“Begging the question ...”
Well, you have ad hominen down, now you need to work on begging the question.
Begging the question is also a fallacious argument, essentially asserting the thing that needs to be proved as a premise. But, since I wasn’t making an argument, only stating my opinion, not trying to convince you, it could not be begging the question. You’re not going to change your mind, I’m sure, and I have no desire to change it.
Hank
You had written:
Those who justify the wholesale indiscriminate slaughter of the inhabitants of a city, or a culture, or a race are genocidal maniacs, whatever else they are—Some are Christians, perhaps.
I thought that the part which consituted "begging the question" was in fact the word "indiscriminate" : for if God had ordered it for the punishment of sins, or even to play favorites with the Jews, then it wouldn't be "indiscriminate", and the contention over the practice would move on to other grounds.
Given that in an earlier thread to me, you noted that you do not tolerate intellectual dishonesty, and you *do* practice a pretty high degree of self-consistency within your posts, I'll take your word for it that you weren't attempting an argument.
Pax.