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View Full Version : Weekly Topic - misguided or just naive? - October 24 - 30


angus
10-24-2010, 07:18 AM
At a meeting last night I heard a man with 1 years sobriety under his belt sharing about how he thinks AA is not modern enough, isnt moving with the times, puts off newcomers with talk of God, and some members are miserable. He boasted about the great relationship he had formed with another newcomer when they were just 6 months around the rooms.
It's not the first time I've heard pink cloud enthusiasts who wanted to re-write the Big Book and it wont be the last. But I must say, my kettle was at boiling point and its lid was rattling to the point I had to bite my tongue.
I wanted to say, newcomer's are generaly incapable of distinguishing true reason from false excuses so God is a pretty good excuse to reject what AA has to offer, but I was conscious that I might express too much of my own discomfort so I stayed schtumm and let the group soak it up.
Driving home and my feeling of disagreement turned to a sense of gratitude that I was at least trying to be tolerant of others - even though it was through gritted teeth!

Angus

LesterBangs
10-26-2010, 03:34 PM
Well said, thanks.

JenD
11-17-2010, 03:22 PM
I hear many things in AA that are not AA. Usually by people who don't have what I want- so I pray 'God save me from anger- how can I help?' and that takes all the tension out and gets me out of self and back into where I'm supposed to be in a meeting; ready to help others.

I would look at that person who shared as a good sponsee candidate.

mike5335
11-19-2010, 08:57 AM
I have a lot of great ideas. Unfortunately, those great ideas kept me drunk for lots of years.

Sometimes I find some entertainment value in questioning things in the Big Book like Bill's use of the word "prosaic" to describe a steel girder rather than "commonplace". I'm reminded that it is appropriate to read the literature with a dictionary open.

I might actually learn something and not have to go back to those great ideas that kept me drunk for lots of years. :)

The principles that are embodied in the steps, traditions and concepts are what have changed my life. Working them and studying them with other men (and women) have made the difference between life and death for me.

One of those ideas that I still don't fully utilize is patience, love and tolerance. Some days I'm OK, other times I want to "fix" people. Thanks for reminding me that gritting my teeth but keeping silent may be the best I can do sometimes.