Thank you for engaging in some dialogue trthskr. I also forgot that since you are only beginning to post here, your posts are limited to 10 per day.
Trthskr, you are talking about disfellowshipped individuals, individuals that broke the "law". Some people have merely disassociated. Do you know the difference?
A disassociated person may not have done/does not do any of those things, yet they are to be treated no different than a disfellowshipped person. You also go on to say that some have "never been completely shunned by family". Well, all I can say is that is your personal experience that does not reflect reality. Some people on here have been shunned so severely by family that they do not know their grandkids, grandfathers, brother in laws, etc... the list of family can go on.
I can tell you my personal experience, if it helps to shed any light. I choose to disassociate about 6 months ago. I did not agree that this was God's organisation, and I felt no obligation to continue going to Kingdom Hall or continue preaching. I discussed this with a couple of elders invidually at first, then in a Judical Commitee of three. I was asked that if no longer believed, that I fill out a paper as to why I wished to disassociate and sign it. I did and the subsequent meeting, it was announced I was no longer a JW.
I work with 3 JWs. 2 of them are nice to me at work. They do not put religion over humans first, which I appreciate. One became so offended/inflamed that that one would not speak to me under any circumstances. The situation has not changed. JW's that I deal with as customers and that know me, will avoid any eye contact/acknowledment of my existence. They will only deal with me when forced to do so.
Mind you, I have never spoken badly about their religion or them. I never speak of immoral subjects. I am simply willing to leave religion out of the conversation. Do you think my actions merit the treatment I receive? Your answer may be more revealing about just how far religion has reached into your mind.