"No, no, we're not here to convert you. You can only convert yourself. [Smile]" That was one line we had.
After the donation arrangement came in, and we came across 'No salespersons or canvassers' signs:
Householder: "What are you selling?"
Me: "We're not selling anything. We've come to talk to you about the Bible's hope for the future."
Often that made the householder relax a little.
Then one day a man answered with: "Yes you are trying to sell me something."
Me: [Laughing] "No we're not, we're only here to t... ."
Man, cutting me off: "You are trying to sell me a religion."
Me: *ding* "Um, well, um ... " Damn. He's right.
And there's the one where we'd try to reassure challenging householders that we were very interested in truth and if the truth could be found elsewhere, we would follow it (then we proceeded to reject any home-truths the householder tried to give us).
The thing is, we really believed what we were saying. I wasn't lying when I said those things. Deluding myself (and consequently the householder), yes!