Yes. And ridicule of belief is not ridicule of the person. You are not your beliefs/absence of beliefs.
Just like if you insult and blaspheme God you are not insulting the believer!
I loved it in a Dawkins lecture when a guy in the audience in the Q&A said he was offended and insulted and Dawkins asked why and said "I didn't insult you...I insulted God!." (perhaps slightly paraphrased).
God wouldn't need defending if he existed anyway would he? I would have thought?! I would think the creator of the universe would be quite capable of defending himself!
And if someone's ABSENCE of belief is attacked....then how on earth is that attacking or insulting them...either?
Attacking the argument is not an Ad hom and attacking beliefs is not attacking the person.
EvF
Just like if you insult and blaspheme God you are not insulting the believer!
I loved it in a Dawkins lecture when a guy in the audience in the Q&A said he was offended and insulted and Dawkins asked why and said "I didn't insult you...I insulted God!." (perhaps slightly paraphrased).
God wouldn't need defending if he existed anyway would he? I would have thought?! I would think the creator of the universe would be quite capable of defending himself!
And if someone's ABSENCE of belief is attacked....then how on earth is that attacking or insulting them...either?
Attacking the argument is not an Ad hom and attacking beliefs is not attacking the person.
EvF