tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7039047421436122024.post444672461005772542..comments2023-09-25T10:21:01.509-04:00Comments on Alcoholic Diary: Is A.A. a religion?Namenlosen Trinkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15233104063859778659noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7039047421436122024.post-36310670406579411542009-09-05T16:18:26.923-04:002009-09-05T16:18:26.923-04:00Hmmm. God is like the smell of a rose. I could not...Hmmm. God is like the smell of a rose. I could not tell you in words what experiencing God is, however, once you have experienced God we can both agree about His beauty<br /><br />Words simply fail.<br /><br />I believe AA has been deemed a religion by the court in CA.God Ishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10685378375861007981noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7039047421436122024.post-36338608650673898722009-06-12T12:13:11.912-04:002009-06-12T12:13:11.912-04:00Shannon,
No, I don't brush my teeth religious...Shannon,<br /><br />No, I don't brush my teeth religiously. But I should. :^)<br /><br />You have an interesting point of view. I agree with parts, and disagree with others. To some extent, your argument is semantic: it is based on how you define religion. My favorite dictionary (AHD) says,<br /><br />re·li·gion (rĭ-lĭj'ən) n. <br />1.<br /> a. Belief in and reverence for a supernatural power or powers regarded as creator and governor of the universe.<br /> b. A personal or institutionalized system grounded in such belief and worship.<br />2. The life or condition of a person in a religious order.<br />3. A set of beliefs, values, and practices based on the teachings of a spiritual leader.<br />4. A cause, principle, or activity pursued with zeal or conscientious devotion.<br /><br />Most of what you say is not inconsistent with this. In any case, I think it's important that we always have people stirring the pot, like you. I hope I'm one of them too.Namenlosen Trinkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15233104063859778659noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7039047421436122024.post-79274310838250477802009-06-12T11:51:03.871-04:002009-06-12T11:51:03.871-04:00Religion is what you do, your habits, what you thi...Religion is what you do, your habits, what you think, how you look at the universe. The Atheist Religion for example. What I see A.A. doing is holding up Bill Wilsons disdain and ignorance of what religion is. He and many other people at that time, and now, consider religion as formal religion ran by a bunch of people, who in their own ignorance have strayed and become of little council. All A.A. is is Religion taken down and repackaged, added here and there subtracted here and there to suit one infirmity, Alcoholism, that can effect many people. Thing about it is that the cure for Alcoholism is the exact same cure as prescribed by formal religion and the same cure for all the other infirmities we have. Changing your mindset is what we are told, so as to not get into a situation that may cause, offer, or trick us into a drink. Back in the 30's when A.A. came out, so were a lot of other new ways of living to have a better world. Try reading The New World Order by Samuel Zane Batten (1919) American Baptist Publication Society, a religious new world order that I don't think many could stomach. What ever Bill W. And Dr. Bob were trying to do, A.A. has had a good bit of advice from outside forces, Psych Professionals from every feild, including the founders paranormal advisors and has latley taken a whole new path to universal understanding. Through word of mouth not law, even though Bill W. has testified before Congress and many other Administrative Agencys (on and on with that one). A.A. has become the preeminent, predominant and only program that the professional world will except. Because A.A. had been defined as not a religion but anybodies Spiritual, here comes the Cavalry. Kinda like teachers little pet. As in all other societies this favorite will become enforced through peer pressure and you will get no favor unless you think as your betters tell you. Look around you and see how many other ism's are being touted for this 12 step program. A.A. is for free and I can deal with that, but in jobs, insurance and government a professional counselor is called for and all they have been told is to push a 12step program, any one of them. I have been told by some of Marylands foremost Forensic Experts that the .18 grams of alcohol I produce naturally is enough to affect your mind and I need to be going to meetings as often as I can so as to avoid drinking, if you don't believe them they will take away any buisness/driver/professional license you have until you self realize that they are not to be argued with. I have seen people who have never touched a bottle of beer or whiskey in their whole life pushed into the program (this was back in the 1980s to beef up statistics). Some States have had to pass laws arguing against natural fermentation. So it looks like A.A. has been shanghaied, or was that their aim from the beginning (the pros I mean). Somebody is making a good bit of "change" (pun intended) off this one. With most of the Pros that run these programs, they could care a less if I went out tonight drank and got ran over by a Mack truck "I told him not to drink" and keep on going, knowing that through their dumbing down of Our World that they have only to wait 5 minutes before another problem drinker/drugger walks in the door. People are starting to wake up and see that A.A. is a borrowed from religion, repackaged religion, new way religion same old Spiritual goal religion set on helping one problem, Alcoholism, or now any other ism you may have. I understand that to Bill W. and them Religion was the rituals the prayer books the rosery the preaching "religious exhortation has failed" said Bill W.. <br />So why does A.A. do the same thing?<br />A.A. offers these simple suggestions rather than must do or else. They will just let the hammer of alcohol be your teacher.<br />They thought that as long as you don't go inside the first floor of The Church but saught a personal relationship in the basement your own way it would be different.<br />A.A.---Just another Reformation.<br />I say "Good".<br />I brush my teeth religiously, do you?Shannonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11021412674818756021noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7039047421436122024.post-82096110261706947482009-06-02T13:11:50.348-04:002009-06-02T13:11:50.348-04:00All religions are spiritual fellowships - but not ...All religions are spiritual fellowships - but not all spiritual fellowships are religions. AA is a wonderful Spiritual but falls short of crossing the line into religion.<br /><br />Some AA folks have blurred the line because you can make a religion out of ANYTHING - the company for which you work, the Boy Scouts, Global Warming, fishing, knitting club , drugs, booze, food, diets - literally anything - even Alcoholics Anonymous. <br /><br />MORE<br /><br />http://recoveredalcoholic.blogspot.com/2009/06/is-aa-religion.htmlDanny Shttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10220037635015292283noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7039047421436122024.post-89768290774763743182009-04-07T14:19:00.000-04:002009-04-07T14:19:00.000-04:00Come on!I can't be the only one who has an opinion...Come on!<BR/>I can't be the only one who has an opinion on this. I'm still learning.Shannonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11021412674818756021noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7039047421436122024.post-17054467806042395582009-04-02T06:54:00.000-04:002009-04-02T06:54:00.000-04:00Good thoughts Buuuuuuuuuuuut.Turns out to be A.A. ...Good thoughts Buuuuuuuuuuuut.<BR/><BR/>Turns out to be A.A. is a bait and switch social movement. Bait: We are told (as a pigeon) I as an individual can have my own concept of what or who God is. Switch: God as we understand him, and the final authority, God as we the group conscience may express himself. If you don't like it, go find another way, or keep coming back-it works if you work it. I understand peer pressure, but advice from so many different spirit people or a sick sponser? Seems to be the only requirement to be a sponsor is the length of time they had their last drink as opposed to if they are sober or not. It can be very cunfusing. I'm glad for those of us who when we had employment or legal trouble that we had a place to go ie....religious freedom offered by A.A.. The States Attorney said A.A. is the only program The State would recognize. Is program synonymous with religion? Don't forget A.A.'s other friends who guide and counsel A.A. as a whole, Psych Dr.s from all kinds of State licensed specialist. Do the words Social Engineering raise any red flags? Some are there to help, other counselors are there to hurt or just experiment and observe, many are Alcoholic themselves. I've seen quite a lot of community corruption there. Each A.A. group is autonomous and does not affect the others unless they effect A.A. as a whole. There are a lot of sick groups out there going strong without crossing A.A.'s line in the sand. You have to search around until you find a healthy group, there are many good ones but many sick ones. Good Luck to everybody finding a safe place. Problem is you may die before you do. There must be a lot going wrong because I hear and see to much trouble in A.A. and the Court system. As per your soundoff concerning the community center. I consider A.A. as only a starting point in recovery. I was told to sit down be stupid and stay stupid. I went on by myself with some A.A. books I bought for insight I knew I needed and straightened out, it was very difficult. Don't forget one of A.A.'s favorite mentors and his leading recovery center here in Bel Air, Maryland, Father Joseph Martin who said "Not to prevent a man from returning to his own religion for a full recovery". fathermartin.com<BR/><BR/>Straightening out still.<BR/>It was very hard and worth the heartache.Shannonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11021412674818756021noreply@blogger.com