When a person has waged a war of words instead of
science, the old model of correction applies.
1) I made a mistake.
2) Cease to make that mistake.
3) Move on.
It does a theory or idea's viability no harm to have someone call it bunk. What does harm to a theory or idea's viability is to respond with
vitriol instead of skillful logical defense..

In normal discourse, dishonesty, rather than the first line of defense, should be merely an alarm bell which serves until the matter is corrected.
As before:
Scientific tension, like dramatic tension but quite in an opposite sense than social tension , is maximized/optimized by good logic, technical comprehension and a sense that good will is possible and desirable.

Competition will confer upon society the benefits of scientific tension only if, as in a sporting event, the tension remains somewhat friendly and sporting, and does not lead to serious cheating, hatred or violations of the principle of equal justice.

It may take a little while for someone to
offer the point in small words which
will have a more popular use.

(For those who wish to make an impertinent comment here... and you know who you are...
save it. We've already thought of it. As an attempt at humor, it's boring.)