Elena wrote: If you believe evolution then some go off the rails like Lloyd did as there is no moral compass anymore and this just brings results that Lloyd has - suicidal extreme unhappiness having messed up everything and anyone in your life
I disagree - mostly.
When I was a JW, this was similar to what I thought. 'If you believe you came from animals you will act like an animal."
Then I developed a few critical thinking skills and no longer think that way.
In fact, now I think just the opposite.
More people seem to go off the rails when clinging to a religion that tries to control them and when they are disillusioned by whatever philosophical ideology they adopt.
I personally find more people depressed and suicidal when people and institutions (religions) let them down and they do not how to get their lives on track without the outside control.
So many of the agnostics and atheists that I've met have a much stronger sense of personal responsibility that creates a stronger moral compass than the average person. It's as if they keenly consider the cause and effect and natural progression of their own behaviors. They seem much more likely to take personal responsibility for their actions and appreciate the opportunity to hear other's views, insights and opinions. Opinions and ideas of others can be a sounding board and, if appropriate, an opening to respectfully guide further discussion and reassess their own theories - or not.
My atheist acquaintances tend to be kinder in their interactions with others.
IMO, Lloyd attempts to use Atheism as an excuse to let his penis lead him thru life do what ever Lloyd wants.
Of course there are exceptions to all this but I do not believe that Atheism is the cause of Lloyd's bad decisions. Lloyd did what Lloyd often does. He latched on to something that he thought he could use to absolve himself of responsibility and then used that ideology/platform to insult and bully everyone who doesn't believe the same way.
I do agree that Lloyd and his family may have been happier if they adopted a JW-Lite approach and stayed in the org as somewhat 'weak-in-the-truth'. However, Lloyd would have hated the diminished 'esteem' and he would have had to get a real job in the real world.
Lloyd's current situation is 100% entirely the natural consequence of Lloyd's own words and actions.
I do not believe an Atheist ideology was the cause. It's more like Atheism is yet another victim in Lloyd's path of (self-)destruction.
But I'm pretty sure Atheism will survive, recover and thrive.
