Praying only for knowledge of his will for us....

BB Kate's picture
Submitted by BB Kate on Thu, 05/10/2012 - 20:59

Step 11: Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood him, praying only for knowledge of his will for us and the power to carry that out

I think AA members completely miss the point of this step. It doesn't say "praying only for the best car parking spot, a new job, a sexy oldtimer to be my boyfriend, a chance to chair the meeting, someone to ask me to be thier sponsor, the last teaspoon of coffee, a plate of scones at the lunch-time meeting, a pirate-chest full of long-lost booty/pieces of eight" etc etc.

It doesn't even say "praying only for serenity, courage and wisom"! Why do so many AA members ignore the crux of this Step?

Comments

mfc66uk

Fri, 05/11/2012 - 00:33

I feel the problem is that they actually think they are doing God's will when they are sharing or living their AA approved lives. They become self righteous and indignant if anybody questions the AA method as they see it as a personal attack.
People start wars etc when they use gods will as an excuse to maim and kill others who have read a different book. This step would have been cutting edge in the bronze age but has no place in the modern world.

becket's picture

becket

Sun, 05/13/2012 - 05:05

"This step would have been cutting edge in the bronze age but has no place in the modern world."

How have human beings truly evolved as inhabitants of this planet since the Bronze Age (and which Bronze Age?)? If anything, it seems to me we are more cunning and ruthless than we were thousands of years ago. Warfare then was hand-to-hand combat; today technology has removed the necessity of looking into the opponent's face. That's a huge disconnect and a dangerous one.

People use gods to start wars when they know damn well the victors on earth will enjoy the spoils. It really has nothing to do with any god. It has everything to do with power and greed. And all wars do not find their beginnings in religious dogma.

Some may become indignant when questioned about their AA-inspired ways of life, but not all. We really need to get away from these kinds of generalizations in discussing what is nauseatingly dreadful about Alcoholics Anonymous.

“The essence of the independent mind lies not in what it thinks, but in how it thinks.”
― Christopher Hitchens, Letters to a Young Contrarian

Pennywise's picture

Pennywise

Sun, 05/13/2012 - 19:21

Becket said: People use gods to start wars when they know damn well the victors on earth will enjoy the spoils. It really has nothing to do with any god. It has everything to do with power and greed. And all wars do not find their beginnings in religious dogma.

This is true. But the people who start the wars are often not the same people who fight the wars. How do you think the people who start the wars convince the soldiers to fight for interests that are in many respects not their own? I'm not saying religion is the only way this is done, but it is a powerful tool for sure.

"Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid."

Pennywise's picture

Pennywise

Sun, 05/13/2012 - 19:36

Think about it like this:

In many contexts, both in war and outside of war, the powerful have few interests in common with people who, as individuals, have little power. Yet people with little individual power, taken as a mass collective, have the ABILITY to wield much more power than the powerful elite. Given the differences in interests, what type of vehicles do you think the powerful use to create the necessary illusion of a common ground?

"Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid."

avogadno's picture

avogadno

Mon, 05/14/2012 - 23:53

Power and greed is right and sometimes just using God as an excuse.

Pro Empowerment!
Truth about AA: http://orange-papers.org/menu1.html
Expose AA: http://www.expaa.org/

Clara's picture

Clara

Fri, 05/11/2012 - 06:06

I can't speak for others, but that is exactly how my husband and I pray in the morning. I'm not praying for flash cars or for the DOW to improve. Perhaps the person that didn't get the step is someone that can't see how simple it is. My own experience is that most AAs I know understand this just fine.

Remember Christopher Stevens when you vote.

BB Kate's picture

BB Kate

Mon, 05/14/2012 - 16:41

Clara, i beg to differ, and don't think you are facing reality. Most AA meetings open or close with a prayer which goes beyond the scope of the 11step. The serenity prayer itself is asking for more than knowledge of Gods will - God may not wish one to have serenity, so asking for it is irrelevant. And many members pray for other people, particularly those in trouble, or those they resent. Others pray for another sober 24 hours, and others pray for willingness (as in Step 3). Have you not come across any of these circumstances? Hence, it is not just the odd person that doesn't get it, it is the entire fellowship in my city.

Furthermore, many christians i know pray for much more than knowledge of Gods will.

Ripping the Big Book a new one, One Day at a Time

avogadno's picture

avogadno

Tue, 05/15/2012 - 00:06

You already have a luxery car though. Just throwing that out there.

I don't pray for what God could give me, especially when it's attainable by my own means. That includes sobriety. I am thankful for what I was given by life.
From the misguidance of XA that intruded into MY relationship with God, telling me what and how to pray, I became sad and very lonely. No need to try and make me feel stupid for allowing that to happen, I feel bad enough for the entire situation. They played a part too though and never should have interfered. Especially within the tactics that were used.

Pro Empowerment!
Truth about AA: http://orange-papers.org/menu1.html
Expose AA: http://www.expaa.org/

Orange's picture

Orange

Fri, 05/11/2012 - 11:32

Hi Kate,

Perhaps the reason is that such an unselfish interpretation of Step 11 takes all of the fun out of it.

I mean, how can people sit in a meeting and jabber about all of the wonderful things their Higher Power has given them lately, new apartment, new car, new job, maybe even new husband or wife, if they are only asking for the Will of God to be done...?

Worse yet, what if it is the Will of God that they be miserable, as an object lesson to other would-be drinkers?

NoAAUK's picture

NoAAUK

Thu, 05/17/2012 - 06:17

What about non steppers who don't do step 11. Does God have a will for them even though they don't pray for knowledge of it. And if so how do they get to know that God wants them to do something and what it is? Do they have to have a relgion and if so which one? Does God only have will for steppers? Can you get to know Gods will without doing the other steps? Can you pray for Gods will without attending Stepper meetings and if so is what God tells you just as valid as what God tells you if you do go to stepper meetings? What if God wants you to leave AA? What if God thinks (or rather knows) AA is a Satanic cult that screws many people up driving them to suicide and wants you to join the Anti AA movement to help get the truth out about this dangerous cult? Can God be telling steppers one thing and ex steppers the exact opposite? Can it be Gods will for one person to recruit for the cult and another person to expose it for the quakery it is? Was God an Alien that visited earth in past and if so will steppers be able to do step 11 direct with radio waves or even with a laptop one day and dispense with the sponsor? On closer examination its not really a simple program is it....it just has simple true belivers

......and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Matthew 24:11