A Christian’s guide to online politics and polarisation

For argument’s sake: where we take a debate, cut out the party politics and try to talk it out

Can social media be done well?

It’s easy to dehumanise people in social media debates. Just look at the hurtful comments directed at 16-year-old Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg after she spoke at the UN’s Climate Action Summit in September 2019.

So how do you disagree online without being aggressive? Is it OK for Christians to block or unfriend people? And how can Christians enter into social discussions without making Christianity look mean or dumb?

Mentioned in this segment:

• Michael’s Facebook post about those who attacked Greta Thunberg for her Asperger’s syndrome
• The Age of Surveillance Capitalism by Shoshana Zuboff review – we are the pawns
• Michael’s article: Through a Glass Darkly: Social Media and the Paradox of Virtual Intimacy
• Matt Anslow responds to Megan’s article ‘Social media spirituality’: Social media and engaging rightly: in conversation with Megan Powell du Toit
• Megan’s articles: Social media spirituality and How to negotiate the gender divide on social media

Further reading:

• Greta Thunberg’s Digital Rise Calls Back to a Pre-Digital Era

You did WHAT now? A peek at what the other ‘M’ has been up to

Megan’s article on how Christians should respond on social media to the same-sex marriage plebiscite.

During one of Australia’s biggest social debates, Megan chose to speak out about how Christians should speak out online.

She raises this crucial point: What’s more important to win arguments at all costs or our relationships with people and our gospel witness?

Mentioned in this segment:

• Social media and the SSM plebiscite: a how-to guide
• Bible verse: James 3:5
• The Guardian‘s review – The Madness of Crowds by Douglas Murray review – a rightwing diatribe

Further reading:

• Fact checking sites: Media Bias Fact Check and Poynter International Fact Checking Network

Glossary:

• epistemologically – relating to a branch of philosophy that studies how we know things
• polemic – an aggressive attack on or defence of a particular opinion

Marg and Dave: reviews from two people obsessed by stories, but not always the same ones

Jan Fran’s social media

Can you review social media pages? Yep, looks like it.

Megan introduces Michael to Jeanette Francis, better known as Jan Fran – an Australian journalist and presenter, who is also queen of the short video Facebook post. There’s a lot to learn from her about social media dos and don’ts.

Mentioned in this segment:

• Jan Fran’s Facebook and Twitter pages, as well as her website
• Jane Caro’s Twitter page
• Julia Baird’s Twitter page
• Jan Fran’s video ScoMo: Scared of women? Or doesn’t want to give up power?
• Jan Fran’s video The Frant: Gender Wage Gap
• The Wife Drought – Why Women need Wives, and Men need Lives by Annabel Crabb

WHAT IS WITH ALL DUE RESPECT?

Less aggro, more conversation.

Is it even possible to have a deep discussion without it descending into chaos? Michael Jensen and Megan Powell du Toit think yes, and want to show the rest of us how to do it.

There’s plenty of things they disagree on: free will, feminism, where you should send your kids to school and what type of church you should go to. But there are also plenty of other things that they have in common. They want to talk about all these things with conviction. But they also want the conversation to be constructive. Tune in to find out if that’s possible.