Comments on: Is Alcoholics Anonymous A Cult? - And if it is, would somebody teach me the dang secret handshake? http://thewellnessaddict.com/2011/06/is-alcoholics-anonymous-a-cult/ A Regular Injection Of Things To Make You Feel Good Tue, 27 Nov 2012 17:29:50 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.1 By: Ian http://thewellnessaddict.com/2011/06/is-alcoholics-anonymous-a-cult/comment-page-1/#comment-518 Ian Thu, 21 Jul 2011 12:01:30 +0000 http://thewellnessaddict.com/?p=245#comment-518 Hi Mark - Thanks for stopping by and sharing some thoughts. First, about the writing: my personal experience has been that my writing has flourished since I quit drinking several years ago. For much of my life I bought into the Hemingway/Burroughs/Bukowski romanticism that drinking was somehow powerfully married to my writing. And frankly, I wrote some amazing fragments while drunk. But they mostly remain just that - fragments. And on the whole, my drunk writing was vastly inferior to my sober writing. I now have TWO books nearly complete, and am well on my way to completing several more. As well as often writing 500+ words a day in other capacities. And the "God thing"? First, a couple of anecdotes, and then a broad suggestion: When I put myself in rehab several years ago (which didn't get me sober, btw; I drank four months later!) one thing that kind of shocked me was the number of people getting clear-headed for the first time who were also discovering or re-discovering some aspect of faith for the first time as an adult. I don't force my beliefs on others, but I think any well-rounded person should at least EXPLORE issues of faith and spirituality before rejecting them wholesale from their life. It's hard to do this well while using, and this can be a very enriching part of a person's life if they find something that works. The other little story is that of a friend of mine who got sober with the help of AA long before I did. She was one of those who had given up ALL belief in the God concepts she was exposed to as a child. Her sponsor was insistent that she pick some kind of higher power (a little humility is crucial to a happy life, whether you're an addict or not!) so rather than choose her AA group, which she thought both corny AND inconceivable, she chose the giant <a href="http://www.uniroyaltires.com/about/gianttire.html" title="Uniroyal Tire" rel="nofollow">Uniroyal Tire </a> outside Detroit. Whenever she returned to to the area, we would make a point of driving by it on the freeway and throwing offerings of Lifesavers candy. Honestly. She turned one of the big obstacles that many find in AA into a point of fun and celebration. Last I knew, she had been sober several years, and was doing quite well. I personally LOATHED the archaic language in much of the literature, and STILL DO squirm a little at the sometimes heavy-handed Christian overtones, and gender bias. I finally made myself able to read the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1893007162/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=thewellcom-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=1893007162" rel="nofollow">Big Book</a> stories by reading them in a 1930's radio announcer style in my head to amuse myself. There are really compelling stories in there, written in very genuine voices. And the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0916856011/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=thewellcom-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0916856011" rel="nofollow">12 & 12</a>? Strip away any language that annoys you, and there's a good chance that what you have left is a really good guide to living for ANYBODY. I often joke that I know plenty of people who haven't drank a drop in their life who would benefit from living the twelve steps. Sorry to ramble. Hope you find some personal growth yourself should you choose to commit a little to a 12 step program. Hi Mark – Thanks for stopping by and sharing some thoughts. First, about the writing: my personal experience has been that my writing has flourished since I quit drinking several years ago. For much of my life I bought into the Hemingway/Burroughs/Bukowski romanticism that drinking was somehow powerfully married to my writing. And frankly, I wrote some amazing fragments while drunk. But they mostly remain just that – fragments. And on the whole, my drunk writing was vastly inferior to my sober writing. I now have TWO books nearly complete, and am well on my way to completing several more. As well as often writing 500+ words a day in other capacities.

And the “God thing”? First, a couple of anecdotes, and then a broad suggestion:

When I put myself in rehab several years ago (which didn’t get me sober, btw; I drank four months later!) one thing that kind of shocked me was the number of people getting clear-headed for the first time who were also discovering or re-discovering some aspect of faith for the first time as an adult. I don’t force my beliefs on others, but I think any well-rounded person should at least EXPLORE issues of faith and spirituality before rejecting them wholesale from their life. It’s hard to do this well while using, and this can be a very enriching part of a person’s life if they find something that works.

The other little story is that of a friend of mine who got sober with the help of AA long before I did. She was one of those who had given up ALL belief in the God concepts she was exposed to as a child. Her sponsor was insistent that she pick some kind of higher power (a little humility is crucial to a happy life, whether you’re an addict or not!) so rather than choose her AA group, which she thought both corny AND inconceivable, she chose the giant Uniroyal Tire outside Detroit. Whenever she returned to to the area, we would make a point of driving by it on the freeway and throwing offerings of Lifesavers candy. Honestly. She turned one of the big obstacles that many find in AA into a point of fun and celebration. Last I knew, she had been sober several years, and was doing quite well.

I personally LOATHED the archaic language in much of the literature, and STILL DO squirm a little at the sometimes heavy-handed Christian overtones, and gender bias. I finally made myself able to read the Big Book stories by reading them in a 1930′s radio announcer style in my head to amuse myself. There are really compelling stories in there, written in very genuine voices. And the 12 & 12? Strip away any language that annoys you, and there’s a good chance that what you have left is a really good guide to living for ANYBODY. I often joke that I know plenty of people who haven’t drank a drop in their life who would benefit from living the twelve steps.

Sorry to ramble. Hope you find some personal growth yourself should you choose to commit a little to a 12 step program.

]]> By: Mark http://thewellnessaddict.com/2011/06/is-alcoholics-anonymous-a-cult/comment-page-1/#comment-517 Mark Thu, 21 Jul 2011 05:50:47 +0000 http://thewellnessaddict.com/?p=245#comment-517 As i am about to embark on the journey of ' the twelve steps ' , ( i take it the steps are going up , not down , as that's usually where the cellar is ! : ) and in need of a bit of enlightenment , i found your article to be very helpful on the matter . One problem , the use of a deity on the journey is a bit off putting.The reasons being , A : which god are they talking about ? B : will i have to pay homage for the rest of my life , when i am cured ? & C : The symbol that is used , is border line illuminati -freemasonry in its design , with a little bit of bohemian grove thrown in for good measure ! P. S . ... Did alcohol prevent you from writing your books ? The reason i ask , is , i have four stories in the 'pipe - line' and believe my addiction is preventing me from getting started . Best regards , Mark . As i am about to embark on the journey of ‘ the twelve steps ‘ , ( i take it the steps are going up , not down , as that’s usually where the cellar is ! : ) and in need of a bit of enlightenment , i found your article to be very helpful on the matter . One problem , the use of a deity on the journey is a bit off putting.The reasons being , A : which god are they talking about ? B : will i have to pay homage for the rest of my life , when i am cured ? & C : The symbol that is used , is border line illuminati -freemasonry in its design , with a little bit of bohemian grove thrown in for good measure ! P. S . … Did alcohol prevent you from writing your books ? The reason i ask , is , i have four stories in the ‘pipe – line’ and believe my addiction is preventing me from getting started . Best regards , Mark .

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