Author Jack Bernstein, in description of what he considers a radical Zionist group - the Anti-Defamation League -, gave the following description of their tactics. Though he refers to the ADL, the parallels with the way that other radical religious factions deal with those who have dissenting opinions is interestingly eerie to me.
The quote is from his book, "The Life Of An American Jew In Racist-Marxist Israel".
JeffI am well aware of the tactics YOU, my Zionist brethren, use to quiet anyone who attempts to expose any of your subversive acts. If the person is a gentile, you cry, "you're anti-Semitic," which is nothing more than a smokescreen to hide your actions. But if a Jew is the person doing the exposing, you resort to other tactics:
* First, you ignore the charges, hoping the information will not be given widespread distribution."
* If the information starts reaching too many people, you ridicule the information and the person giving the information."
* If that doesn't work, your next step is character assassination. If the author or speaker hasn't been involved in sufficient scandal, you are adept at fabricating a scandal against the person or persons."
* If none of these are effective, you are known to resort to physical attacks."
"But NEVER do you try to prove the information wrong. So, before you commence efforts to silence me, I offer this challenge: You Zionists assemble a number of Zionist Jews and witnesses to support your position; and I will assemble a like number of anti-Zionist, pro-American jews and witnesses."
"Then, the Zionists and anti-Zionists will state their positions and debate the material in this book as well as related material -- and the debate WILL BE HELD ON PUBLIC TELEVISION. Let's explore the information both sides can present and let the American people decide for themselves if the information is true or false. ISN'T THAT A FAIR CHALLENGE? Certainly, you will willingly accept the challenge if what I have written is false. But if you resort to crying "Lies, all lies" and refuse to debate, you will, in effect, be telling the American people that what I have written here are the true facts."