I was just looking at this Fark thread, and noticed how everyone thought Buzz was a badass for punching the guy that basically told him that his life was a lie. (“What was the video room like when you recorded?” leads to punch.)
So I just thought that was a great metaphor for evangelicals or atheists that like to start off a conversation with “Did you know Jesus died for your sins?” or “How can you be sure there is a God?”. If you’re saying this to a person that was brought up by loving parents for 18 years, and made many friends who all thought the opposite of what you’re bringing up, it’s a pretty obnoxious slap in the face.
I just thought that it was a great metaphor, that’s basically it. 
Well, Aldrin can get away with what he did because he walked on the moon and because he’s really old. The average person doesn’t have that kind of immunity.
Asking somebody about their belief system, even challenging their belief system, is in no way akin to accusing someone of hoaxing their greatest historical accomplishment. It’s not the same ball-park; it’s not the same league; it’s not even the same damn sport! 
What they said. It’s a different thing to go up to someone and say, “Hey, man: gotta tell you, you’ve been fooled, reality is actually different than what you’ve thought all along! Come to our side!” (either pro or anti religion) and it’s another to go up to someone and say “Hey, man, you are part of a great conspiracy to deceive and control us! YOU are corrupt and falsifying reality deliberately! I demand you swear that we are right!”
Just because the dingdong in the Aldrin assault was literally thumping a Bible, doesn’t make it equivalent.
And yes, when you are Awesome, you get away with stuff. Just the way the world works.
But Buzz did go to the moon. How many evangelists, etc., have really seen the Face of God, or been to Heaven? It doesn’t count that they believe it! Unless they can quantify it…
Plus as others have said, it’s Buzz Aldrin. I don’t generally believe violence is a good solution, and while I wouldn’t have done it, I can still admire it.
And anyway, if the Moon Landing really was staged, why would they assume it would actually be Aldrin and Armstrong inside the spacesuits, walking around on the fake stage? If their stupid conspiracy theory were real, it would probably be more likely that they were just actors.
There you go again with that logic.
Evangelizing to strangers is obnoxious but I agree it’s not on par with directly calling someone a big fat liar. Evangelists are usually saying they know something you need to know, as opposed to saying you are a liar.
Folks like that make me wish for the arms length rule.
If you want to engage someone socially, if you are with arms length and they punch you because you are being an ass…tough titties.
An “armed” society is a polite society.
Also, if I recall correctly, the dude in question had a history of being a huge ass to Aldrin, and on this occasion had been threatening in some way to Aldrin’s daughter, so there’s more justification for Aldrin’s actions than you might think.