Posts by StephaneLaliberte

11530

It's been a long 9 years Lloyd Evans / John Cedars

by Newly Enlightened in

original reddit post (removed).

StephaneLaliberte

4 pages of comments...seriously ???, And one more self righteous than the next....the mob mentality taking place here is textbook...Geeez...let go of your pearls ladies and give it a rest.

The reality is that we are all hurt by this. First and foremost, we all very deeply care about activism against the leaders of the Jehovah’s Witnesses. They inflict harm through their teachings and they show a phony morality that alters based on what’s in it for them. And now, one of our most popular, well mannered, well articulated online activists has shown to be as phony as they are. He was chastising the Jehovah’s Witnesses for their permissiveness towards sexual abuse while providing funds (by paying for prostitution) to criminal organizations that directly abuse many more children and women.

We are all hurt by this. I spend the entire day yesterday thinking about it and I’m still on this page this morning. It hurts. Lloyd’s actions have hurt his family, his friends and the entire EX-JW community which I’ve been a part of for the last 15 years.

And we’re not supposed to talk about it???

All this talking, this expression of our feelings, emotions, trying to understand what the hell just happened, this isn’t us being “hatters”. We’ve been betrayed by a guy who claimed that one of the most important things in his life was to help this community.

Believe it or not, if I happened to see Lloyd in a restaurant, I wouldn’t mind having a beer with him and talk about the “good times” when he was doing so well. I don’t harbor hate towards this guy. Shunning is something the JWs do and to which I am very much opposed. But there is NO WAY he can keep representing any of us with what he did. Anything he tries to do to help the EX-JW community will fall back on how phony he’s been for several years and will result in discrediting him and the cause he’s trying to push forward.

That doesn’t mean there is no redemption for Lloyd. There are men who did very bad things to their first wives, learned from their mistakes, and became good husbands to their second wives. Lets hope he’s learn from his mistakes and do better with his next marriage and social causes. Regardless, he can no longer represent our community.

11530

It's been a long 9 years Lloyd Evans / John Cedars

by Newly Enlightened in

original reddit post (removed).

StephaneLaliberte

There are hundreds, if not thousands of people sending him supportive messages on YouTube and Reddit.

One of the things that added credibility to Lloyd was collaboration with other very intelligent and capable people. I doubt these people will want to continue such collaboration after this. This will certainly have a significant impact on the quality of his content. The people still giving him support are likely in denial. Perhaps he will gain new subscribers who stumble across his own content without knowing the story. But I doubt it will be anything as close to the heights he reached in the last years.

11530

It's been a long 9 years Lloyd Evans / John Cedars

by Newly Enlightened in

original reddit post (removed).

StephaneLaliberte

I would think that [...] we could all agree that the worst thing that could happen here is if he killed himself.

While I certainly don't wish this outcome for him, from my perspective, I no longer care about him. He was a guy from Croatia that delivered good content online. And now, he has basically blown his legacy to pieces. So, yeah... I can leave the love and the caring to people close to him, like friends and family. 8 billion humans on earth, each with their own struggles in life. Why would I care about him more than anyone else? It was fun while it lasted. So long Lloyd! Enjoy your new life, where ever and what ever it is, I don't care.

11530

It's been a long 9 years Lloyd Evans / John Cedars

by Newly Enlightened in

original reddit post (removed).

StephaneLaliberte

Unlike the organisation he doesn't pretend to be a beacon of all that's holy so he doesn't need to live up to that standard. I don't care a jot about what he does in his personal life - we are all making our way and learning as we go...

That argument works for small things such as being a heavy smoker, an alcoholic that curses and makes jokes in bad tastes, or even a porn addict! People tend to overcome those things with the rational you provided. But then, cheating your wife with prostitutes and going to Thailand which is known for child prostitution? Don't expect to sound credible in doing videos denouncing the watchtower for its immorality.

11530

It's been a long 9 years Lloyd Evans / John Cedars

by Newly Enlightened in

original reddit post (removed).

StephaneLaliberte

Well, what a shame. I watched his videos and it was fun while it lasted. But, yeah... he's done here. You can't criticize an organization for its immorality and in the same breath, cheat on your wife with prostitutes using funds given to you by your supporters. Its just ridiculously immoral.

And than, he makes this video where he obviously doesn't understand how low he's actually sunk and how out of whack his moral compass is. I guess his emotions are overcoming his reasoning even now. I mean, he's intelligent and can't see that its already over. All he can do with a video like this is make it worst.

What a shame. A dam shame.

22

Does anything about your religion trouble you as a Jehovah’s Witness or is it all good?

by Vanderhoven7 in

can you add to this:.

"does anything about your religion trouble you as a jehovah’s witness or is it all good?

some of the things that would trouble me if i were a jehovah’s witness would include:.

StephaneLaliberte

Well, I would assume that for this to count, it has to be something someone thinks while he's in. So, in my case, one thing I found difficult was not believing everything my religion thought and not being allowed to express these disagreement with anyone.

And it wasn't just the fact that the WT didn't want me to say anything, it was also the fact that people inside didn't want to hear it at all. Anything, ANYTHING, that made them question their beliefs, whether from me or someone at the door in field service, they would terminate the conversation and attack the messenger, never considering the argument at face value.

I felt I was surrounded by people who pretended they lived in a spiritual fortress all the while being afraid of someone with a slingshot. It didn't make sense to me.

The thing that finally had me leave however was having kids... I was simply not able to raise them up in so much lies.

24

Snakes walked on legs till the Eden curse Watchtower belief till 1974!!

by Witness 007 in

watchtower 1964 page 352 "....before god cursed it the snake had legs that elevated it off the ground.

god transformed its body so that it ceased to have legs and could move on its belly.".

book "gods eternal purpose"1974 - "god did not put a curse on the whole serpent family...it had only been victimised by satan...".

StephaneLaliberte

To even have an opinion on something so stupid shows how delusional that cult really is.

13

Watchtower talking bad about other religions

by asp59 in

do you remember the time when every watchtower article seemed like a boasting session?

how great watchtower was.

they we're the only one with holy spirit.

StephaneLaliberte

I still hear my mom and my mother in law criticize the catholic church as if they're full of demons. I usually don't interject until they personally attack a specific priest. Then the conversation often becomes: Well, even if he is a good person, he's victim of his religion.

10

Well what do you know gb finally understanding social isolation or shunning.

by Yomama in

jw
friends

update some upstanding jw are experiencing social isolation isnt that what df and da people feel?reap sow karma..

StephaneLaliberte

Proverbs 18:1 "Whoever isolates himself pursues his own selfish desires, he rejects all practical wisdom"

I found this quote interesting as it can be both a good and a bad thing. Under the influence of a group, individuals will forfeit personal beliefs, logics and desires to please those of the group they belongs to. In some cases, this is a good thing. For instance, some people would live in filth if they were alone; however, due to their friends who visit from time to time, they'll clean up. And then, there's the JWs where under pressure from their group, parents will shun their children for the rest of their lives if they dare to smoke a cigarette, express disbelief in the GB, play the lottery or put up Christmas lights.

63

Why do Anti-Jws refuse to answer questions- and ignore our answers?

by DoubtingThomas in

jw
friends

denial..

StephaneLaliberte

Doubting Thomas:

1) What are the things that you do not believe from the Governing Body and how does this impact that group's ability to please God?
I answered you! Their opinion about some of God's prophecies, and some of their policies.

Which prophecies? Which policies? how does this impact their ability to please God?

2) Please provide examples of when they have admitted their mistakes/sins.

I answered you! Only in the 'Revelation" book.

Where in the revelation book? Did they express regret? remorse? acknowledgement that their actions/miss-understandings were short-comings and not simply: We didn't know until God gave us further light? (essentially blaming God)

3) If they are simply your fellow brothers, they should be judged as such. Is it Christian for someone to outcast people and have their friends and family shun them for disagreement on even small things?

I answered you! I agree.

I understand you have a great deal in common with the Jehovah's Witnesses. However, if the leaders of the group do not behave like christians, your very presence is a support to their action. Don't you believe this could have an impact on your own personal worship with god?