This past year there was a KM part about how to treat your disfellowshipped family members and the instruction was very pointed and stricter than I have ever heard it. It gave the example of one husband and wife who after an assembly called his mother (who was disfellowshipped) and told her that he and his wife loved her, but were totally cutting off their association with her. The story continues as they were later rewarded for their act of faithfulness when the mother was reinstated because she then realized the wrongfulness of whatever her course had been...
The article also brought out the proper procedure to follow when you had a family member still living at home. It was very specific about the rules and brought out that even though they were still at home you would in no way want to convey the message to others that your relationship with this family member was the same at it was previously. The elder who gave the talk on that Thurs night seemed to be thoroughly enjoying himself (rubbing his hands together)..."Isn't this interesting, he said, the society is making it so clear for us now...I have never heard it put exactly this way before"...etc
There was a couple in the cong. whose disfellowhipped son was living back at home because they had taken pity on him when they found he was in bad shape living in his car (he had mental problems too). After this article the sister made the point with me several times, during the few weeks to follow, to bring up the fact that their son, while still living at home, was not allowed to eat at the table with them and if he did--no talking. He had a TV in his room as he was not allowed to watch with the rest of the family. They were a miserable family in many others ways--the son has left again--probably back out on the street.
Anyway, that was one of my last meetings--I had been on my way out because of many other things, but couldn't listen to this kind of stuff anymore. It made me feel sick and it still does to think about it. Somebody send me a hug, OK?
