This is by no means meant to be representative of every single online debate. I have had many wonderful and fruitful debates with people online, but sometimes they'd go a little South.
I found that for a lot of people they get very angry when you start to challenge them on things that they just don't understand, and I think that this is often times just something we all struggle with as human beings. But I think it also shows a lack of Charity a lack of faith and I would encourage any online debate participants to follow the model of Saint Peter who says to be prepared to give a defense of the hope that is in you but do it with gentleness and reference.
Unfortunately there wasn't a lot of gentleness or reverence, mostly just name calling.
And that's only in this particular thread. There are a lot of other ones too.
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