New day: I look back on my life as a Witness and now I am basically a non-entity
While I understand the sentiment, I see it almost as the opposite for myself. When I was a JW, I had to control my thoughts and behavior and go down the simple track designed for me by the organization. Many things that I would have liked to do were forbidden. Life had to be simple and bland and practically devoid of anything aside from the JW treadmill. Meetings, field service, the occasional get-together where you had to mind how you acted and what you said, and so on.
JWs are taught that anyone who wants to be free of that control wants to misbehave and do terrible things that will offend God and prevent them from being saved. But what are some of those awful behaviors? Growing a beard. Getting a tattoo. Wearing snug clothing. Celebrating holidays. Smoking a cigarette. How can you consider that list and not recognize the tight, smothering control they want to have over you?
I am not a non-entity now. But I was one when I was a JW.