It's easy to hurt someone's feelings when arguing, because you could already be arguing against something the other holds close to them. If they realize it means less than they value it to be, it will hurt; it becomes problematic when they equate the hurt feelings with you. You are not hurting them, it is them realizing the loss of value and placing the blame on you. It is disappointing, and turns the argument toward another goal which was not to be in place when it began. Suddenly it can be shifted from the original purpose to trying to mend their feelings or becoming worse by saying it's not about their feelings, which displaces it even more so.
Feelings are so...touchy feely.
VicariousE
Well... it's hard to argue faith, because it's blind. Only so much info available.... Is faith bad? I don't think so.
But, yeah, I see your point about emotion entering a debate. Some people don't want a debate or psychoanalyzed (though it may be what they need, not what they want). No use in being anal over semantics, when parts of the subject matter are subjective. Parents are supposed to teach kids about the things in life that matter, not the State or the mass media. Idk....
Insanctuary
I was thinking about that to myself the other night. "Is faith really that bad? Or is it the common things faith is associated to that turns me spiteful towards it?" When I want to do something I know I have no way in proving will succeed, I am applying "faith" in a way; like when I was younger and trusted myself to survive my daredevil ways, I was "faithful" of myself. That faith didn't steer me away from reason or axiomatic assessments, so faith must be like any other trait that can only be bad if irresponsibly used.
You're correct in understanding my point -- this is, indeed, about how people don't want to debate or be under psycho-analysis. But it's needed to come into grips with the person and their mind, full-circle. People do it when their with a partner, parents do it with their child, but when it comes to a discussion between two 'strangers', "you're my mortal enemy if you debate or psycho-analyze me". When this attitude is observed in politicians, bullies at school or anyone abusing power, you know that this attitude is counter-intuitive and is there to prevent progression.