<HTML><FONT FACE=arial,helvetica><HTML><FONT SIZE=2 PTSIZE=10 FAMILY="SANSSERIF" FACE="Arial" LANG="0"><BR>
Phil et. al.<BR>
<BR>
I now read that chasuk@gmail.com did address the concept of "argument ad hominem" in regard to your exchange with him/her over Mr. Paul's religious harm thesis, though I still do not know for sure whether that Latin phrase is the phrase that was sought.<BR>
<BR>
Hitler and David Duke are extreme examples of individuals who so consistently expressed a certain point of view, that to insist that we reargue all the facts and logic to demonstrate the errors in their thinking, does seem silly. <BR>
<BR>
Nonetheless, given a specific argument they made, it is still worth demonstrating how their arguments are in error either in fact or logic, and not just to label and dismiss them as crazy racists or bigots. It is important that the errors in their thinking be reexamined, based on standards of truth revealing that we all should follow and continue to insist upon, so that why what they think is so wrong is clearly before people's minds, so that others who think as they do, who may be advocating similar ideologies under more clever deceptive guises, can again be refuted based on fact and logic.<BR>
<BR>
Sometimes a person who has a justly earned bad reputation just might have a valid argument, a change of heart or thinking that departs from their reputation, that will be grossly misunderstood and/or ignored if said person is quickly labeled and stereotyped. <BR>
<BR>
And sometimes from the beginning, some people are stereotyped and labeled in a manner that is inaccurate or unfair to who they are as a human being.<BR>
<BR>
This happens every day of the week.<BR>
<BR>
If possible and practical, I'd rather have a sound fact and logic based argument to refute any thesis that I disagreed with, rather than just declaring what someone is saying to be of no value or obviously false based on reputation, stereotypes or labeling.<BR>
<BR>
Then again, being a very emotional human being, I often do not rise to this high standard of truth seeking. But at least the standard is there, full of all the vexing and complex and seemingly insolvable problems with seeking Truth. <BR>
<BR>
Ted Moffett<BR>
</FONT></HTML>