Thank you, Minimus and Dubstepped. So far, no one seems to know of an actual case in which a JW has been labeled an apostate for becoming inactive. Where I heard the "rumor" I referred to in my opening post was while I was watching an ex-JW's YouTube video. The person flat out swore that it is a fact, and his wife backed him up by saying it is true. That's what got me to wondering if maybe I had some catching up to do, although I had my doubts at the same time. I'm not saying the person and his wife are lying; perhaps they have misunderstood something or don't have all the facts. Or perhaps it is a fact, but an isolated case in which certain members of the congregation have foolishly called an inactive person an apostate. Immature or thoughtless people do dumb things sometimes. I can cite an actual example of something dumb that I overheard a long, long time ago while attending an Assembly. My wife and I were relatively new at the time. It had become time to go home and the volunteers had already started their cleaning work as my wife and I were leaving the building. As we were walking towards the exit we happened to notice that two of the brothers sweeping the floor nearby were members of our Congregation. And as plain as day we heard one exclaim to the other, "All we need is another nut !!!" It didn't sound like he was trying to be funny, he sounded very serious, like he was really disgusted at someone. I'm sure that the person who said that was at least a Ministerial Servant at the time if not an Elder, and he would go on to become the Presiding Overseer about 5 to 6 years later. It shocked me hearing a JW talk in such a dumb, abrasive, way like that, and I have never forgotten it. That was many a year ago, and I hope that he eventually grew up.
Paul