Yes, people can say things by mistake, perhaps they can say things and not realize how they will be interpreted. So Matthew 18 says if we are offended tell the person your offense, if they refuse to listen to you as JTB has done with me, then take two or three others, if they still refuse to listen which JTB has in his responses to others, then tell it to the forum which is what I have done.
If this had been a mistake or a misunderstanding he would have cleared it up, but it isn't, he is intentionally slandering not just Trump but the 75 million people who voted for him. He is saying that Trump and his cronies are running an evil heretical cult. He has already said that people are worshipping him, etc. I have given him 2 admonishings, he has refused to listen to me, he has refused to listen to others, and his words are trying to divide this country in half and divide the body of believers in half. Therefore from this point on I will treat him as a publican, someone not with a Christian motive but with a political agenda.
I certainly believe in doing so, but this is not a church and we don't answer to anyone except a mod if we cross the line
That being said, this is still supposed to be a gathering of believers, if on a forum, and there should be at least a prick of the conscience from time to time and not just a mentality that seems to suggest we are not accountable on this online platform.
I think you have expressed your concerns and I agree that claims should be substantiated especially when they are of the alarming nature that has been posted.
We each must answer for our words and probably long after we have said them, because they are not spoken into a void and there is that audience we are told is watching, so we forget the unseen world and the spirit realm but they operate whether or not we are aware and we do create an atmosphere and it can be felt even in this forum.
It really is a sad situation when we know others come here and read and you have to wonder the impressions we cause and that we are supposed to be a witness for the Lord we say we believe in. I use humor as a foil when an outrageous post is created at times or I ignore the ones who just want to argue and it didn't use to be that way. I would respond because of all of the above but again, this is a forum and just because we believe it to be Christian, that does not mean all who post here are such, even if they quote Bible verses from the beginning of the day to the end of the day.
But God knows those who are His and ultimately that is Who we answer to.
So maybe just let it go at this point. You can treat him as you wish but I doubt he cares.