My family discovered witnesses when I was around 5 years old so I was more or less raised as one.

Nekaru your congregation just have some seriously strict elders.. I was roommates with a ministerial servant who is now an elder and we used to play FF-X together a lot, taking turns on bosses and the like. Not every elder or MS is going to have that strict mentality. Some of the ones I've met are so strict that even watching Star wars will get you a shepherding call while others will invite you along to watch something like "Hellboy"(actually happened here lol).. Like you said it's a conscience matter between you and God. The elders will guide as best they can though.

If you're on Crystal DC, feel free to say hello. Or DM for discord details an we can chat until cross DC groups are implemented and we can run trials or something