Disfellowshipped Members Must Be Completely Shunned
JWs practice mandatory shunning of anyone who is disfellowshipped (expelled) or who voluntarily disassociates. Family members — including parents, children, and siblings — are expected to cut off all non-essential contact. This includes refusing to eat together, greet, or even make eye contact. The threat of shunning functions as the primary enforcement mechanism for organisational compliance: members who privately disagree with Watchtower teachings remain silent to avoid losing their families.
The Watchtower cites and 2 John 10–11 to justify shunning, but these texts address specific situations — a man engaged in sexual immorality who refuses to repent, and travelling false teachers. Neither text commands cutting off family members who simply leave the organisation. Jesus ate with tax collectors and sinners (). Paul said to 'admonish him as a brother' (), not treat him as dead. The Watchtower's shunning policy was not introduced until 1952 under Nathan Knorr — it has no first-century precedent. It functions not as discipline but as coercion: stay or lose everyone.