****I didn’t get a chance to respond completely to your analogy-based question in this thread:
To keep the analogy relevant, I will base it as closely as possible on the scenario discussed in that thread. Here’s how I imagine the conversation would proceed:
Offspring: Dad! Dad! I’m being terribly bullied at school! I want you to stomp right in there and demand that they change the rules so this can’t ever happen again!
Mangetout: Crikey! What happened? Did someone hit you or hurt you?
O: Well, not physically, but he said something really horrible - it was just as bad as those awful terrible homophobes and misogynists!
**M: **Blimey! That does sound bad. OK, start at the beginning and tell me exactly what happened.
O: We were talking about Superman and stuff, then this guy stuck his head into the room and said God doesn’t exist.
M: OK, then what? Did he confront you or face up to you or something? Did he back you into a corner?
O: He went away, but he was really, horribly insulting to me. He said I was stupid and that I believe in fairy tales. I was so humiliated!
M: He said that directly to you?
O: Well, no, not directly to me - he just sort of looked through the door and said it to the room…
M: But he said you were stupid? And that you believe in fairy tales?
O: Well, no, he didn’t actually say that. He left straight after saying “God doesn’t exist”, but I’m really sure he implied all those horrible offensive things by what he said. How could he be so mean?!
M: [putting on a jacket] Right, I’m going out and we’ll try to sort this out!
O: You’re going to the school to tell them to change the rules?
M: No, I’m going to the store to buy you some calcium supplement. Maybe it’s not too late for you to grow a fucking spine.