Posts by Simon

11530

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

by Newly Enlightened in

original reddit post (removed).

Simon

I don't trust Mark O'Donnell / John Redwood. Half of his posts sound like Lloyd speaking* and his account on here was downvoting comments critical of Lloyd - so he's either not distanced himself as much as he claims, and only made a statement to smooth the waters but doesn't mean it OR he has shared the account credentials with Lloyd, so it may well have been Lloyd posting half the time.

*the verbose, self-righteous, explaining drivel is a giveaway.

Refusing to hand over a domain is low, but it really depends on what the deal was if someone gave it - if the intention was that it be linked and used for a certain podcast and they ceased being involved with it then they had no business holding it hostage. But this shows why it's important to have things in writing, besides certain people not being honourable and trustworthy.

Speaking of domains, I hope you like the one I picked for the new site:

https://jw.watch

:innocent:

See this topic for plans and how you can help.

11530

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

by Newly Enlightened in

original reddit post (removed).

Simon

Thanks, I'll start a separate topic to discuss ideas and get links etc... so it isn't lost in here and we can get more ideas from people who may not be following this.

But it needs to not be trying to convert people either way - either into another religion or to atheism, and without making judgement either way. It should be a "choose your own path" adventure (anyone remember those books?)

11530

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

by Newly Enlightened in

original reddit post (removed).

Simon

I'm working on a site to pull together articles and videos on different topics to help those who want to successfully exit from the WTS and move on with their lives.

Kind of like guided paths for how to handle all the practical things: how to fade, how to keep communication with family, how to focus on career, retirement planning etc ...

This will hopefully promote other voices in a positive way. The aim will be to genuinely help people to move on, without becoming dependent on the constant diet of "WTS hate porn" that he makes his money off.

11530

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

by Newly Enlightened in

original reddit post (removed).

Simon

It's nearly the end of the month, so you know what that means? Time to submit your field ministry report cards brothers and sisters ... (ugh, flashback!)

Sorry for that - no, it's Patreon Subscriber Cancellation day!

He started with close to 900 at the start of the year, and it goes down throughout a month but a lot of people cancel at the end of the month (might be todo with how patreon works, I've never used it). You can see the Feb month-end dropped 34 and March month-end dropped 31.

He's currently at 571.

I wonder at the people left, at some point it seems like nothing will be enough to convince them they are funding a bullying asshole, but maybe they don't follow things and it takes a while for them to remember that they have a subscription and to find out what he's been up to.

But my guess is it's going to go to about 550.

https://graphtreon.com/creator/cedars

11530

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

by Newly Enlightened in

original reddit post (removed).

Simon

The information is out there now, his reputation will proceed him if people bother to look.

You can't force people to do their due diligence before getting involved with someone, and it's not your or my job to do that, but no one can complain that they didn't know if they didn't look.

But I hope we can promote other voices and other content so he can't keep preying on those who may be newly doubting and leaving, and they happen to be in their naive "everyone who left the WTS is now my friend, on my side, and only wants the best for me" stage.

Take away the $$$ and I think his appetite for "activism" will soon diminish.

11

Jehovah’s witnesses and compulsory voting in Australia.

by Longlivetherenegades in

what do jehovah’s witnesses do during election period in australia?

i learnt voting is compulsory in australia and those who choose not to vote are fined.

do jehovah’s witnesses pay such fines?.

Simon

Yeah, it's stupid to not simply conspire with someone to negate your votes by each voting for a different candidate.

It achieves the exact same thing in terms of being neutral, but without breaking any laws.

11530

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

by Newly Enlightened in

original reddit post (removed).

Simon

11530

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

by Newly Enlightened in

original reddit post (removed).

Simon

"Things I'm grateful for: my loved ones, my beautiful children ..."

Yeah, no mention of any wife. But also strange that children aren't covered as "loved ones". Maybe that was referring to his Thailand girlfriends?

Also, poor Tibor ... to be left out of the honors list.

11530

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

by Newly Enlightened in

original reddit post (removed).

Simon

I think he's just excusing his own behavior with that statement. It's no different than his claim that his sexuality was "tampered with" as an excuse for whoreing around and behaving inappropriately with girls*. At what point do people take responsibility for who they are and what they do?

The reality is that there is a random assortment of people in most groups. Yes, there will be some degree of gravitating together in extreme cases but I think overall JWs tend to have the same sort of mix as the general population.

People are who they are. People are not made "good" by leaving any more than they are made "bad" by staying. Certain environments can feed certain personality types - an abusive narcissist for example may find a cosy home as an elder, and abuse their power. If they are subsequently kicked out, did the WTS really make them who they are or is it simply who they always were? I think someone's immediate family environment has a stronger impact on personality than the WTS part of their existence.

Whatever impact the WTS had on people, to imagine it sets the path of your life is really loser-think. You can change. You can reprogram yourself. All it takes is a small amount of introspection and effort if you want to change. If you refuse to accept criticism then yes, you may stay a dick all your life. So he's right in one way.

*that "oh, ha ha ha, I said 'girls', whoopsie!" where he laughs in his video is a pretty sick way to talk for someone claiming to be a CSA advocate.

11530

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

by Newly Enlightened in

original reddit post (removed).

Simon

This is informative about why some people behave the way they do, and how they can suddenly "flip" if you challenge or simply question them.

Esp. the bit about how they believe they are always right even when it's crushingly obvious that they are not, and how they absolutely have to get the last word in order to believe they have "won", that everyone else has to agree with their view of reality, that there is no such thing as constructive criticism (of them).

As you watch it, think of who matches each of the things described. It's uncanny!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Te7hmo8ajgM