“Their dress is neither modern nor ultra conservative, their hair falls into place naturally; they attach no importance to attracting attention, unless it be through a well-balanced personality and a showing of unpretentious interest. The girls use make-up in moderation; the boys are gentlemen. . . . The music they listen to in their leisure time and the movies they watch are chosen so that they do not deal with homosexuals, lesbians, fornicators, adulterers or criminals. . . . We are speaking about Jehovah’s Witnesses.” So began a report appearing in the German newspaper Badisches Tagblatt. It added: “It may seem strange when sixteen-year-old girls do not speak about married persons as ‘having affairs,’ but call it fornication, when they lump homosexuals, thieves and murderers together, when they disfellowship unrepentant persons who have had premarital sex relations.”

Attesting to this, the reporter concluded: “But, despite all their strict standards, Jehovah’s Witnesses do not appear to be unhappy. To the contrary. The young as well as the older Bible students present an appearance of being unusually joyful and well balanced.”