Well, I'm not a drinker and just a boringly natural 'goody two-shoes'.
But I have to comment that that is good advice in the Bible to watch your associations because they can bring you down and confuse and distract you and even have ill effects on your faith.
The cognitive sonance in this situation is to realize and become aware that it is the brainwashed, cult-like, confused and FIRMLY AND RIGIDLY HELD beliefs of the JWs and the WTS that you have to watch out for.
There are some nice people there. No doubt. But tread carefully.
Because 'bad associations' really can 'spoil useful habits' (wonder how that reads in a NORMAL Bible. Irregardless, the point is the same....don't assume it just okay to hang with anybody no matter what. Some 'company' can hurt you. And not because they have a beer, either).
Some company can be destructive to the love of God which he is pouring out on you so that you might find a clear path to follow.
Unlike the Witnesses, we must love our neighbors, even our enemies.
But we don't have to be braindead about it.
Personally, I've disfellowshipped my close JWs. Not formally, but by action. Because they're just too twisted for me to be around.
I just can't 'go there' without feeling frustrated and angry. Baffled, mystified, horrified, judged, condemned and outraged. Instead, I will seek the peace of God in fellowship.
Unlike the Witnesses, I don't have a set of rules here. But you do what you can do and, for some of us, the right thing to do is to 'shake the dust from your feet' and be on your way.
Twisted souls like this, if you let them, could readily take ALL of your time, to go nowhere.
