Comment Re: Only? (Score 4, Informative) 166
throwing most of those ostensible benefits out the window so that they can aggregate the transactions via a layer 2 network
The lightning network is nearly as trustless as the main layer of bitcoin. It is impossible for another party to run with your funds when transacting with them over lightning. In that respect it offers the same safety as the main layer. But even if it didn't, it wouldn't matter much -- the transactions over the lightning network are mostly low-value transactions usable for retail or buying a coffee. Even in the case trust is reintroduced, it is only for trivial amounts, which most people will be fine with. For larger value transactions, like buying a new car, one would not use lightning, but use the main chain instead.
that is not part of the block chain, does not have an immutable ledger.
Lightning transactions are immutable. At any time, it is possible to unilaterally close a lightning channel and record the aggregated result on the blockchain, at which point the transactions becomes immutable and irreversible.