This is somewhat tongue in cheek step by step guide to Christian online ‘discussions’.
Step one: Be a big name & say something authentic that you are thinking, whether good or bad.
Step two: Another big name of a different camp and most likely the opposite viewpoint will fire a shot across the other’s bow.
Step three: Cue the lemmings, erg, I mean sheep. These will be 4 groups: Calvinists, non-Calvinists, Crying Christians and Commentators.
Step four: Go Sodom & Gomorra on the ‘bad’ Christian… I mean issue goes viral… If Calvinist call him or her a bully and drudge up everything bad he’s done. If non-Calvinist label him or her a heretic and question their salvation. If a fundamentalist or flaming liberal laugh, roll eyes, controversy ends. If mainstream…
Step five: Lemm…sheep begin defending their ‘side’ and the issues are clarified. As a bonus sometimes a never intended issue gets thrown in.
Step six: Cry babies swarm and state to this effect: “This is why people don’t like Christians.” The other three groups roll their eyes thinking “Debate is normal and authentic. Yes it’s hard, but it’s part of life.”
Step seven: Commentators chime in dealing with root issues and a good discussion ensues.
Step eight: Both sides in their networks will joke about it, learn from it, and all parties are better off.
Step nine: It’s forgotten soon afterwards as a blog/Facebook post/Tweet isn’t something to get all worked up over.