Leaving the tower was easier for me when I stopped and contemplated what the future would hold if the JWs were right after all. Everlasting life on earth under threat of death if like Adam, Eve the Devil, the Israelites in fact most of the human race, I made a mistake at any time. To live in a world run by strict elders who have been elevated to princes seemed a worse fate than death.
I tried to imagine living in a world where there were no worldly people to provide entertainment by doing all the things they would be killed for doing in a new world. Even simple family films, such as, 'The Sound of Music' & 'South Pacific' were based on war and love affairs. Would we be allowed films, theatre, novels and what would their content be? What drama would there be to write about in a world where no drama takes place in reality? I tried to imagine enjoying a novel where every character acted the same and lived like a model elder. The outcome of the story would be a foregone conclusion, and there would be no point in writing the book or reading it. Even the Bible is a book of high drama from beginning to end. It is true to life.
There has to be degree of drama and freedom to choose our path of there is no point to the exercise. Would alcohol be allowed or T-bone stake, our favourite music or freedom to talk freely, even through the Internet as we are doing now? A large part of our present short life span is occupied with growing up, youth, middle age and old age. In addition raising a family saving for retirement and so on. We are not the same for very long. In eternity we would reach a time when nothing changed, no children were born, no one passed away and we never changed; yet life thrives on change.
After a few hundred years of living in such a world people would start to break the rules out of boredom viewing the death penalty as a relief. I know there are people who think they could live in such a world stripped of all culture - over five million at present - and they are of the mind set that don't get bored, and have proved this by continuing to attend meetings and going through the same mind-numbing routine for whole lifetimes.
How will Jehu feel when he is told to ride his chariot slowly? Java is told to loose the beard and give up coffee. The thinker and his wife are told that the princes will tell them what they are allowed to think. Simons site is closed down by the thought police. Mommy, Peace, Eyes, Happy and Redhorse are told that women are not allowed to have an opinion and can only work at menial tasks under the direction of the princes (not one princess in sight) Fredhall, MD and Jr are made princes and have to share a tent with Frenchy and Larc. English man finds he is controlled by European Princes. I find the pubs open only once a year for the memorial and I am only allowed to watch!
What do you think it would be like in a new world Run by and populated by Witnesses?
Trevor