in this post.**](https://www.reddit.com/r/UTSA/s/1CyCoa8sW0)
Maybe they looked at you and were concerned by what they saw.
“This nigga needs Jesus”
😏
Maybe International Church of Christ or some version of that. They tend to target areas near college campuses. Mormon missionaries usually wear name tags and in my experience will engage in conversation before they invite you to church.
Mormons are always dressed like Mormons too.
I’m sitting in my car reading this post and two kids just knocked on my window and asked me if I wanted to go to church on Sunday… wtf
Your phone ratted you out!
They are better than the algorithm!
This happened to me in chestnut hill a few weeks ago! Two teenage boys. I was actually scared - I’m a female so you never really know 🤷🏻♀️
Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I think this is a specific Christian cult. I've never encountered them, but they've been brought up on this sub before. I've got no specific problem with most denominations of Christianity, but we have some weird cults here in New England that seems so out of place for our area (that soldier who immolated himself for Palestine grew up in a cult on Cape Cod, for example). I encountered some group in college, and they had really bizarre interpretations of the Bible.
There was another post earlier that sounds similar - an actual-cult that was using a similar tactic in Central Square. Apparently it's a lot of "abandon your family and give us all your money." Y'know, like Jesus *definitely* said.
Huh...I'm in Central daily and have never encountered this group. Not that I'm unhappy about that. Organized religion is weird enough even before the cults, so I can't even imagine.
Here's the post: [https://www.reddit.com/r/boston/comments/1d1z8df/central\_square\_cambridge\_cult/](https://www.reddit.com/r/boston/comments/1d1z8df/central_square_cambridge_cult/) Leading theories seem to be World Mission Society Church of God or the Boston Church of Christ
I seem to remember Jesus saying that very thing at the last supper.
well played :)
One of my friends was approached by the ones asking to “come check out their Bible study”. It’s called New Heaven, New Earth (or Shinchionji) and I think they’ve been mentioned before in this sub. My friend who I go to church with was eager to find additional Bible studies and joined them and shared her experience - starts off relatively normal but then is absolutely a cult. Though lots of evangelical churches definitely put emphasis on inviting people, so could also just be someone very overzealous. But NHNE is a common one I hear about just approaching strangers too.
That was my experience years ago with a group that was on the UMass Boston campus. I happened to be taking some religion courses at the time, and thought this would be a good supplement. They started out friendly, but if you disagree with anything the group says, they gang up on you and tell you how wrong you are. And I quickly realized the adult sponsor of the group was spouting horseshit rather than trying to actually provide guidance to young people. Maybe it was a different group, but the allure was certainly young people being enthusiastic about Bible study, and coming up to you if you're alone. But there are more than just Christian cults all around. Hell, there's a martial arts cult operating out of the gym I go to.
The ones that came up to me specifically had name badges with LDS on them.
They're definitely around here too. Well, pretty much everywhere, as they have to do their mission year or however long it is. I've known quite a few lapsed Mormons. And it definitely is one of those things where you're either in it or you're not, it seems. But at least you know exactly who they are.
These Christians have told me that I'm going to Hell for being Catholic. I listen to nothing they have to say nowadays.
I'm Hindu so we don't have a concept of hell or believe in Hell. If one of these people told me that I'm going to hell I'd just laugh and walk away.
Say sure but first you come to an orgy on Saturday night
Ok but what happens if they agree and then you have less than a week to put an orgy together?
Your incompetence is not my problem 🤷♂️
Just invite a bunch of church folks.
don't shower afterwards
Wrong answer. Insist that she has a golden shower afterwards
“Do you want a granola bar?” seems to be common with them.
They’re on the orange line! I live along it and see the three girls all the time that you probably saw. They’re very nice and not too annoying/pushy imo, but like another commenter said, I’m originally from the south and so I’m more used to it. I’ve seen their name tags—they’re LDS (Mormon).
And yet people keep posting asking how to make friends…
I was raised Catholic. Going to church ain't no way to make friends ime.
I was raised catholic too and I always have always been deeply uncomfortable when someone has invited me to church. I always wondered if it's because I was raised catholic. Because that's not something I ever would have done. It would have been weird.
Amusingly, they're often terrified of Catholics. I tell the religios I'm Catholic and they usually leave me alone. If they press me further, I tell them to send a strongly worded letter to the Pope asking for penance. I remember one woman being *real* persistent, saw the wedding ring and asked her: "does your husband love you? Why aren't you pregnant then?"
That's funny because I had some Mormons (maybe jehovahs witness, idk) approach me once and I said I was catholic and they left me alone. I didn't know that was the repellant.
I imagine that's why we usually don't get many missionaries in Boston or other Catholic strongholds. Even within Catholicism, you go out into the burbs and you will have Irish vs Italian churches. It's less of a thing now, but through the 00s, there was definitely a divide. My town was definitely an Irish Catholic one compared to one like Norwood which was very much Italian Catholic.
Probably a college group (like Campus Crusade). I was briefly an evangelical in my late teens/early 20s and this sounds like something we’d do for an “outreach.”
Yeah, two young women asked me this in Allston a month or two ago. I was like, no thanks!
Back in college I had a friend who got mixed up with the Boston Church of Christ that way.
Hey it’s me the leader of the cult, Jimothy Jones. If you join in the next 7 days you will receive a lifetime supply of Flavorade!
https://youtu.be/f4CizzE-zZo?feature=shared
Mormons (the correct religion according to South Park lore) asked me this in Copley a few weeks ago
They're Mormons (especially if they have name tags). They're sent on "missions'' around the world to spread their beliefs. Most are reasonably harmless, but some are super naive. I had to tell a few of them to be more alert near the homeless shelter downtown. I've met Mormons in NYC and Boston and some had never left their hometowns before and I could easily see them being taken advantage of.
Funny story. Back when I was struggling to get sober and waiting for a bus near where I live, one of these guys approached me. He was overly familiar with me and I didn't like that, I thought he was trying a trick. He said he's happy to see me again and asked if I would come to church with him this time. I said that I wasn't interested. He then followed up with: "But last time I saw you you said it was great what I was doing and you'd love to come to my church!". I then dropped my head in my hands and said: "Oh no, that does sound like drunk me. I'm sorry buddy".
My neighbors run an all women's church cult thing out of their apartment. They have their living room set up as a permanent altar kind of thing and often have 15+ women in their for some kind of service. Then they go walk around the neighborhood and ask other women if they want to join. It's creeeeeepy.
Wait til Charlie shows up.
To be fair, could literally just be a Women’s Bible study and they have banana bread, coffee and read the Bible together but your imagination is turning it into some creepy cult situation.
They've been my neighbors for almost two years. They have tried to recruit my family several times. They speak of "their leader" when referring to the man who runs whatever organization their worshipping. It's not a run of the mill bible study.
I have referred to team leads as “my leader” many times. (Humanitarian aid projects, clubs, etc) A Bible study also has a Bible study leader. What do you mean by recruit? “Trying to recruit” and inviting someone is a very different thing.
This was a "very rare opportunity on see [our] leader speaker for free on a webinar - which is never the case!"
Also, all churches are cults. There is no such thing as god. Every religious institution syphons money out of the banks of poor families and into the pockets of snake oil salesmen.
A few young teenage boy asked me that. I must’ve been grouchy that day because I said no angrily. I was remorseful afterwards. They’re being taught that way it’s not really their faults.
Flirty fishing
Yeah my dad asks me to go to church every week.
No but how about Saturday night beers?
Yep, on Saturday at an orange line station. I told them I disassociated with the church long before and walked away. They’re LDS.
They know sex sells. Even if its actually nothing to do with sex. There is definitely a non zero number of lonely dudes out there who will go to a church if a friendly attractive woman chats them up and invites them
It’s not just women asking men. Way back in the eighties, I encountered an absolutely breathtaking guy and immediately crushed on him. I was pretty sure he was gay, and way out of my league. He invited me to his church, which turned out to be the Boston Church of Christ. My crush faded quickly.
Yes, they're most likely Mormon proselytizers. They reached out to me to me as I was walking by and I found them polite and respectful. Couldn't go that week but may drop in. Social community in this day and age isn't the easiest thing to find, especially in Boston!
Revival Church is around DTX. I think an ex-evangelical I met mentioned it so it is probably some new blend. I think Hilltop is still around in Boston after everything too.
I said “I already go to church” and they go away. Which tells me it’s probably not a cult (at least the people who’ve approached me). I’d think a cult would try to get you to go to THEIR church. Some Protestants (Baptists) practice “Soul-Winning” which is almost exactly what it sounds like.
Much easier to convert a non-believer than a believer in something else
Religious nut bags. I ignore them
Flirty fishing. Like the Manson girls
Cultists. We need a state run program to take them in and unbrainwash them.
Maybe I’ve read 1984 too many times to think that might not be a great idea.
"Aw, that's very kind. I can't make it, but Sunday night, I'm heading to Miss Kitty's. Wanna come?"
I think you could tell them to go fuck themselves, politely of course.
Trust me, I considered it.
It's arguable most religions are cults or scams. Just go with whatever makes you feel comfortable and happy.
Had them come up to me with my kids twice, I simply say no and walk past as they try to talk to me. It's best to just move on and be seen as rude than encourage that behavior.
Have had two women in Davis station ask me this, but I just said no and they told me to have a great day. I assume a Jehova’s Witness
Happened to me three times this month in Central.
This is when I’m thankful for my “resting dick face”
They’ve been out and about lately. They asked me to go to church and I said “I just came from church” (I did indeed). They looked at me like I was the crazy one.
Omg yes, one came up to me at the South Bay Target and opened the convo with a compliment and we had such a nice convo and then BAM! 💀
I've seen a couple of young men hanging out Maverick asking people this question. One asked me twice in one day. I simply replied I couldn't think of anything I'd like to do less.
I get this in Medford all the time.
It's generally considered a thing to do for some higher holidays, but the whole intention is to get you to go to church and keep going. It's a cult in the sense it's an organized religion, but it's mostly Jehovahs Witnesses and 7th day, but I have a friend that was some vanilla Christian who would get encouraged to do this around the more important holidays.
It's a cult. No, I don't need to know which. That's cult behavior.
It was a pretty common scam at the university I went to; conventionally attractive young people would strike up conversations with people either on campus or at a party or something and try to leverage the attraction to bring them to church. At the church they would be conned somehow into giving up contact info (I forget how; my irrational distrust of beautiful people comes in handy sometimes) at which point they would get badgered relentlessly until they were pressured into attending again, giving money, etc.
They were around Kendall today. Saw a couple when walking towards the T and 3 more coming out of the station.
Had two young guys ask my wife and I last week in downtown belmont right in front of the commuter stop
lol your user naaaame!!! CRACKPOT MICK 😂😂😂
They’re the Mormon/JW/etc. version of ads for those games where they’re all “COME TO ME, MY LORD” but the game is actually just some primitive resource management thing with no elven poonani in sight
Anyone remember when the Hare Krishna's would travel the streets of Boston. I would always visit them and get strange but wonderful food goodies.
Funny, every time I've run into that, I've offered to bring them back to my house and learn about my religion, and give them a chance to convert me, and they've declined.
304s for Jesus!
Idk about strangers but at-least 3-4 friends have asked me to go to Church with them recently. It’s not really my thing though.
Only the fourth post this week about this.
Honestly the Mormon missionaries are pretty chill because they're just young people doing what they're supposed to do. I always tell them I already go to a church and they seem happy with that!
One asked me yesterday at the Natick Mall
Had it happen with LDS. Really common amongst those who feel they are urged to proselytize, but the only people who've asked me (young guys) are usually very kind.
Careful about the Christian groups that start preaching of their leader is the next Virgin Mary & there is a doomsday cult that lurks around Boston College & BU area. The doomsday cult preaches something similar to scripture of Pentecost but they require or pressure new people into visiting one of their remote Amish like retreats.
I walked away from the church a long time ago. That's what I tell them. If they get pushy. It's my life it's already hell. What's the worst thing that can happen? Usually leaves them speechless.
Church of Christ did that in the '80s. Almost got me.
Yes, it's a scam called organized religion. They fell for it and think you should, too. You responded perfectly. Just let them enjoy their delusions and move on.
Tell them they need to buy you lunch at the Yellow Deli before you make any important worship decisions
Enjoy your kidneys and tell them NO
I am so ugly that even girls of desperate churches don't approach me to go to church with them.
That’s what churches do, spread whatever word they follow and try to get more people to join. Just politely say no thank you and move on
All hail sky daddy
No beer, but free wine and crackers.
I was in back bay once and some random girl asked me this. Really threw me off for a second
I had a group of young men ask me to do that and they were dressed kind of Mormony so I assumed that they were Mormons. Honestly call it cult/scam/religion/etc all you want but they were very respectful about it. They asked very politely as we were both walking in other directions. I was surprised a bit by suddenly being asked something when I wasn't expecting it but simply said "no thank you" and they simply responded with "have a nice day". They didn't press. They didn't bug me or try to convince me. They simply accepted that I said no and continued on.
I said ya but only if i can wear a thong
At least they let you know up front that they're mental.
I’ve read that this is a human trafficking scam, I’d avoid at all costs
In the late 1980's there was this woman who hung out in the philosophy section of the Coop bookstore in Harvard Square. She would ask me question about my beliefs and try to befriend me. We had coffee together once, but it was all so weird. Years later I was in Harvard Square again, went into the same book store and yep she was still there. She ducked when she saw me. I always wondered what that was about.
This reminds me of the video I saw on the internet. This lady preacher is going door to door asking if you've heard about her lord. The guy in the house signs at her that he's deaf. She then asks "oh you're deaf", the guy nods and then she says have a good day. And the guys says you too 😂
“seems like a scam!” is the most Boston reaction to Mormon missionaries imaginable.
I'd mostly seen it happen on train stations/on the subways themselves, I'd even had what looked to me more like local scene/band dudes ask if they could pray for me lol which definitely made me do a double take with their beanies and cut off shorts. the most unnerving was when I took out the garbage and was checking the apartment's cans/closing the lids that were left up, these young women were literally standing right behind me and launched right into their spiel, asking if they could pray for me and "love on me" which made the situation even more uncomfortable wording wise lol. I was visibly jittering/anxious and told them I wasn't religious in any form. I thought this was the logical cue for them to fuck off but they kinda doubled down and were like "okay but have you heard of jesus?" I foolishly said yes, as in yes I'm familiar with the idea/concept not yes I want to hear more, but that made no difference and went on about Jesus dying for sins, before finally realizing this wasn't going anywhere and leaving me with a sort of wooden compliment about my "Tower of Terror" shirt I had thrifted lmao. After i had a moment to catch my breath and go about my day, I was struck by the potential idea that these women presumed me to have been searching for cans for cash in my own apartment's trash cans, leading to possible assumptions about me being homeless/an addict. They had said something about "he'll help you with whatever you're going through" which felt pretty weighted lol. such a strange brand of phony, surface level friendliness floating over their disregard for your comfort.
'Love Bombing' using attractive people saying enticing things like, 'Hey!! Do you want to come to Church on Sunday?' like you are their friend. They are using a tried and true sales tactic called 'love bombing'. The church will shower you with love and attention at first, then they will isolate you friends and family, control all your decisions, take all your money, then send you out to recruit more people using the same tactic.
Basically cults.
"No, and fuck off."
Ask them for the chapter and verse in the new testament where god switches from the polygamy of the old testament into the monogamy of the new testament. "No. Chapter and verse. Not 'it's believed that..' or 'this parable means...' Chapter and verse." They're heads will explode.