Social media etiquette 101

A Christian’s guide to online politics and polarisation

Episode 28 of Eternity‘s podcast With All Due Respect

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?

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Further reading:

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?

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Further reading:

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.

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Find out more about the hosts of With All Due Respect:

Rev Dr Michael Jensen, rector at St Mark’s Anglican Darling Point, author, public commentator.

Rev Megan Powell du Toit, ordained Baptist minister, Publishing Manager of the Australian College of Theology, editor of the journal Colloquium.

We got the idea of our two-header theology and culture podcast from this show: The Movie Show/At the Movies.