Josh, Tim, and Rachel continue a multi-part series on how to be an effective pro-life advocate on social media. In this episode they continue a series of 35 practical tips in five categories.
The episode begins with a brief discussion of Josh and Tim’s new kittens. If you want to skip this, the substantive content begins at 09:50.
Here are the tips covered in this episode:
Practical Lowering Defenses Moves
- Point out virtually every case of common ground.
- Do the “tell them what you don’t mean” thing more often on social media than in person due to it being easier for them to misunderstand, stew a bit, and then yell back an angry response or just leave, not giving you a chance to clarify.
- Consistently summarize the other person’s view or argument to them throughout the conversation. This assures the other person you’re taking them seriously as a human being and not some random name with a picture.
- Don’t forget to be relational when you talk about rape and other hard topics.
- Never (or rarely) use any language even bordering on profanity, caps, or anything remotely disrespectful like “baby killer”, “murderer”, etc.
- Use neutral terminology that the other side is comfortable with.
- Never compare to Adolf Hitler, Dr. Mengele, Stalin, Pol Pot, the Holocaust, etc. That immediately ticks people off.
- Ask clarifying questions if you don’t understand; don’t assume.
- Point out when they teach you something.
- Like the other person’s comments when they’re being clear and charitable, not just when you agree with them.
- Don’t like or share inflammatory things.
- Sow intentional positive seeds with people you would hope to dialogue with one day.