Is this mistreatment only discussed in the Kingdom Ministry pamphlets now and deliberately kept hush hush? I should imagine the high mortatlity rate due to DF ing leading to suicides could be very embarrassing for the Organization.
I wouldn't say they're 'embarassed' by the policy any more than they were 'embarased' by their harboring of pedophiles. I'd say they're more furious that their backwards and illogical interpretations of the scriptures that they've made into laws, are being exposed for the world to see. After all, if they are the one true religion and the only true followers of Christ, then none of their rules should be inflicting extreme depression or suicide on the flock and they certainly shouldn't be harboring criminals. Yet that's exactly what's happening. If they're 'embarassed' at all, it's only because of all the negative publicity they've been getting in recent years------they're not embarassed by the practice of these policies themselves.
I think this is one of the main reasons why they're going to two different Watchtowers starting in January: to prevent 'worldly' people from finding out their horrific policy of shunning family members who decide to leave. It was either in 2005 or 2006 where they had two study articles in the Craptower about cutting off family members who are disfellowshipped. To the average person in the world who actually reads the magazines, this would be horrifying and they would most likely realize that this is a high control cult and would want nothing to do with it. I'm sure that starting in January, the WT that's placed for the public is not going to have any mention of shunning children, grandchildren, parents or grandparents in it. There's not going to be any mention of 'apostates' or the length of a sisters' skirt. It's a last ditch attempt to try and keep their disgusted doctrines away from the unsuspecting public.
To me, it's like closing the gate after the horses have gone. The Organization has already exposed itself to a lot of bad press what with the pedophile scandal, the UN scandal and the blood doctrine. With the internet available to so many people, it's impossible for them to try and hide their stupid doctrines any more.