many intelligent people start blurting out things like “maybe you should work on yourself first” or “not talking lashon hara is more important”. Why can’t people just discuss the halacha without getting so defensive?
There could be any number of reasons:
1. It’s possible that they *are* taking it personally.
2. It’s possible that the person does not have good debate skills and does not realize that a deflection/ad hominem attack is not a valid response to an argument.
3. It’s possible that some people perceive the person making the argument as “holier-than-thou” (whether justified or not) and respond accordingly.
4. It’s possible that some people just post without thinking.
Or any combination of the above or other factors that I might have missed.
The Wolf