Not only protects you, but it may also turn out that it protects your relationship. For as long as the elders or the cong in general doesn't know what is going on with you, they won't be able to do much. IF they ever found out and also became aware as to how far out you are, then they will inadvertently (and I say this because they won't realize that they too been conditioned) begin to build a wall between you and him. This will happen by means of the things others mentioned, gossiping, slander, passive aggressive comments, etc. If he has a hard time talking to you know, wait until that happens.
This is one of the many ways in which you can show yourself how cultish this org is, they use their own members to make sure to cast out anyone who is not fully in. There is no middle stand with them.