Hi CA,
I found this part of your post appropriate:
You saw a long-haired Jesus speaking Latin, a pervasively evil and manipulative High Priest (those damn rich Jews are behind everything), and a weak and thoroughly sympathetic Pilate.
I do not think that there was any particular need for this:
That you found this "plausible" says a great deal more about you than anything else.
I felt that you could have been a bit more tactful here, and this remark is disrespectful. (Rule 3)
Phatboy may not know that Pilate was in actual fact a bloodthirsty tyrant who was recalled to Rome because of his brutality.
But don't you think that he may have been more open to accepting the information if you had simply provided it for him instead of making a personal comment? I feel it was the personal comment that motivated phatboy to respond in the way he did.
Perhaps if you had been a little more friendly and informed him about why these examples are inaccurate it would have urged him to respond in a similar manner.
You have to remember that not everyone has your knowledge and experience in these areas, and rubbing people the wrong way is not a great way of passing your knowledge on.
But as I said, it was a general comment and not directly particularly at your post. It was more of a preventative intervention.
AdminBrian