[Notwithstanding]

I am inclined to affirm your bullet points.

I am slso inclined to point out that many Catholics (or those claiing to be) who are critical of the pope use the harshest and nastiest invective to make what MIGHT otherwise be valid points.

What does one do with a potentially valid point that a poster wraps up in scorn or ridicule of the pope?

I dismiss such posts as rantings of a person who is frustrated to the point where he loses any ability to seperate anger from reason.

[Polycarp]

What does one do with a potentially valid point that a poster wraps up in scorn or ridicule of the pope?

I think you summarized what to do quite well:

I dismiss such posts as rantings of a person who is frustrated to the point where he loses any ability to seperate anger from reason.

I have also found it to be advantageous occasionally to take it to private FReepmail where words and posts are not so wrapped up in personal pride and saving face. Much progress can be made in this fashion even while similar efforts on the thread itself will bear no fruits whatsoever.

And I'll openly admit that I have been guilty of rantings of a person who is frustrated to the point where he loses any ability to seperate anger from reason lately, both regarding the homopederasty issue and the Catholic infighting here where I have been maligned and blatant lies have been spread about me.

[Domestic Church]

"What does one do with a potentially valid point that a poster wraps up in scorn or ridicule of the pope?"

Dissect it...after regaining composure if the scorn and ridicule has blasted you off.