I see you have made several threads and posts on ‘Shunning’ so I assume this has hurt you deeply and for that I’m sorry.
Yeah, we can all agree on that.
@Yomama: We agree that the practice clearly and completely fits into the category of "assholery". But family members do have a choice. It's true that the WT is telling them that the right thing to do (in God's eyes) is to shun. Their conscience is telling them otherwise, and they have the moral agency at that point.
I think what causes the most hurt is that the DFed know this, and it's terrible to come to terms with the fact that one's own family are doing the wrong thing. All the relationships, all the nurturing that occurred during childhood, all the good times - "Why is my family doing this? They are good people! The religion is forcing them!" Yeah, that's a tough one for sure. But they are doing it, they are choosing a publishing company over you. It's on them.