A relative of mine was telling me, that in his, and a few neighboring congregations, there is a little confusion amongst some of the JW's about this "issue". Some families are having a hard time about whether certain relatives will be attending certain family functions, because some family members that are no longer in the "truth", might be invited to these functions. Mind you, these persons were NEVER disfellowshipped. They just faded away, perhaps even 20 or 30 years ago, and don't attend meetings, and would be considered "out of the truth", but again, were NEVER DF'd.
Some were saying that these ones are NOW to be treated as though they ARE disfellowshipped. They said they heard this at a recent regional assembly, from a speaker at the platform, and I believe some even said they read it in print from the BORG. Yet, others, including ELDERS, and a CO, said NO they never heard that, and don't believe its the case.
It is, supposedly causing some serious divisions in the relative I was talking to congregation. An older sister wants to invite her whole family to her going away party, but some of her other, hard lined JW family members, are threatening not to go, if she invites a certain son. All of her ADULT children are JW's, EXCEPT this one son. He is NOT DF'd, just faded away, and not in the "truth", but again, NEVER DF'd.
Is this what JW's are doing now? I knew they were ramping up the whole, "DO NOT talk to DF'd children thing", and I know about the video that was played at a recent assembly last year, with the DF'd daughters phone calls being ignored. I also DO, vaguely remember hearing, however, that maybe, faded, out of the truth family members that no longer attend meetings, should be viewed as being DF'd now, even though they are NOT DF'd.
Can some one PLEASE verify for me if this is true, and more importantly if its OFFICIALLY in print to treat those that are no longer active JW's, but were never DF'd, as though they ARE DF'd now, and ANY links would be GREATLY APPRECIATED.
It seems to be a very confusing "rule" that some are believing they should follow, and some have never heard, while others cant believe it is being followed. It appears to be further breaking up, and causing divisions amongst families, and I would really love to know if this is a new, official policy, in print from the ORG.
Any info, would be very helpful to me. Whatever links, or articles, or if anyone here has heard this from the platform, or not, I appreciate anything you can tell, or provide. Thanks in advance.