Remember, you are to have "no association" with non-Jehovah's Witness friends or relatives. If they are honest and moral, that still does not make any difference. Watchtower, 2/15/60, pp. 112-113.
And the third point, that Desirous of Change called a lie, is also TRUE. Who's the liar?
AVOID WRONG ASSOCIATION
4 In connection with avoiding the badness of the world and associating with God’s people, the apostle Paul wrote: “Do not become unevenly yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership do righteousness and lawlessness have? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness? . . . Or what portion does a faithful person have with an unbeliever? . . . For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said: ‘I shall reside among them and walk among them, and I shall be their God, and they will be my people.’ ‘“Therefore get out from among them, and separate yourselves,” says Jehovah, “and quit touching the unclean thing,’” ‘“and I will take you in.’” ‘“And I shall be a father to you, and you will be sons and daughters to me,” says Jehovah the Almighty.’” Notice the repeated advice about avoiding wrong association, ‘from these turn away,’ ‘get out from among them,’ ‘separate yourselves,’ and then ‘I will take you in.’ There is to be no partnership, no fellowship, no portion, no sharing with unbelievers. In other words, no association with them if one is to associate with God.—2 Cor. 6:14-18; Ezek. 37:27, RS; Isa. 52:11; Ezek. 20:41,
5 This does not mean, of course, that the dedicated Christian must isolate himself from all contact with this present system of things. In the course of his work, daily living and preaching he comes in touch with employer, fellow workers, business associates, family, neighbors and others. To avoid all contact would almost mean to get off the earth. (1 Cor. 5:10) But, to ‘turn away from such,’ to avoid association with them means not to have fellowship with those whose thoughts are not in harmony with God’s thoughts, that is, not to share in their thoughts or conduct. The thinking of materialistic-minded persons is not in harmony with God’s thinking. Even if such acquaintances are not dishonest or immoral, their first concern is not the worship and service of Jehovah. One who associates regularly with them will soon think as they do. Expose the mind to their thoughts and one’s faith in the new world will become weakened, zeal will be quenched, integrity will collapse, and the conscience will be dulled so that one does not take Jehovah’s requirements of study and service seriously. Useful habits of study and service that have been formed will be spoiled. It is this danger the apostle Paul considered when warning Christians against associating with those who had no hope in a resurrection and hence no real incentive to right conduct. “Do not be misled. Bad associations spoil useful habits. Wake up to soberness in a righteous way and do not practice sin, for some are without knowledge of God.” (1 Cor. 15:33, 34) Why share the thoughts of those who have no knowledge of God and no concern about it?—Phil. 3:18, 19.
6 Still there are those who think that they can allow themselves to seek association with worldly friends or relatives for entertainment. But how can a Christian ‘put away the old personality which conforms to his former course of conduct’ and ‘put on the new personality which was created according to God’s will in true righteousness’ by continuing to associate with those who still have deceptive desires? (Eph. 4:22-24) Rather, “do not become partners with them; for you were once darkness, but you are now light in connection with the Lord. Go on walking as children of light . . . Keep on making sure of what is acceptable to the Lord; and quitsharing with them in the unfruitful works which belong to the darkness.” (Eph. 5:7-11) Peter also advised one to “live the remainder of his time in the flesh, no more for the desires of men, but for God’s will. . . . Because you do not continue running [or associating] with them in this course . . . they are puzzled and go on speaking abusively of you.” We should be as aliens and temporary residents with respect to the conduct of this generation.—1 Pet. 4:2-4; 2:11, 12.
7 The danger of wrong association was emphasized by Jehovah in his laws to the Israelites as they were getting ready to move into the Promised Land and thus come into nearer touch with the heathen Canaanites. “You must conclude no covenant with them nor show them any favor. And you must form no marriage alliance with them. Your daughter you must not give to his son . . . For he will turn your [children] from following me and they will certainly serve other gods.” Israel’s history since that time is tragic proof of what happens when one violates this principle.—Deut. 7:2-4.
8 If one holds to a good conscience, that is, keeps his conscience sensitized to Jehovah’s principles, then he could not enjoy association with this world. Remember how Lot felt when living in Sodom? We read that he “was greatly distressed by the indulgence of the law-defying people in loose conduct—for that righteous man by what he saw and heard while dwelling among them from day to day was tormenting his righteous soul by reason of their lawless deeds.” (2 Pet. 2:7, 8) Though he lived there and preached to them, yet Lot neither shared their thoughts nor joined in their conduct; his soul was distressed and tormented by their conduct. If a Christian today enjoys association with this world and its thinking, then there is something wrong with his conscience. If his conscience is properly trained, it should be distressed by such fellowship. Also, if one’s conduct and conversation are such that worldly persons are glad to have one with them in their company, something is wrong with one’s conduct; for if one’s conduct and conversation were right, it should disturb their conscience because of reproving or condemning them.—1 Pet. 3:16; Eph. 5:11.
9 One should never be deceived into thinking that by such association one is really helping other persons learn the truth. By sharing in the wrong thoughts and actions of worldly associates, one will never bring them to the truth, but such will likely take the believing one away from it. (1 Cor. 5:6) It is only when one demonstrates God’s thoughts in speaking and conduct, when one shares God’s thoughts with others, when one shares light with them that one can bring them out of darkness to light.—1 Pet. 2:9; Phil. 2:15, 16.
10 But, some may ask, did not Jesus associate with despised sinners and tax collectors? Yes, but he did not do so to share in their thoughts and have fellowship with them in their conversation and conduct. He was there as Jehovah’s chief witness to share Jehovah’s thoughts with these persons. So today, Jehovah’s witnesses follow the same example. They do not isolate themselves by self-righteousness, as those mentioned by Isaiah, and say they are holier than others. They visit all kinds of people in their homes and on the streets and talk with them and hear what they are thinking about so that they can help them. But they do not partake of their thinking, nor do they share in their attitude. They have fellowship with light and want to share that light with others.—Luke 7:34; Isa. 65:5; Matt. 5:16.
