I completely agree. I never wanted to be his friend in the first place, but things happened on his terms and when you have no one else, it seems like a good idea.
I also agree that the reason I haven't been able to meet anyone is because we WERE friends. We are no longer friends, I saw him with another person a month after I stopped seeing him as friends. I think the reason it was so upsetting to me is because he made it seem like it was impossible for him to meet people. "Sent out 100 messages and only 1 reply" where as I've been looking for over two years with no success.

Ironically, I think it was the next day after this post, I did meet someone and we started talking. Although we aren't talking anymore and it probably wouldn't have gone any where, I finally did it.
I was right after all these years, staying friends with my ex was holding me back, and believe me I told him that many times.

Oh, and lying to spare my feelings is really the worst excuse to lie, it justifies absolutely nothing. The reaction that these people who lie are afraid of, is the reaction to their lies, obviously they would have done their fair share of lying in the past to fear such a reaction.