Social life = PATHETIC as a Witness. Even when I was invited to hang out with a congregational friend, my father would say, "didn't they just see you at the meeting?" Then he would quote Proverbs 25:17 to me which said something about rarely setting foot in your neighbors house so that they "don't come to hate you." So after enough pleading and begging, I'd begrudgingly be allowed to go, albeit with a heavy heart and the overwhelming feeling that these friends didn't really want to see me since they were on the cusp of hating me.
Gatherings, on the other hand, were just as painful. My parents would make me ring up the host to inquire how many people will be attending, will alcohol be served, who will be chaperoning the event, and what kind of music will be playing. On top of that, my curfew was 22:00 if the gathering was a local one, and 00:00 when it was a gathering over an hour away. I'd be the only adult leaving just as everyone started to have fun EVERY time.
Humiliating, frustration and isolating.
But hey... if the Society says that's how it should be done......
