Your comment broke the site guidelines either way. If it helps all, I can rephrase the moderation reply like this: Please stop calling names and/or posting flamewar comments to HN, regardless of how nuts something is or you feel it is.

I don't think this distinction makes much difference in this case. It's clear which person people thought was the "religious zealot" and were ganging up on. He also broke the site guidelines badly, of course.