I try to take a completely dispassionate view of things. Which is easy for me because I'm a cold-hearted bar stewardI appreciate FoxEye may have a different view on this and I respect that but my 55 years of being involved with this organisation leads me to know its is a cult and a dangerous one that tears families apart and wastes / destroys the lives of good people.
If you made it this far, thank you for reading my wall of text!
I can see where you're coming from, even if I think perhaps your experience has left you a little resentful, if I may say so. There are of course people who I know who have left/been disfellowshipped. I don't think it's all that uncommon.
You and I both know that JWs believe there is scriptural evidence for everything they do. Including the no-contact rules. But more than that, they believe they have the best interests of everyone (literally) at heart. There is no malice that I have ever observed. Just a very strict set of principals.
One interpretation of those principles is that the JWs are a cult, and the rules are designed to bound the JWs together in opposition to non-JWs. To create a siege mentality and make it difficult to leave.
Another interpretation is that those rules and principles are backed by scripture and designed to protect the clean standing of the congregation before God. That is what the JWs themselves will of course tell you.
It's very easy to see cult-like behaviour, and indeed you will find no lack of agreement from JWs themselves. One conversation I had with a JW included this remark: "The Witnesses aren't a cult, but they do everything in their power to look like one."
Not every JW will agree with that statement but there are plenty who do. The organisation/leadership, tho generally agreed to be acting in good faith, is not immune to any criticism, even from within.