Totally not sure why my brother went back. He was disfellowshipped for at least 25 years. He has had a lot of mental health problems, drug issues,run ins with the law and has always seemed a little lost. He never really could let go of past and move on. My friend was disfellowshipped for immorality many years ago and married a man in the Army.As far as I could gather she seemed still somewhat connected to the organization and her family never really shunned her. I should have seen that one coming but my brother being reinstated shocked me.
Looking back now I see that I left myself open to feeling rejected but that's how the Jehovah's witnesses work. They emotionally blackmail members and ex members by taking and giving fake conditional love and acceptance. "Stay loyal to the governing body or else we will punish you by taking the people you love away from you." really kind of feel sad for those who get away but never really wake up. I am glad I woke up before I was disfellowshipped . I was disfellowshipped for apostasy. Seems the ones that become disfellowshipped because they are feeling constricted by the rules, slip up and commit immorality or something of that nature end up going back sooner or later. Some just want a break but never really wake up and question the organization and it's doctrines. That's the hold the governing body has on members and to keep seeing this hypocrisy is maddening to say the least.