I think the last few posts - from both sides in the argument - have demonstrated why getting personal and hitting out at people who disagree with you has the effect of destroying communication and preventing discussions from having any useful outcome.

"Useful outcome" meaning, for example when you end up with a better understanding of what you think yourself, and of what other people think, and where the differences are. Even when nobody changes their view, I think it is useful to achieve that much.

And a helpful thing to do sometimes is try to state the position of the person you are arguing with, in words with which they would agree was a fair representation of their point of view. I can't see much sign that some of the people lashing out here would be up for that.