Thank you LMsA !
You eloquent Post I think has hit on several good points, the one about eventually living in Paradise, a false hope they cling to, is particularly pertinent, and very sad, it is that which keeps many of all ages still entrapped.
They do not wish to do anything which would, they think, endanger their prospects of making it to Paradise, the J.W terrestrial Heaven, and this is one reason they will not consider an examination of their beliefs, will not question them in any way.
The move by the G.B. in relaxing some of the more draconian rules is a clever one, now they can freely associate with "worldly" people in a way they never did.
I have a relative who is a long time Elder, last night he and his wife were at a Party I went to, and they were with , all evening, a lovely guy and his wife and daughter, all of whom have never been J.W's. They spend a lot of time together as friends. The excuse for last night's Party was to celebrate something a J.W would not have gone near just a short while ago, of course my relative said " I didn't realise this was the reason for the Party", yea right, it was a printed invitation job, and it said it on the invite !
So, a little lie, in case I mentioned he was there, to other J.W's I meet, just to protect his position as a J.W, and to not endanger his prospect of living forever. J.W world is changing, but not everything.
Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose.