@Doubtful1799=> You hit the nail right on the head with this thread (oh, a rhyme; a good rhyme!).
Your point regarding:
Par 3 - “Selfish pleasures evidently crowded out unselfish love.”
A false dichotomy - people who enjoy the pleasures of life are equally capable of unselfish love. It is not one or the other. In fact people who are passionate about life and the joys of it are often the same ones who do a lot hard, unselfish, and philanthropic work to make life better for others.
I'm getting the strong vibe that the BORG is speaking about hobbies and other interests (i.e., music, sports, traveling, etc.). They have spoken against the R&F pursuing these and wanting them to put a great deal of their time and energies into the preaching work and meeting attendance. In fact, one of the GBs' helpers gave a talk at an Annual Meeting a few years back (if I'm not mistaken) discouraging traveling to different parts of the world "on this side of Armageddon. We can look forward to doing plenty of that in the New World".
I have noticed that some fully indoctrinated/PIMI JWs who don't engage in some form of recreation and relaxation become irritable, arrogant, selfish and unloving people (they only show "love" when they are love bombing to get more people into the BORG)! They reason that whatever happens to JWs is way more important than whatever happens and is occurring to other people who are non-dubs.
One having hobby and traveling can enable a person to become well rounded plus develop an open mind to all topics/subjects and experiences this planet has to offer. Thus, persons who enjoy life's pleasures are happier, selfless, compassionate, caring and more loving towards their fellow man and the world around them.
