Getting ignore listed--am I doing something wrong?

[Cat Herder]

All,

I'm getting concerned that I am being TOO vigorous a defender of the Faith in the Apologetics forum.

In the past week, three different posters (two Protestants and a Catholic) have publicly announced that they were putting me on their ignore list. Of course, I recognize that the conversion of the person asking the questions is a rare event and the main reason to contend for the Faith is to leave a legacy of answers for future viewers to benefit from. But at the same time, I am not out to offend anyone, of course. But if I am inadvertently offending posters, this tends to trash out the threads and diminish their usefulness while possibly requiring the moderators to redirect threads and so forth--not the result that I, or anyone else, wants.

So, is this kind of reaction by an interlocutor to be expected, or am I doing something wrong? Thanks.

[Church Militant]

It happens my friend.

Life is an ongoing learning experience.

If you've been as charitable as you should be and the person has taken offense, then I wouldn't lose much sleep about it. I've had n-Cs get like that because I refuted what they put forward. In those cases it was just that I thwarted their agenda.

I've had strangely irrational people go off on me on forums, though not so much here at CAF, and again there's nothing you can do about that.

There are some Catholics who don't like my style. What can I say...that's just personality thing and I wouldn't hit it off with them in person either most likely. I just ignore that and if they put me on ignore, I consider the matter closed.

The best thing I've found is to always attack the arguments and avoid personal comments because they distract from what we're trying to do, which is explain and defend the Catholic faith. The other guy can be a mega-jerk if he wants to, and I'll report him if he breaks the rules at this link, but I won't stoop to his level even if it would be satisfying to do so.

Here's an example of an email I got from one guy who decided to debate me by email. Real charmer this one...

You apparently didn't read my last reply .. I see nothing to be gained in furthering our discussion. I believe in the word of God .. plus nothing!! You believe (you say) in the word of God, but you find the need to rely also on the unwritten, fallible musings of mortal man, which override scripture, i.e., deplorable unscriptural marian doctrines (which must be believed by Roman pew warmers), blasphemous notion of purgatorial cleansing (as if God the Father hasn't accepted the sacrifice of His Son as total and final payment for forgiveness of our sins) and the idea that our Lord Jesus left His church (people) in the hands of some guy in a dress, living a king-like existence in Vatican City (unlike Jesus who had no place to lay His head).

Stay in your comfort zone, Blackie, as it's safer there than trying to buck the RC system!

Sweet huh? When he couldn't counter the facts...this was his response. Oh well...

I've had way worse. One gal told me I was the tool of the devil because she couldn't refute me. I pointed out that the same would be the case if what I put forth was in fact true. She also told me she'd like to kick my butt. I laughed...I'm a black belt, she'd only have hurt herself.

So...anyway, I hope that helps.
God's peace,