People are free to hold their views. However, it is a different matter when one is promoting something openly, especially topics which are clearly known to stir up heated discourse. With that in mind, it may be of interest to see who brought up a discussion that led to the "forks in the road" (note that mods are also not immune to stirring up the fire pot).

Disagreeing with someone and stating a case to support it, is hardly an attack. Nor is telling them what you feel about what they are promoting.

It is puzzling to state that a thread with such an odd topic could "go off course".

I am puzzled by what course was intended?

I suspect that with such an op, the discussion would be bound to go in a variety of directions, which it has done.