Using Psychological Terms in Verbal Abuse

Following up on something I posted on 8/8/11, here's an example of the kind of verbal abuse I think Jesus had in mind when he used the words translated as "call his brother 'thou fool'". The host here is one of LiveJournal's best known bloggers, a left-wing Christian who is bothered by right-wing Christians' tendency to sit around waiting for The Rapture rather than tackle issues in this present world. A guest with what has to be a well-honed talent for verbal abuse has attacked "Christians Who Take The Bible Seriously." On behalf of all of us, a blogger who self-identifies as a Catholic monk has objected. A flamewar begins here:

http://ozarque.livejournal.com/118713.html

Long-term fan of Ozarque's that I am, I believe she erred in chastising the guest who disagreed with her point of view, without realizing that the one who agreed with her sounds equally "hurtful," here:

http://ozarque.livejournal.com/118907.html

In this discussion, and again in the one that starts the next day, other guests leap in with the assumption that Thomb has Asperger's Syndrome: http://ozarque.livejournal.com/119295.html?thread=1775615#t1775615

I submit that this form of verbal abuse is even more obnoxious than a more obvious, juvenile attack, along the lines of "Let's all just pick on this Catholic here."

It's startling to find this verbal abuse at the official verbal self-defense blog, but this form of verbal abuse is insidious and can happen anywhere...until we recognize how harmful it is.