Let's consider for a moment the November Awake! After we get through the initial articles which fail to answer the question of suffering and the three-page article on the Quakers, we come to a very brief article on having meals together as a family. We get a delightful, Bradey Bunch-esque quote from Algirdas [name has probably been changed, as is customary]: "During mealtimes all of us feel free to talk about the day's events and to share our problems, thoughts, plans, likes, and dislikes." Honesty is a big part of morality, right? Could Algirdas' children really talk about their problems: the sense of isolation at school, the sense of judgment in the hall as everyone concerns themselves with the hierarchy of spiritual maturity, the strain of keeping up with all the meaningless busywork of the Organization while trying to do well in school, the mental gymnastics of interpreting everything that they hear through the filter of JW-orthodoxy, the guilt for what little life they have with their friends at school, the shame of thinking ordinary human thoughts. Could Algirdas' children talk about their thoughts: "Hey, since we are interested in what is true, I was thinking that when the teacher talked about evolution today it made sense," "A friend of mine told me today that she had an abortion. I know she did not make her decision casually, and I have a hard time not agreeing with her reasons," "So, mom and dad, even though I'm a guy, I find I like checking other guys out." Could Algirdas' children really talk about their plans: "I don't want to pioneer. I want to go to college. I know you don't think it's practical, but there are other things in life that are more important to me than being practical. I just really love this subject," "I want to be involved in a work that really saves lives. I'm not saying our message isn't good, mom. But why can't I work with this charity oragnization to feed people who have nothing?" What about likes and dislikes: "I don't really like sitting for hours and hours listening to redundant talks that fill me with guilt," "I like to wear clothes that make me feel like a young and sexy person." JW morality (and it's all rolled into one package) does not allow even the most basic level of honesty. Witnesses (particularly the really good publishers) spend more time concealing their thoughts from each other than they do preaching their message from door to door. And I would say that honesty is one of the fundamental principles of morality. If people are not free to speak and behave honestly and authentically, then it's not morality; it's enforced and externally imposed conformity. Instead of teaching morality, instead of teaching people how to reason for themselves, the November Awake! goes on to have two articles designed to make people feel guilty for masturbating and for having sex without being married. These rules are arbitrary, simplistic, and (particularly in the case of masturbation) contrary to human nature. The Society fills people with guilt for being human, for being messy, warm-blooded, living creatures. Morality must be self-generated and arise from a sense of freedom and a consequent sense of responsibility to live well and with regard for the value of others due to an awareness of our own value. The Organization takes this away from people because they are not free and they are not taught to value themselves. I suspect this question is asking whether the rules we were taught from the podium stuck with us, but that has very little to do with morality.
