dear PSacramento...
the chapter John 8 has Jesus talking to "the people" in the temple with the scribes and pharisees standing by. I dont doubt that He was correcting their wrong thinking/teaching, even so those who had the "law" were "convicted" by their conscience (john8:9)...not the HS.
do you think that (before "conversion") your conscience is synonymous with the Holy Spirit in some way...and if not then how can you "bypass" knowledge of the holiness and judgement of the Father and go straight to the knowledge of forgiveness in the Son?...you see somehow/somewhere you had to have a "reason" for your faith in Jesus as your saviour...the Holy Spirit comes to those who believe in the Son and He came to those who believed in God.
faith in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour doesn't happen in a vacuum and that is kinda what you are putting forth as your "reason" for faith...
love michelle