When I watched the SILO series, I thought immediately about the Organization. Its actually a good watch for us, in that when you look at it through our lenses. You'll see a lot of similarities.
Two things in particular, stand out for me, that relate to this topic.
Firstly, the people in the silo have ok types of lives. Sure they are ignorant of many fact, but their daily lives are quite normal. They can get married, have a purpose or function and they are not living in a dictatorial regime. Most are quite happy.
Secondly, while there are rules they live under (both knowingly and unknowingly) many actually do benefit them, due to their circumstances.
Now I know, having lived a while and seen quite a bit, most of the ones in my own congregation (including members of my own family) do have better lives being in the congregation, than if they have never came into the 'Truth'. As most of them are too trusting and gullible to go through a worldly life, without being hurt many times.
No mater what people say, it is a fact that the 'Truth' (by that I mean its micro-society) and Bible teachings, are a restraint for selfish conduct and destruct behavior. Thus many families do try to stay together and make things work out. There is no LGBT+ philosophical infiltration to worry about. And traditional values still exist, where our teens have the opportunity to find marriage partners, that haven't been having sex like there is no tomorrow, from the age of fourteen.
On the flip side, we know that a lot of the teachings are pure BS, with many rules and teachings designed to keep the GB in power. But really aren't all the other religions out there, just the same. Think about the Catholic faith and the Pope. What about the Dalai Lama and the Buddhist religion. And of course Joseph Smith and the Mormons. Are any of them are better or worse than being a Jehovah's Witness? For me quite frankly I cant see it.
Yet many of the millions of people who go to those churches and temples, do have happy lives.
Now I'm not here advocating us to close our eyes to the sins of our former faith, however its problems exist in all other religions and in our communities at large.
Thus I like to say In conclusion, that yes ... my life would have been a lot easier if I had stayed ignorant, for sure. But we can't unlearn what we know ... and things are what they are. But I have come to understand that in the end, some people need the security that religion provides. Even if full of contradictions.
And if having a happy life is that real end goal of humans, I do see the value in going to meetings.
