I usually talk to them and school them on their own religion, talk about passages they’ve never heard of and explain to them why I don’t believe as they do. They always ask to come back and talk later and I say “no thank you. I’m actually an atheist” and they say “oh? What a shame! And to think you seemed so nice!”

Ask them in to talk about it over some whiskey and cigarettes?

i put some doubts in their heads

I talk till they drop!

Remind them how uncomfortable it is being caught in everyday life by ‘people in suits,’ then go on …and on..

More so, I make sense. And comfortable around youth, can tell when their upstairs gears begin churning.. Never harsh, or rude. I likely go into ‘dad mode, which just grabs em … but instead of shaking them ..or knocking their heads together.. I also listen, and smile. After that, even they appear to sense the ridiculousness of their folly

I tell them I'm not into pushers. When they 'huh'? I politely tell them that dealers wait until I come to them. Pushers seek out others trying to suck them into something they didn't ask for. I do the same for door-to-door or phone pushers.

I used to be the one having talks w them or just been rude to them , depends my mood / time . Then I smarten up . I live alone , and I work nights . Most of these people are scary and I decided no reason to make a target out of self . Last two visits in a year , I opened door and immediately started speaking Italian and Greek and very broken English . And smiled. They left .

Step out onto the porch and talk to them. Someone once told me that they revel in being rudely turned away, that it dials up their righteousness, so I deny them that indulgence. I'm perfectly happy to call them on their bullshit and I do so with friendliness and a smile. And I'm not entirely convinced that they're all happy at having doors slammed in their faces, so it's my opportunity to proselytize them with my convictions.

Ask them to put money in the tin.

Point blank tell them that nothing that they say or do is going to make me believe in their God.

The first thing is that I usually have to put on more clothes before I answer the door.

When I was a young man in my middle 20;s i was living in California in an apartment, and every Sunday around 10am 3 young people would knock at my door. They were Johovah Witnesses, they were 2 young men and a young lady. They would be handing out the Tower magazine, and doing their best to try to convert me. Being Into the Jewish faith at the time, i tried to reason with them, going so far so say that my cousin was a Rabbi. For me I can't stand Proselytism, it really turns me off. After about 4 weeks in a row, and they not taking no for an answer, i decided to do something that was a little extreme. So when I saw them coming through my curtains, i went to the door, knowing that I was about to get the same spiel, and then opened the door completely naked as a jay bird, and said yes can I help you. That was the last time i ever saw them, and I guess it worked...lol Wish you could of seen the looks on their faces.

Never happened to me and I live in a pretty urban area. The only knocks I get are from people delivering pizzas.

I point to my no solicitation sign, say have a good day and close the door.

I just tell em I'm a deranged, serial chopping, cannibal headhunter; and they go away!

I love to debate, I love to correct their literature and offer them other alternatives. I give them history and questions - such as why did Jesus appear there and at that time? After all, wouldn't a smart god have dropped off the its word when there were only a few humans about, living in the same place and having the same language? Then what about heaven? If we cannot get into heaven without letting Jesus into our heart, what about the billions who could never have encountered his word? Then that word could only travel at walking pace across the globe until the invention of the radio.
It's all bollocks really.
An alternative I offer them is, creation is 'god'. I don't offer the science of creation, merely we are here and so is everything else. Creation happened, so as part of that evolution and constant change happen. The bible was written by people, and thus, must be fallible. Gently removing the support of their holy book filling them with doubt.
In the end, I strive to make them think. Once they start to think and question, then the roots of atheism is planted. Some however, are too dumb to change.

I say "No thanks. I'm not interested." And they go away.

They don't do it here anymore. I have JW friends who said they are guided away from it due to safety reasons. They do stand with posters in the centre of town and generally get ignored. If they did, I'm invite em, make em a brew and offer them cake.

I usually just laugh and remind them to never buy anything that comes to you to sell itself.

I used to argue and become angry and suffer for hours or days.

I’ve learned better tactics in my old age—I just smile and take their tracts and say as little as possible. If I have to respond I just say no thanks, that I’m not interested.

Part of it might be that younger people are not so likely to take on an older person. If you live long enough you get status in some ways.

The last time I had a door knocker I was still religious. So, I took the literture and told them I was happy in my beliefs. I threw jw junk in the trash, because I grew up baptist. One first thing I did as an Atheist was throw the Book of Mormon in the trash. I almost threw all the bibles that have centamental value in the trash as well , when I freed myself from the dogma.

Living in Salt Lake City this happens often. What I do is be friendly because I am! So then I find myself unable to not laugh at them although of course they are usually young and way to gung- ho but I can't help myself from being amused. I try not to discourage them because I kind of envy people who can be so nieve(sic) as to believe that kind of thing. I would myself if I didn't know better. It sure would be easier to be able to have somebody or book or whatever tell you what was really going on, but unfortunately I'm not that... So I usually ask them where they're from and stuff like that and if they're LDS I'll ask them about Kolob and how much they know about their church and beliefs. Now Jehovahs witness's are a little different because they believe in the Holy Ghost and speaking in "Tongues" so I get a kick out of them Where as Mormons are very similar to Muslims in their beliefs just exchange Mohammad for Joseph Smith the JH's are completely off the hook! They rely a lot on The "Upper Room" story in Acts and quite a bit of what I call magic or occult, so I'm a little bit wary of them because in the background is lurking the spectra of mental illness, so you don't really want to engage to much because they might mistake you for either a angel or a demon so its better to let sleeping dogs lay, if you know what I mean!

Same thing I do when somebody else knocks. I ignore it

Hugs...sometimes I offer a beer...depends on how busy I am...

It depends, sometimes I toy with them, but if I don't want to spend the time I'll politely tell them that "we don't believe in any of that bullshit, thanks for stopping by" and close the door or turn my back and walk away if I'm outside.

I politely refuse.