I was trying to explain what its like to a friend today. My sister has recently outed. a couple of months ago she was getting fed up of living with a 'sister' in her 60s who imposed rules and regulations on her - my sister is 30 and doesnt need a woman who isnt her mother setting rules for her and playing the 'truth' card as a landlady.
my sister got fed up and decided she wanted to move out. I have a spare loft with en suite. - she approached my parents who said you can't live with your sister she is Disfellowshipped.my mum said it would be better for her to live with worldly people than me. (oh the fear is laughable)
she then went to the elders and asked what would happen should she move in with me.. they said we can't tell you you will have to wait and see.
she said well if its a crime I have a right to know what the punishment is - if its a rule? and they just said you will have to wait and see.
apparently she had a big scrap with my mum and the elder turned on her (who had previously commented that her breasts looked nice after the boob job) and said I was a disgrace to my family.
so I told my sister, that the reason they couldnt tell her what they were going to do is because they could do nothing, and once she crossed that threshold, she would realise that they had lost control and all they were trying to do was frighten her from taking that step.
I was relating this to a non-witness person, and I used the film as an analogy. a man who lived all his life in a big dome and didnt know what was on the outside. living on an island he was made to fear the water, even though he wondered what was beyond it. in the end, his curiosity got the better of him and he overcame his fear and he sailed. they created storms and hail and he sailed on.. once they realised he wasnt going to accept what they threw at him they gave up. he sailed to the edge and hit the wall, climbed up some steps and walked out into the real world. in a last ditch attempt, the maker tells him that the worls outside is horrible and he is better in the dome.. but he decides to take his chances and opt for freedom. . .
I like that film