It depends what you're talking about CH.

Many facebook groups are about getting information out, and often a response isn't needed.  If that's how the group is used then a response is less likely, even if a particular post invites it.

Other times, people just don't have the same interests.

Hi crazyheart,

Yup.

I strongly doubt it.

I can say things in a crowded room and get nothing but nods.  What does a nod look like on facebook or in a chatroom?  Somebody might go as far as to click "like."

I have friends post stuff on status updates and I may or may not have a witty comment that springs immediately to mind.  Or I might just smile and move on to something else.

I'm not excluding because there is nobody to be excluded.  If I was deliberately deleting wall posts then I would be excluding.

Somebody will always be the last to post on a thread.  If by not responding we are excluding then none of our conversations would ever end and all our inclusion would accomplish is everyone glued to their computors fearful that nobody will respond to their last posting.

Grace and peace to you.

John

I  guess what I was wondering and I will use WonderCafe as an example. If someone posts ( that are new posters)  and no one replies or if someone posts and an oldie posts back what we know is a joke  but the Newbie is offended or embarrassed, is that exclusion.

If people are purposely avoiding threads started by a certain person, yes.  If their posts are deleted, yes.

If a newcomer just has different interests, or doesn't understand the community, I don't think they are being excluded.  They aren't be included either, but it's on them to an extent to be approachable.

Examples would be more helpful, but I haven't seen it here.

Whenever a newcomer comes on here I think it's best to at least say "Welcome to Wondercafe." 

Give friendliness and hopefully it will be returned back.

With all the posters and posts on Wondercafe, new posts with no responses would be ones that just did not spur anyone to respond.  Sometimes posts are so complete in themselves, responses seem to be redundant.

I think exclusion is more about refusing to respond to a post because of the poster, not of the post itself.

That makes sense RobbieJean, And can I say Welcome to WonderCafe.

I feel for the poster when there is zero response for a long time, and often post a response, if only to acknowledge the poster and honour the poster's intent to communicate with us.

Just what I was trying to get across, Arminius

Maybe there are some posters where it would be best if they were excluded?

Hi chemgal:

I think exclusion tends to drive people who already are ill socialised, feel isolated or on the fringes of society into further isolation or extremism. It might be better to engage them. We all become well socialised by socialising well.

I don't know for sure, but I suspect that we don't have many FirstNation's posters here.  Why?

I think if someone is in a place just to create a scene, ignoring them is sometimes best.  Engaging sometimes just feeds harmful, disruptive behaviour.

My preference is for the oral, where affective elements add depth to spoken words, aiding my process of discernment. It is very difficult for me to read text without affective clues.

George

Hi crazyheart,

Not being counted among the First Nations I wouldn't know.

But I think this actually illustrates our denominational problem.  We do pre-inclusion not actual inclusion.  We say all are welcome but we have no idea how to actually welcome all, we only really know how to welcome more of the same.

We didn't give first nations congregations the opportunity to decide for themselves if they would enter union so, lets throw some new colours on the crest and call that inclusion.

Because really, what says here are the rights we trampled on like a new paint job.

Grace and peace to you.

John

Yes, chemgal, this works well for disruptive children, and sometimes for disruptive adults as well.

Yes, from the beginning I have sometimes felt ignored.

Back in the old days we used to post 'bump' if no one responded to a thread. Sometimes I've 'bumped' my own posts. I did that recently when I thought I had made a significant and insightful post to a thread and my post was ignored as others posted around me. I 'bumped', and was still ignored.

On the other hand there are posters that I generally ignore. Sometimes it is simply because I have learned from experience that we are not on the same wavelength. I seldom even go to 'pop culture' for instance. Other posters I ignore because experience has shown me that discussion with them is impossible, and I don't wish to argue - especially when the argument seems to be going in circles. Finally there are posters that I ignore because I don't want to 'feed the troll'.

That said, I always do try to welcome a new poster and respond to his/her posts. Sometimes I find myself welcoming someone who has been around for awhile but seldom posts; and sometimes I welcome someone who has changed their user name. I'm getting more cautious about that.

But, Crazyheart, if I don't respond to you it is probably because I've been taking a break or been busy, or someone else has already said what I would say, or sometimes because the thread has gone so off topic before I get to it that I don't know how to get it back.

It's impossible to respond to everyone on every post.

Thats okay seeler. This thread  wasnt personal about me.