I left the WTB&TS 24 years ago after being a full time pioneer for 15 years and have never looked back. I have no family "in" and have moved very far away from the congro I left. No one here knows I used to be in this cult.
I experienced the usual shunning from the members of the congro I went to and from surrounding congregations (the city I lived in was big and had several KHs), but it didn't last long because I moved away shortly after the "big announcement". It hurt at the time and I really thought I had no emotions locked inside of me about that time in my life.
That was until I read these scripture in COC about shunning:
2 Corinthians 5:
11 Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience. 12 We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to take pride in us, so that you can answer those who take pride in what is seen rather than in what is in the heart.2 Corinthians 7:
2 Make room for us in your hearts. We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have exploited no one. 3 I do not say this to condemn you; I have said before that you have such a place in our hearts that we would live or die with you.
Now I'm riding a rollercoaster of emotions that I can't seem to stop.