Keep “door-to-door” door open

Jehovah’s Witnesses aren’t the only religious group with an important message to share

People with important news are often willing to go to great lengths to deliver it.

With admirable steadfastness groups such as the Jehovah’s Witnesses canvass neighbourhoods door by door in a hit-or-miss effort to unearth those few individuals inclined to give them a listen. But serious listeners are relatively few. Door-to-door workers are much more likely to face closed doors, slammed doors, rude rebuttals or polite disinterest.

Polite society is not very fond of the aggressive nature of door-to-door messaging. It’s considered a nuisance--junk mail that talks. It becomes even more of a problem when the message gets personal, when it raises spiritual matters and proposes belief solutions. Not on my doorstep, please.

Beware the bylaw

Back in 1996 the city of Blainville, Quebec decided it needed to protect its residents’ right to privacy and passed a bylaw which requires a $25 annual permit for door-to-door visits of a non-commercial nature. The wording of the bylaw singles out religious groups as an example that fits that category.

Not surprisingly, the Jehovah’s Witnesses believe the law targets them and challenged it in court after police began issuing tickets three years ago. So far, 17 fines have been handed out to Jehovah’s Witnesses. Other door-to-door activists, such as charities selling chocolates or politicians on the campaign trail, have not been charged. Now Justice Jean Crepeau of Quebec Superior Court is deciding if the municipal bylaw goes too far and violates the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ right to freedom of expression and religion.

Such controversies are nothing new for Jehovah’s Witnesses. They are well-known throughout the world for their proselytizing zeal and their aggressive witnessing tactics have often brought them into conflict with local laws. Few are inclined to defend them even when issues of religious freedom are at stake. The group stands well outside the Christian mainstream, rejecting orthodox beliefs such as the Trinity and the Incarnation of Christ.

Nonetheless, Christians do have a vested interest in religious freedoms and should be keeping a close eye on this case. What happens if the judge allows the bylaw to stand? The door will then be open for other municipalities to restrict the rights of religious groups to canvass their communities. This has the potential to limit the neighbourhood activities of countless church groups and Christian organizations.

Admirable courage

People willing to endure the rigours of going door-to-door with no prospect of earthly gain deserve respect for the courage of their convictions. Jehovah’s Witness defendant Alain Beauchemin told reporters his group was not trying to be offensive to residents; he just wants to speak with them. “We want people to listen to our message.”

People like Beauchemin, who accept ridicule and rejection in their desire to hold face-to-face conversations about matters of the soul, can be a positive example to the countless Canadian Christians all-too-content to keep their more socially-acceptable faith private as well as personal.

There’s nothing particularly holy about going door-to-door, and its effectiveness will always be debatable. But neither should there be a law against it. We can just as easily rely on residents to decide for themselves whether to accept the offer of a conversation--or to refuse it--in their own homes.

A much-loved image from the Bible suggests an attentive approach to the stranger at the door. “Look! Here I stand at the door and knock. If you hear me calling and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal as friends” (Rev. 3:20). Christians also have an important message to share. The door-to-door option should remain open.