When I was the non-believing mate of a JW, I found it strange and peculiar. How could Ex suddenly dodge phone calls from the Sister who had been her best friend for years? (A: because the elders said this friend was a Bad Association.) After years of ignoring her, how could it suddenly be as if it was the good old days and the dark period never happened? (A: because the best friend got reinstated.)
It's petty. It's mean. It's about as un-Christian a practice as could be imagined. It's a nasty way to manipulate people, and a weird loyalty test (WTBTS has many of those).