Of course they will justify not associating with inactive ones, and use all the upbuilding association scriptures to back it up, but to basically state outright that it's obligatory to shun them surprised me, even by controlling dubs standards.
To answer questions: both sons have moved out, and the unmarried one has never lived under his parents' roof since stopping going to the meetings.
I always thought the lost sheep was more important too, that is exactly what I said to my sister, but she said that people can tell when someone is inactive through personal problems or because they have been possessed by the evil apostate demon (or something like that anyway). Amazing to have the power of telepathy like the elders....
My sister actually invited me to see a new hall on its open morning before the dedication, and I said I'd rather not if I was going to be shunned by people. My sister assumed this was because I'd spent the evening before drinking too much wine with one of the 'immoral' sons. It wasn't, it was a perfectly reasonable question being as a friend of my sister's had excluded me from a theatre trip whilst I was visiting her (for my one week a year visit)
Phizzy - sorry to disappoint with my title, I too ignore dubs now, I have no interest in talking about the latest DC and who mans the preaching table in the town centre...