Eric, their disappointment is simple. They want you to take the Bible anyway and give it away. They view Bible distribution as a sacrament, and they disbelieve that you are a Christian because you weren’t handing out Bibles when they met you.

Or maybe they hear, “No thanks, I already have one” all the time from people who obviously don’t.

Or maybe, they are thinking, “Man, all these Bibles are heavy, and I’ve got to schlep them all over campus. Couldn’t this guy give me a break and take one? What would it hurt?

In any case, I suggest that in the future, you respond the way I do whenever I encounter Gideons, street evangelists, or youth groups handing out tracts. I just mutter

Ph-nglui mglw’nafh Cthulhu R’lyeh wgah’nagl fhtagn.

That usually sends ‘em packing.