Now don't get me wrong, they still consider themselves jw's. But they seem to be plagued with ill health... Especially on meeting days? They are very depressed about it of course and moan about how much they would like to be at the hall. Yet strangely enough they are perfectly well for non JW things that they want to do? But I safely predict that as the time for the meeting rolls round a cold, a bug or just exhaustion will start up and oh dear! They just aren't up to going tonight! What a shame!
So they listen in instead, although there's been several occasions when they have completely forgotten that it's the meeting night and they have carried on watching TV etc. ( of course I don't remind them either)
As for the congregation itself, well I think they have written my parents off. No one contacts them these days, there's the odd " hello miss you" message on Facebook but that's it. The elders don't call or visit and in fact the last time my parents did go to the hall they where taken aside by the elders and roundly told off for having not been for so long. Both my parents came home very discouraged and haven't gone since.
I'm not getting me hopes up though, they are still firmly brain washed and loving it. But just having them semi unplugged is enough for now. I suspect that illness that plagues them is phycological although I doubt they are aware of it. What do you think?