Excellent question. I've often asked myself that very thing. It only led to more questions. How do the movies we attend, the pubs we drink in, the concerts we see, the clubs we dance at, the music CD's we listen to, the magazines and books we purchase and read, the liquor stores we buy from, and the videos we rent reflect on the Kingdom? This is all done in plain view of the world. If we want to remain different, then what's up with all of the above?? I see no difference between us and the world there. Do you?
Yes, I do. That's where the need to be selective comes in. I don't know about your area, but most witnesses I know don't even go to pubs/bars or clubs. Some are comfortable with it, some aren't, so I'm not judging you, k? Different strokes for different folks. Bygones
But suppose a brother goes to the video store to rent a pornographic movie. He figures none of the friends from the hall saw him there, so he's in the clear. Later that week in the ministry, he knocks on the door of the clerk at the video store. How can that brother have freeness of speech talking about the moral standards of Jehovah's Witnesses? Or if someone else witnesses to the clerk, and he begins to study and attend meetings, what happens when the clerk sees the brother at the KH? It would certainly detract from the Kingdom, and we don't want to be guilty of that.
Our selections in the matters you mentioned have to show that we are different. There's nothing wrong with buying CDs. I must have bought 5 different albums last month!hehe But I checked the content of them first, to make sure that there was nothing that would be unbefitting of a true christian.
And that's the biggest area where we can show that we are different, and no part of this system. The selections we make can 'make or break' the reputation of the Kingdom, as far as witnessing to others goes.