[Alex Murphy]

Although this is a secular political article, it clearly demonstrates the subject in which I wish to discuss on this thread, the sad to say COMMON PRACTICE of many on FR religious forums ( and mind you, I am a traditional Catholic and only debate in Catholic forums) of engaging in “character assassination” rather than debate in the “Arena of Ideas” ...trying to distract, to get one talking about ME, instead of talking about/in .. Arena of Ideas. They seek instead to discredit and marginalize, and it has gotten old.

See also Unsound Sticks, or, Arguments Catholics Shouldn't Use

[Alex Murphy]

Also these:
Rules of Engagement for Catholics on the Internet
Toward a Theological Ethic for Internet Discourse
16 Ways to be a better and holier blog commenter