Ron,
Interesting point for discussion. The Jehovah's Witnesses are 'Door to Door Sellers' - they are selling religion and doing it in public. Their aim is to open a dialogue and, rather than closing the door in their face, I am welcoming them in. They sit down and we have a friendly discussion (they are friendly people, as you know from Brian Locking). They are trained in one point of view and I am offering another - nothing there to object to, surely?
As far as best to keep religious and political views private, well, that's another interesting point. We are surrounded in this wide world by people who want to use political or religious means to gain power or to maintain power over others (Sharia Law, anyone?), so to say that such things should be kept private is rather to put one's head in the sand.
I would not wish 'The Lounge' to be taken over by political or religious topics - I was simply offering a strategy for a particular type of door to door seller - and one that is very useful for sharpening up one's discussion technique!
Ray