Podcast Summary: “It’s Often Wiser to Not Post at All”

Podcast: Breakpoint
Host: John Stonestreet (Colson Center)
Date: March 24, 2025

Overview

In this episode, John Stonestreet explores the pressure people—especially pastors—face to comment on every newsworthy “scissor event” on social media. Drawing on insights from contemporary writers and theologians, he cautions against the compulsive urge to post or argue over every controversy, especially when the issues are outside one's expertise or calling. Ultimately, Stonestreet advocates for wisdom and discernment, emphasizing the importance of silence and restraint in an age of performative social media activism from a Christian worldview.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Nature of “Scissor Events”

• Definition: Borrowed from Ross Douthat, “scissor stories” or “scissor events” are divisive news items that prompt obligatory, polarized reactions from opposing sides (00:59).
• Example: The recent visit of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to the Oval Office serves as such an event—complex, significant, and ripe for instant, often uninformed commentary on social media (01:35).

2. Dangers of Compulsive Commenting

• Observation: Today’s cultural climate creates an expectation for immediate reaction on social media, regardless of expertise or true understanding (02:09).
• Pastoral Risk:
  • Many pastors feel drawn into online debates, even when the issues at hand are outside their biblical or vocational purview (03:20).
  • John references theologian Kevin DeYoung’s concern: "Political punditry is a legitimate calling. It's just not the pastor's calling." (03:25)
  • DeYoung warns that obsessively commenting on current events distracts from the core calling of preaching, teaching, and shepherding (03:45).

3. The Pastor’s True Calling

• John’s Clarification:
  • Pastors are called to address moral and cultural issues the Bible speaks clearly about (e.g., marriage, abortion, male and female, civic duty) (04:05).
  • However, the Bible does not provide direct policy guidance on specifics like immigration, tariffs, or foreign relations; acting as if it does can dilute the clarity of gospel teaching (05:00).

4. Expertise and Authority

• Role of Experts:
  • The vocation of Christian journalists, policy experts, and writers to inform and comment is legitimate; expertise matters (06:00).
  • Feeling strongly about an issue is not equivalent to being called or qualified to speak authoritatively about it.
• John’s Warning:
  • “Sometimes it’s wiser to remain silent, sometimes it’s best to not post. And in our culture it’s become really hard to know the difference.” (06:36)

5. Social Media’s Temptations

• Psychology of Posting:
  • Social media incentivizes not just informed commentary, but also virtue signaling, performative controversy, and compulsive “hot takes” (07:13).
  • Silence on trending topics is falsely interpreted as a lack of virtue or courage, leading to a pressure to speak even when uninformed.

6. A Case for Restraint and Wisdom

• John’s Counsel:
  • Christians aren’t compelled to opine on every event or fight every battle online. “It’s okay to defer judgment, to learn more before opining. It’s even okay to say ‘I don’t know.’” (08:13)
  • Staying informed is a responsibility, but not being swept into every controversy is wise stewardship of attention and moral energy.
• Final Thought:
  • “At the very least, wisdom tells us to not pick up our phones every time a controversy comes calling.” (09:05)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Ross Douthat’s insight on “scissor stories”:

  “Perfectly calibrated to tear people apart… everyone feels that they have to react.” — John Stonestreet quoting Douthat (00:59)

• Kevn DeYoung on Pastoral Duty:

  “Political punditry is a legitimate calling. It's just not the pastor's calling. The man who comments constantly on the things everyone is talking about is almost assuredly not talking about the things the Bible is most interested in talking about.” — Kevin DeYoung, quoted by Stonestreet (03:25-03:38)

• On Social Media Temptation:

  “Social media constantly tempts us to pretend that we are more informed than we are, to virtue signal, to take sides, to seek attention by being controversial.” — John Stonestreet (07:13)

• Permission to Be Silent:

  “It is possible not to express an opinion on every headline, not to pretend to know more than we do… It's even okay to say ‘I don’t know.’” — John Stonestreet (08:13)

• Closing Counsel:

  “Wisdom tells us to not pick up our phones every time a controversy comes calling.” — John Stonestreet (09:05)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:59 — Explanation of “scissor events”
• 01:35 — Zelenskyy’s Oval Office visit as a recent example
• 03:25 — Kevin DeYoung’s quote about the pastoral role versus punditry
• 05:00 — Limits of biblical authority on policy specifics
• 06:36 — The case for remaining silent on issues outside expertise
• 07:13 — Social media encouragement for performative posting
• 08:13 — John’s affirmation: “It’s okay to defer judgment… It’s even okay to say ‘I don’t know.’”
• 09:05 — Final call to wisdom and restraint

Tone and Language

John Stonestreet maintains a thoughtful, pastoral tone throughout, using clear language aimed at encouraging wisdom, humility, and faithfulness rather than culture-war reactionism. The episode’s message is invitational, not condemnatory, and provides practical encouragement for Christians navigating online culture.

For Further Resources

Listeners are directed to Breakpoint.org for additional resources and are encouraged to stay engaged with wise, discerning Christian commentary.