Do "goddess dances and drum circles" stop you from drinking, Clara? Are they helpful in your path to serenity, spirituality, honesty and truthfulness in the cult of Alcoholics Anonymous? How about the recitation of the 12 pagan steps of Bill Wilson, does that help you?
"Tradition 10 - Alcoholics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the AA name ought never be drawn into public controversy." Please follow orders from the Interchurch Center if you are an AA member and don't comment.
You are in luck! The Wiccan "Pagan Pride" celebration is coming to you! Don't forget to bring Clancy, he should love it! It's even being held in a church, just like Alcoholics Anonymous!
UUCEP Pagan Spirituality Group announces...
Divini-Tea
When: Jul. 14th. 2012
Where: El Paso, Texas
Come and have your fortune Told!
Event Details: This event is sponsored by the UUCEP Pagan Spirituality Group for the purposes of raising funds for Pagan Pride Day.
Event Location: 4425 Byron Street in El Paso
Event TIME Details: 6pm to 9pm
Directions: From the Eastside: Take I-10 West to the Patriot Freeway. Exit Right to 54 and get off on the Cassidy exit. When you come to the stop light turn left and follow it to the next stop light and keep going straight through over Dyer street. Byron Street will be on your right. The Unitarian Universality Community building will be on your left right next door to another church.
"Tradition 10 - Alcoholics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the AA name ought never be drawn into public controversy." Please follow orders from the Interchurch Center if you are an AA member and don't comment.
Some of this stuff is sooooo funny. I think I'm more amused because I was considering drum circles myself. I'll stick to listening to people like John Bonham who knew exactly what to do with drums.
LOL! It's a fun thing to do, but you don't have to limit yourself. Many times people find relief in listening to these almost hypnotic sounds and being in a meditative state. We take our incense, but we changed fragrances with a person said it reminded him of Catholic church. It's a time to be good to yourself, unwind, and have some fun. Ours were in a park at the beach. In the winter, the shelter we chose had a big fireplace and we would often have a potluck. Some great vegan choices out there.
Bohnam knew what to do with drums and with his life. He was a real role model:
"On 24 September 1980, Bonham was picked up by Led Zeppelin assistant Rex King to attend rehearsals at Bray Studios for an upcoming tour of the United States—the band's first since 1977. During the journey, Bonham asked to stop for breakfast, where he drank four quadruple vodkas (sixteen shots, between 400–560 ml). He then continued to drink heavily after arriving at the rehearsals. A halt was called to the rehearsals late in the evening and the band retired to Page's house, the Old Mill House in Clewer, Windsor. After midnight on the 25th, Bonham fell asleep and was taken to bed and placed on his side. Benji LeFevre (who had replaced Richard Cole as Led Zeppelin's tour manager) and John Paul Jones found him dead the next afternoon. Bonham was 32 years old.
Weeks later at the coroner's inquest, it emerged that in the twenty-four hours before he died, John Bonham had consumed forty shots of vodka which resulted in him vomiting and subsequently inhaling his vomit causing asphyxiation. A verdict of accidental death was returned at an inquest held on 27 October 1980. An autopsy found no other drugs in Bonham's body." ~ Wikipedia
“The essence of the independent mind lies not in what it thinks, but in how it thinks.”
― Christopher Hitchens, Letters to a Young Contrarian
because he is the judging judge. becket is a/k/a marietta becket, a AA troll that was banned 4-5 months ago for extremely abusive remarks to a member of the OPF.
He remains here today as becket because he is kinda reined in, he don't have nowhere else to go, and he don't want to be banned.
Art comes from pain as well as joy and insight and wonder and anger . . . My remarks do not pass judgment on Bonham's artistic contributions to music. If you think he was a great drummer, that's cool. I prefer Art Blakey, but that's neither here nor there.
But as a role model, as someone to emulate, Bonham falls short. That was my point.
“The essence of the independent mind lies not in what it thinks, but in how it thinks.”
― Christopher Hitchens, Letters to a Young Contrarian
Surely any sane person would not want John Henry Bonham as a role model? I haven't mentioned role models at any point in this thread. I'm going to post this as " Body ", and leave Becket to add the arms and legs.
I think one should have healthy respect for everything as almost anything can be dangerous under certain circumstances. When I see surfers out in treacherous waves, they are assuming certain risk It may be a thrill, but it is what it is.
Oceans kill people when people make fatal errors. Oceans have no preferences, no sense of right and wrong, no punitive tendencies, no malicious proclivities. Death by ocean is the result of human beings misjudging wind, wave, the power of the body of water, of failure to predict possible outcomes given particular ocean conditions.
Oceans, however, are infinitely more powerful than man. If one chose to use an ocean as a higher power, and that assignment offered structure and discipline and perspective in one's attempt to find a good place in the world and either work the steps or not work the steps, I think it would be a good choice. To my mind, it's mostly metaphorical anyway, as we have no tangible proof of the existence of God/god. And each man and woman develops his or her own "truth". What would be the harm in using the ocean?
“The essence of the independent mind lies not in what it thinks, but in how it thinks.”
― Christopher Hitchens, Letters to a Young Contrarian
"And, as an added bonus, an ocean can cure you of substance abuse (disease). Fuckin miracles, who'd a thunk?"
How far do I have to stretch this to even approach understanding its connection to the discussion? Is this a suggestion that the ocean as a higher power has designs on alcoholics to relieve them of their dependence by killing them? If not, what are you trying to say?
Goddammit, lfop, you're getting out there.
“The essence of the independent mind lies not in what it thinks, but in how it thinks.”
― Christopher Hitchens, Letters to a Young Contrarian
Becket, how can the ocean miraculously remove character defects? Does the ocean have a conscious or a will? If not, how can you work Step 11, which requires seeking knowledge of His will?
"Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid."
You haven't been keeping up, Pennywise. You are pasting your own reality onto someone else's experience. It doesn't work that way. Whatever works for you works for you. What works for you does not necessarily work for another person. If the other guy believes in X,Y & Z and the belief supports his efforts, wellness can be achieved, even if you don't believe in XmY & Z. I have already explained that the ocean is impartial - no agenda. If one works his way through all the previous ten steps using the ocean as his higher power, and he has so far achieved success in getting and staying sober, the power that the ocean holds in his mind can guide him into developing an understanding of his place in the world and how to live within it. He has learned to trust that power and to rely on it. Call it imaginings, call it loophole success, call it the Placebo Effect. What people know to be true for them is powerful enough to propel them through life.
“The essence of the independent mind lies not in what it thinks, but in how it thinks.”
― Christopher Hitchens, Letters to a Young Contrarian
Be specific. What do you mean by "in the way the Big Book says they do"? I don't see why not, but I'll give it some thought if you elaborate. Remember, I'm not a chanter and a sobriety-by-rote practitioner..
“The essence of the independent mind lies not in what it thinks, but in how it thinks.”
― Christopher Hitchens, Letters to a Young Contrarian
The Big Book says that if you do the 12 Steps, God will actively lift your obsession to drink. What you are suggesting is that if you BELIEVE, there is some type of placebo effect that might give you the inner strength to do what you have to do. Getting this inner strength, possibly due to a psychological placebo effect, is different than an entity actually doing something like performing a miracle.
"Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid."
I cannot explain faith to an atheist. I've tried to put it in neutral terms and non-incendiary language. I see that didn't work. If someone believes, and the desired result is achieved, that person will attribute the success to that in which he believes. He may even consider it to be a miracle. He does not need to prove this to anyone, it's simply a personal belief. Are you asking for proof of fully-functioning faith? Then what you want is a priest who is also a scientist to explain this to you, and I am far from either. All I'm saying is that faith can pull a man up from the jaws of defeat where statistics and logical probabilities might not. And the person for whom the "miracle" or the desired effect becomes reality takes it as he himself values it, not at how you or DeConstructor or Ironic or lfop might value it. What you think and what I think doesn't matter.
“The essence of the independent mind lies not in what it thinks, but in how it thinks.”
― Christopher Hitchens, Letters to a Young Contrarian
I'm just saying that the Big Book requires a higher entity actually performing an action, which is distinct from the self-fulfilling power of faith. Using the ocean for a higher power might help someone stay sober, but not in the way the Big Book describes. Somewhat analogously, faith in an afterlife might give someone the strength to come to terms with death, but faith alone is not going to actually get you into heaven once you die. For that to happen, the thing you have faith in would have to be real.
"Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid."
Is it within the realm of possibility that a higher power performs an action through the believer? In other words, a person inspired by a higher power, who has been downtrodden and desperate and now has a decent, working relationship with a higher power, takes action inspired by that higher power - can you allow for that? I don't see why an ocean cannot do the same thing as a man with a white beard and flowing robes, or a flower, or a secure stock portfolio. What we put our trust in is the thing that is going to pull us up out of the shit and onto solid ground.
You have no way of knowing whether or not faith gives one a pass into heaven. I believe that heaven is what one believes it is, not that there is one heaven we must all clamor to get in line for, hoping that God will look past our inadequacies. I believe that the guys who held tight to foxhole religion in the awful wars that have built our country were either allowed to survive combat or go to their deaths believing they would gain entrance into heaven. I believe that those who died in the foxholes and on the battlefields and in the air went wherever they were sure they were going to go. I believe those who do not believe in God or heaven will simply stop living, but that the energy that sustained them in this life will continue to exist until either they or another power finds a way to put it to better use. If a child has cancer and wants to go to heaven because her dog Molly just died and went to heaven, I believe when that child dies she will find heaven is what she believed it would be - Molly will be there, and there will be much more for her there. I think when I die I will go to a place where guitars never detune, where players get paid in full, where I will be able to laugh with my deceased father and embrace my deceased mother, and where God will be telling bawdy jokes. It will all be there, as we envision it. So you're right, after a fashion, if you think the idea that something I believe in has to be real. It is real. All of it. Who can challenge me on any of it?
“The essence of the independent mind lies not in what it thinks, but in how it thinks.”
― Christopher Hitchens, Letters to a Young Contrarian
If my "transcendental bullshit" eradicates credibility with regard to the "faulty 'disease' model", you should be praising me, asshole. That's a point for your side.
I'm not convinced one way or the other whether alcoholism or addiction of any kind can be described as a disease. I am not a scientist. In fact, unless I got a false impression, neither are you, DeConstructor.
“The essence of the independent mind lies not in what it thinks, but in how it thinks.”
― Christopher Hitchens, Letters to a Young Contrarian
Is it within the realm of possibility that a higher power performs an action through the believer? In other words, a person inspired by a higher power, who has been downtrodden and desperate and now has a decent, working relationship with a higher power, takes action inspired by that higher power - can you allow for that? I don't see why an ocean cannot do the same thing as a man with a white beard and flowing robes, or a flower, or a secure stock portfolio. What we put our trust in is the thing that is going to pull us up out of the shit and onto solid ground.
Perhaps I am mistaken, but I thought we were assuming arguendo that oceans do not have a consciousness or a will. Given that assumption, I was arguing that if one uses the ocean as an HP, the Steps can't work in the manner the Big Book says they do because Step 11 in particular requires you to maintain conscious contact with God and seek knowledge of His will. This Step cannot be done as outlined in the literature if your HP has no consciousness or will to begin with. Thus, I was asking you to concede that if the ocean has no will or consciousness, one cannot use the ocean for a higher power and have the Steps work in the way the Big Book says they do.
"Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid."
One can keep conscious contact with the ocean as a higher power by visiting the beach every day, watching videos or meditating on photographs of beaches, or carrying a seashell around in one's pocket as a sort of "worry stone" to remind him of the task that lies ahead.
If a man considers that the ocean is more powerful than he, and he meditates on this power, he may come to a mental/emotional/spiritual place of humility. He can observe the sea and meditate upon its power. The possibility exists that he may conclude that the humility he experiences in the face of this power which is greater than himself could inspire him to think and act and feel more powerful than the drunken man who brought him to the sea. Observations of natural power can cause human beings to experience moments of sudden revelation or insight. And since we are suggestible, the idea that a better life awaits if we put down the crutch of our substance and stand on our own two feet might take root, just from observing this power greater than ourselves. It doesn't take God. It takes personal belief which gives birth to confidence and endurance. If a man believes in a better self, and that he can be his own architect toward that end, he can achieve lasting sobriety just as easily as anyone of faith, and the 12 steps do not exclude him from anything.
“The essence of the independent mind lies not in what it thinks, but in how it thinks.”
― Christopher Hitchens, Letters to a Young Contrarian
So when the AA member has taken the suggestions hook, line and sinker, and the ocean does not keep them sober and turn their life into something manageable, it is not surprising some AA'ers take the final solution (suicide) due to AA's many suggestions.
Anyway, Becket, you did not answer my question. My question was not whether a belief in the ocean as a higher power can help some people work the Steps and stay sober. I'm willing to concede that it can. The question is whether you are willing to concede that if one chooses the ocean as a higher power, then the Steps can't work in the way described in the Big Book (and 12 & 12). Are you willing to concede that?
"Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid."
Why not? Have you never modified anything in your life in order to be successful in some endeavor?
I am not talking about making modifications to the Big Book. I'm talking about the Big Book as written, unmodified. Perhaps it would be wise for some people to modify the Big Book and use the ocean for an HP. Such a person might enjoy great success. But that is not my point. My point is that leaving the Big Book UNMODIFIED, the Steps cannot work in the way the Big Book says if one uses the ocean for a HP. Do you agree?
"Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid."
No, I don't. You just refuse to understand what I am saying.
1) The transmission in John's car is broken. John does not know how to fix it. John prays to his dead father, who was an excellent mechanic. John becomes inspired, and buys a bunch of books on auto mechanics. John studies hard and learns to do what he could not do previously. Thanks to the memory of his father, John learns to fix his transmission. He thus has gained the power to do for himself what he could not do before.
2) The transmission in Billy's car is broken. Billy does not know how to fix it. Billy turns it over to a local auto mechanic, who replaces the transmission for him. The mechanic did for Billy what Billy could not do for himself.
3) Jack is a drunk and can't stop drinking. Jack goes to AA and chooses the forest for an HP. Inspired by the awesomeness of the forest, Jack works the Steps and finds the inner strength to stay sober. Jack's belief in the forest gave him the power to do for himself what he could not do before.
4) Jill is a drunk and can't stop drinking. Jill goes to AA and chooses Zeus for an HP. Jill works the Steps, and Zeus comes down from the sky and actively removes Jill's obsession to drink. Zeus did for Jill what she could not do for herself.
You, Becket, describe a process similar to what happened to John and Jack. However, the 12 Steps, as described in the Big Book, describe a process similar to what happened with Billy and Jill. My contention is that what happened to Billy and Jill can't happen if you use the ocean as an HP, although using the ocean as an HP might allow you to have an experience similar to John and Jack.
"Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid."
Perhaps the power of the ocean humbles a man long enough to realize that his own will for himself has up to that point put him in a bad place. This can create willingness to do something different. If he wants to call that his higher power's will, does that hurt you? If he considers the ocean his higher power, does that affect you? It doesn't affect Bill Wilson for obvious reasons.
“The essence of the independent mind lies not in what it thinks, but in how it thinks.”
― Christopher Hitchens, Letters to a Young Contrarian
Comments
Clara
Sat, 07/07/2012 - 17:31
Permalink
I don't have to listen to his
I don't have to listen to his tapes, JR. The demon of alcoholism has nothing to do with goddess dances and drum circles.
Remember Christopher Stevens when you vote.
JR Harris
Sat, 07/07/2012 - 17:54
Permalink
Do "goddess dances and drum circles" stop you from drinking?
Do "goddess dances and drum circles" stop you from drinking, Clara? Are they helpful in your path to serenity, spirituality, honesty and truthfulness in the cult of Alcoholics Anonymous? How about the recitation of the 12 pagan steps of Bill Wilson, does that help you?
"Tradition 10 - Alcoholics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the AA name ought never be drawn into public controversy." Please follow orders from the Interchurch Center if you are an AA member and don't comment.
Clara
Sat, 07/07/2012 - 18:06
Permalink
JR, not everything a person
JR, not everything a person does is directly related to attempts or success with sobriety. Don't you have any hobbies or interests?
Remember Christopher Stevens when you vote.
JR Harris
Sat, 07/07/2012 - 19:14
Permalink
Have you ever tried the Wicca route in El Paso Texas Clara?
You are in luck! The Wiccan "Pagan Pride" celebration is coming to you! Don't forget to bring Clancy, he should love it! It's even being held in a church, just like Alcoholics Anonymous!
UUCEP Pagan Spirituality Group announces...
Divini-Tea
When: Jul. 14th. 2012
Where: El Paso, Texas
Come and have your fortune Told!
Event Details: This event is sponsored by the UUCEP Pagan Spirituality Group for the purposes of raising funds for Pagan Pride Day.
Event Location: 4425 Byron Street in El Paso
Event TIME Details: 6pm to 9pm
Directions: From the Eastside: Take I-10 West to the Patriot Freeway. Exit Right to 54 and get off on the Cassidy exit. When you come to the stop light turn left and follow it to the next stop light and keep going straight through over Dyer street. Byron Street will be on your right. The Unitarian Universality Community building will be on your left right next door to another church.
Source: http://www.witchvox.com/vn/vn_detail/dt_ev.html?a=ustx&id=82799
"Tradition 10 - Alcoholics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the AA name ought never be drawn into public controversy." Please follow orders from the Interchurch Center if you are an AA member and don't comment.
Clara
Sat, 07/07/2012 - 19:31
Permalink
Clancy is Catholic, JR.
Clancy is Catholic, JR. But I would love to go to this. Thanks!
Remember Christopher Stevens when you vote.
dandammit
Sat, 07/07/2012 - 21:37
Permalink
Will there be a maenad?
Will there be a maenad?
Clara
Sat, 07/07/2012 - 22:00
Permalink
LOL. Most don't behave that
LOL. Most don't behave that way....
Remember Christopher Stevens when you vote.
Linton
Sun, 07/08/2012 - 04:04
Permalink
Some of this stuff is sooooo
Some of this stuff is sooooo funny. I think I'm more amused because I was considering drum circles myself. I'll stick to listening to people like John Bonham who knew exactly what to do with drums.
Linton
live_free_or_die
Sun, 07/08/2012 - 07:48
Permalink
"Liked"
Whole Lotta Loving
Alcoholics Anonymous: MyNotGodHasItCovered®
http://www.expaa.org/
http://bereanresearch.com/
http://badrecovery.blogspot.com/
NOT AA:
Rational Recovery, SOS, HAMS
http://alcoholabusesolutions.com/
Clara
Sun, 07/08/2012 - 09:40
Permalink
LOL! It's a fun thing to do,
LOL! It's a fun thing to do, but you don't have to limit yourself. Many times people find relief in listening to these almost hypnotic sounds and being in a meditative state. We take our incense, but we changed fragrances with a person said it reminded him of Catholic church. It's a time to be good to yourself, unwind, and have some fun. Ours were in a park at the beach. In the winter, the shelter we chose had a big fireplace and we would often have a potluck. Some great vegan choices out there.
Remember Christopher Stevens when you vote.
becket
Sun, 07/08/2012 - 12:27
Permalink
Bohnam knew what to do with
Bohnam knew what to do with drums and with his life. He was a real role model:
"On 24 September 1980, Bonham was picked up by Led Zeppelin assistant Rex King to attend rehearsals at Bray Studios for an upcoming tour of the United States—the band's first since 1977. During the journey, Bonham asked to stop for breakfast, where he drank four quadruple vodkas (sixteen shots, between 400–560 ml). He then continued to drink heavily after arriving at the rehearsals. A halt was called to the rehearsals late in the evening and the band retired to Page's house, the Old Mill House in Clewer, Windsor. After midnight on the 25th, Bonham fell asleep and was taken to bed and placed on his side. Benji LeFevre (who had replaced Richard Cole as Led Zeppelin's tour manager) and John Paul Jones found him dead the next afternoon. Bonham was 32 years old.
Weeks later at the coroner's inquest, it emerged that in the twenty-four hours before he died, John Bonham had consumed forty shots of vodka which resulted in him vomiting and subsequently inhaling his vomit causing asphyxiation. A verdict of accidental death was returned at an inquest held on 27 October 1980. An autopsy found no other drugs in Bonham's body." ~ Wikipedia
“The essence of the independent mind lies not in what it thinks, but in how it thinks.”
― Christopher Hitchens, Letters to a Young Contrarian
Linton
Sun, 07/08/2012 - 12:53
Permalink
I'm gonna agree with Bill
I'm gonna agree with Bill Hicks on this one.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRkA6zugNMQ&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Linton
Linton
Sun, 07/08/2012 - 12:56
Permalink
The list of great achievers
The list of great achievers who have died through addiction does not lessen their achievements.
Linton
live_free_or_die
Sun, 07/08/2012 - 13:06
Permalink
judge lessens anybody's achievement
because he is the judging judge. becket is a/k/a marietta becket, a AA troll that was banned 4-5 months ago for extremely abusive remarks to a member of the OPF.
He remains here today as becket because he is kinda reined in, he don't have nowhere else to go, and he don't want to be banned.
Have a nice day now judge.
Alcoholics Anonymous: MyNotGodHasItCovered®
http://www.expaa.org/
http://bereanresearch.com/
http://badrecovery.blogspot.com/
NOT AA:
Rational Recovery, SOS, HAMS
http://alcoholabusesolutions.com/
Linton
Sun, 07/08/2012 - 13:11
Permalink
The King
I like Elvis too. Is that ok Judge? Elvis had a HP. Got three Grammy awards for Gospel music.
Linton
becket
Sun, 07/08/2012 - 13:13
Permalink
Art comes from pain as well
Art comes from pain as well as joy and insight and wonder and anger . . . My remarks do not pass judgment on Bonham's artistic contributions to music. If you think he was a great drummer, that's cool. I prefer Art Blakey, but that's neither here nor there.
But as a role model, as someone to emulate, Bonham falls short. That was my point.
“The essence of the independent mind lies not in what it thinks, but in how it thinks.”
― Christopher Hitchens, Letters to a Young Contrarian
Linton
Sun, 07/08/2012 - 13:24
Permalink
Body
Surely any sane person would not want John Henry Bonham as a role model? I haven't mentioned role models at any point in this thread. I'm going to post this as " Body ", and leave Becket to add the arms and legs.
Linton
live_free_or_die
Sun, 07/08/2012 - 11:17
Permalink
The Ocean as higher power?
Oceans kill people.
Alcoholics Anonymous: MyNotGodHasItCovered®
http://www.expaa.org/
http://bereanresearch.com/
http://badrecovery.blogspot.com/
NOT AA:
Rational Recovery, SOS, HAMS
http://alcoholabusesolutions.com/
Clara
Sun, 07/08/2012 - 11:25
Permalink
I think one should have
I think one should have healthy respect for everything as almost anything can be dangerous under certain circumstances. When I see surfers out in treacherous waves, they are assuming certain risk It may be a thrill, but it is what it is.
Remember Christopher Stevens when you vote.
becket
Sun, 07/08/2012 - 12:22
Permalink
Oceans kill people when
Oceans kill people when people make fatal errors. Oceans have no preferences, no sense of right and wrong, no punitive tendencies, no malicious proclivities. Death by ocean is the result of human beings misjudging wind, wave, the power of the body of water, of failure to predict possible outcomes given particular ocean conditions.
Oceans, however, are infinitely more powerful than man. If one chose to use an ocean as a higher power, and that assignment offered structure and discipline and perspective in one's attempt to find a good place in the world and either work the steps or not work the steps, I think it would be a good choice. To my mind, it's mostly metaphorical anyway, as we have no tangible proof of the existence of God/god. And each man and woman develops his or her own "truth". What would be the harm in using the ocean?
“The essence of the independent mind lies not in what it thinks, but in how it thinks.”
― Christopher Hitchens, Letters to a Young Contrarian
live_free_or_die
Sun, 07/08/2012 - 13:11
Permalink
A little water never hurt nobody
as the saying sorta goes.
However, a Whole Lotta Water (not a cracking zep track) can kill ya.
And, as an added bonus, an ocean can cure you of substance abuse (disease). Fuckin miracles, who'd a thunk?
Alcoholics Anonymous: MyNotGodHasItCovered®
http://www.expaa.org/
http://bereanresearch.com/
http://badrecovery.blogspot.com/
NOT AA:
Rational Recovery, SOS, HAMS
http://alcoholabusesolutions.com/
becket
Sun, 07/08/2012 - 13:18
Permalink
"And, as an added bonus, an
"And, as an added bonus, an ocean can cure you of substance abuse (disease). Fuckin miracles, who'd a thunk?"
How far do I have to stretch this to even approach understanding its connection to the discussion? Is this a suggestion that the ocean as a higher power has designs on alcoholics to relieve them of their dependence by killing them? If not, what are you trying to say?
Goddammit, lfop, you're getting out there.
“The essence of the independent mind lies not in what it thinks, but in how it thinks.”
― Christopher Hitchens, Letters to a Young Contrarian
Linton
Sun, 07/08/2012 - 13:17
Permalink
I'll get my wetsuit.
I'll get my wetsuit.
Linton
Pennywise
Sun, 07/08/2012 - 15:27
Permalink
Becket, how can the ocean
Becket, how can the ocean miraculously remove character defects? Does the ocean have a conscious or a will? If not, how can you work Step 11, which requires seeking knowledge of His will?
"Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid."
becket
Sun, 07/08/2012 - 16:56
Permalink
You haven't been keeping up,
You haven't been keeping up, Pennywise. You are pasting your own reality onto someone else's experience. It doesn't work that way. Whatever works for you works for you. What works for you does not necessarily work for another person. If the other guy believes in X,Y & Z and the belief supports his efforts, wellness can be achieved, even if you don't believe in XmY & Z. I have already explained that the ocean is impartial - no agenda. If one works his way through all the previous ten steps using the ocean as his higher power, and he has so far achieved success in getting and staying sober, the power that the ocean holds in his mind can guide him into developing an understanding of his place in the world and how to live within it. He has learned to trust that power and to rely on it. Call it imaginings, call it loophole success, call it the Placebo Effect. What people know to be true for them is powerful enough to propel them through life.
“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
Sun, 07/08/2012 - 17:05
Permalink
OK, Becket. But would you at
OK, Becket. But would you at least agree that the 12 Steps cannot work in the way Big Book says they do using the ocean as an HP?
"Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid."
becket
Sun, 07/08/2012 - 18:23
Permalink
Be specific. What do you
Be specific. What do you mean by "in the way the Big Book says they do"? I don't see why not, but I'll give it some thought if you elaborate. Remember, I'm not a chanter and a sobriety-by-rote practitioner..
“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
Sun, 07/08/2012 - 18:27
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The Big Book says that if you
The Big Book says that if you do the 12 Steps, God will actively lift your obsession to drink. What you are suggesting is that if you BELIEVE, there is some type of placebo effect that might give you the inner strength to do what you have to do. Getting this inner strength, possibly due to a psychological placebo effect, is different than an entity actually doing something like performing a miracle.
"Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid."
becket
Sun, 07/08/2012 - 18:46
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I cannot explain faith to an
I cannot explain faith to an atheist. I've tried to put it in neutral terms and non-incendiary language. I see that didn't work. If someone believes, and the desired result is achieved, that person will attribute the success to that in which he believes. He may even consider it to be a miracle. He does not need to prove this to anyone, it's simply a personal belief. Are you asking for proof of fully-functioning faith? Then what you want is a priest who is also a scientist to explain this to you, and I am far from either. All I'm saying is that faith can pull a man up from the jaws of defeat where statistics and logical probabilities might not. And the person for whom the "miracle" or the desired effect becomes reality takes it as he himself values it, not at how you or DeConstructor or Ironic or lfop might value it. What you think and what I think doesn't matter.
“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
Sun, 07/08/2012 - 19:08
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I'm just saying that the Big
I'm just saying that the Big Book requires a higher entity actually performing an action, which is distinct from the self-fulfilling power of faith. Using the ocean for a higher power might help someone stay sober, but not in the way the Big Book describes. Somewhat analogously, faith in an afterlife might give someone the strength to come to terms with death, but faith alone is not going to actually get you into heaven once you die. For that to happen, the thing you have faith in would have to be real.
"Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid."
becket
Sun, 07/08/2012 - 20:09
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Is it within the realm of
Is it within the realm of possibility that a higher power performs an action through the believer? In other words, a person inspired by a higher power, who has been downtrodden and desperate and now has a decent, working relationship with a higher power, takes action inspired by that higher power - can you allow for that? I don't see why an ocean cannot do the same thing as a man with a white beard and flowing robes, or a flower, or a secure stock portfolio. What we put our trust in is the thing that is going to pull us up out of the shit and onto solid ground.
You have no way of knowing whether or not faith gives one a pass into heaven. I believe that heaven is what one believes it is, not that there is one heaven we must all clamor to get in line for, hoping that God will look past our inadequacies. I believe that the guys who held tight to foxhole religion in the awful wars that have built our country were either allowed to survive combat or go to their deaths believing they would gain entrance into heaven. I believe that those who died in the foxholes and on the battlefields and in the air went wherever they were sure they were going to go. I believe those who do not believe in God or heaven will simply stop living, but that the energy that sustained them in this life will continue to exist until either they or another power finds a way to put it to better use. If a child has cancer and wants to go to heaven because her dog Molly just died and went to heaven, I believe when that child dies she will find heaven is what she believed it would be - Molly will be there, and there will be much more for her there. I think when I die I will go to a place where guitars never detune, where players get paid in full, where I will be able to laugh with my deceased father and embrace my deceased mother, and where God will be telling bawdy jokes. It will all be there, as we envision it. So you're right, after a fashion, if you think the idea that something I believe in has to be real. It is real. All of it. Who can challenge me on any of it?
“The essence of the independent mind lies not in what it thinks, but in how it thinks.”
― Christopher Hitchens, Letters to a Young Contrarian
DeConstructor
Sun, 07/08/2012 - 20:13
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I would suggest that
your transcendental bullshit pretty much closes why any credibility should be given to the faulty 'disease' model.
Clara
Tue, 07/10/2012 - 15:17
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I have often wondered what
I have often wondered what Madlyn O'Hair's last thoughts were.
Remember Christopher Stevens when you vote.
becket
Tue, 07/10/2012 - 16:13
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If my "transcendental
If my "transcendental bullshit" eradicates credibility with regard to the "faulty 'disease' model", you should be praising me, asshole. That's a point for your side.
I'm not convinced one way or the other whether alcoholism or addiction of any kind can be described as a disease. I am not a scientist. In fact, unless I got a false impression, neither are you, DeConstructor.
“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
Sun, 07/08/2012 - 20:49
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Is it within the realm of
Is it within the realm of possibility that a higher power performs an action through the believer? In other words, a person inspired by a higher power, who has been downtrodden and desperate and now has a decent, working relationship with a higher power, takes action inspired by that higher power - can you allow for that? I don't see why an ocean cannot do the same thing as a man with a white beard and flowing robes, or a flower, or a secure stock portfolio. What we put our trust in is the thing that is going to pull us up out of the shit and onto solid ground.
Perhaps I am mistaken, but I thought we were assuming arguendo that oceans do not have a consciousness or a will. Given that assumption, I was arguing that if one uses the ocean as an HP, the Steps can't work in the manner the Big Book says they do because Step 11 in particular requires you to maintain conscious contact with God and seek knowledge of His will. This Step cannot be done as outlined in the literature if your HP has no consciousness or will to begin with. Thus, I was asking you to concede that if the ocean has no will or consciousness, one cannot use the ocean for a higher power and have the Steps work in the way the Big Book says they do.
"Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid."
live_free_or_die
Tue, 07/10/2012 - 15:09
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"liked"
.
Alcoholics Anonymous: MyNotGodHasItCovered®
http://www.expaa.org/
http://bereanresearch.com/
http://badrecovery.blogspot.com/
NOT AA:
Rational Recovery, SOS, HAMS
http://alcoholabusesolutions.com/
becket
Tue, 07/10/2012 - 15:52
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One can keep conscious
One can keep conscious contact with the ocean as a higher power by visiting the beach every day, watching videos or meditating on photographs of beaches, or carrying a seashell around in one's pocket as a sort of "worry stone" to remind him of the task that lies ahead.
If a man considers that the ocean is more powerful than he, and he meditates on this power, he may come to a mental/emotional/spiritual place of humility. He can observe the sea and meditate upon its power. The possibility exists that he may conclude that the humility he experiences in the face of this power which is greater than himself could inspire him to think and act and feel more powerful than the drunken man who brought him to the sea. Observations of natural power can cause human beings to experience moments of sudden revelation or insight. And since we are suggestible, the idea that a better life awaits if we put down the crutch of our substance and stand on our own two feet might take root, just from observing this power greater than ourselves. It doesn't take God. It takes personal belief which gives birth to confidence and endurance. If a man believes in a better self, and that he can be his own architect toward that end, he can achieve lasting sobriety just as easily as anyone of faith, and the 12 steps do not exclude him from anything.
“The essence of the independent mind lies not in what it thinks, but in how it thinks.”
― Christopher Hitchens, Letters to a Young Contrarian
live_free_or_die
Tue, 07/10/2012 - 15:59
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So is the ocean suggestible?
So when the AA member has taken the suggestions hook, line and sinker, and the ocean does not keep them sober and turn their life into something manageable, it is not surprising some AA'ers take the final solution (suicide) due to AA's many suggestions.
AA kills people.
Alcoholics Anonymous: MyNotGodHasItCovered®
http://www.expaa.org/
http://bereanresearch.com/
http://badrecovery.blogspot.com/
NOT AA:
Rational Recovery, SOS, HAMS
http://alcoholabusesolutions.com/
becket
Tue, 07/10/2012 - 16:25
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You're an idiot, fop.
You're an idiot, fop.
“The essence of the independent mind lies not in what it thinks, but in how it thinks.”
― Christopher Hitchens, Letters to a Young Contrarian
live_free_or_die
Tue, 07/10/2012 - 16:49
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Idiot indeed
Is the ocean your higher power judge feckit? ROFLMAO!
Alcoholics Anonymous: MyNotGodHasItCovered®
http://www.expaa.org/
http://bereanresearch.com/
http://badrecovery.blogspot.com/
NOT AA:
Rational Recovery, SOS, HAMS
http://alcoholabusesolutions.com/
becket
Tue, 07/10/2012 - 16:55
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Keep trying. There is bound
Keep trying. There is bound to be some academic insult mixed in with your grade school taunts. Perhaps the bottom of the plaid book bag?
“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
Tue, 07/10/2012 - 16:09
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So does the ocean have a will
So does the ocean have a will? Can anything inanimate or without a conscious have a will? More to the point, can the ocean have a will for you?
"Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid."
Pennywise
Tue, 07/10/2012 - 16:17
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Anyway, Becket, you did not
Anyway, Becket, you did not answer my question. My question was not whether a belief in the ocean as a higher power can help some people work the Steps and stay sober. I'm willing to concede that it can. The question is whether you are willing to concede that if one chooses the ocean as a higher power, then the Steps can't work in the way described in the Big Book (and 12 & 12). Are you willing to concede that?
"Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid."
becket
Tue, 07/10/2012 - 16:24
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Why not? Have you never
Why not? Have you never modified anything in your life in order to be successful in some endeavor?
“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
Tue, 07/10/2012 - 16:31
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Why not? Have you never
Why not? Have you never modified anything in your life in order to be successful in some endeavor?
I am not talking about making modifications to the Big Book. I'm talking about the Big Book as written, unmodified. Perhaps it would be wise for some people to modify the Big Book and use the ocean for an HP. Such a person might enjoy great success. But that is not my point. My point is that leaving the Big Book UNMODIFIED, the Steps cannot work in the way the Big Book says if one uses the ocean for a HP. Do you agree?
"Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid."
becket
Tue, 07/10/2012 - 16:53
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I do not. You totally discount
I do not. You totally discount the powers of human imagination and desire.
“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
Wed, 07/11/2012 - 03:12
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No, I don't. You just refuse
No, I don't. You just refuse to understand what I am saying.
1) The transmission in John's car is broken. John does not know how to fix it. John prays to his dead father, who was an excellent mechanic. John becomes inspired, and buys a bunch of books on auto mechanics. John studies hard and learns to do what he could not do previously. Thanks to the memory of his father, John learns to fix his transmission. He thus has gained the power to do for himself what he could not do before.
2) The transmission in Billy's car is broken. Billy does not know how to fix it. Billy turns it over to a local auto mechanic, who replaces the transmission for him. The mechanic did for Billy what Billy could not do for himself.
3) Jack is a drunk and can't stop drinking. Jack goes to AA and chooses the forest for an HP. Inspired by the awesomeness of the forest, Jack works the Steps and finds the inner strength to stay sober. Jack's belief in the forest gave him the power to do for himself what he could not do before.
4) Jill is a drunk and can't stop drinking. Jill goes to AA and chooses Zeus for an HP. Jill works the Steps, and Zeus comes down from the sky and actively removes Jill's obsession to drink. Zeus did for Jill what she could not do for herself.
You, Becket, describe a process similar to what happened to John and Jack. However, the 12 Steps, as described in the Big Book, describe a process similar to what happened with Billy and Jill. My contention is that what happened to Billy and Jill can't happen if you use the ocean as an HP, although using the ocean as an HP might allow you to have an experience similar to John and Jack.
"Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid."
Clara
Tue, 07/10/2012 - 17:19
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Stranger things than you've
Stranger things than you've described have all happened! I am going to remain hopeful, openminded and willing.
Remember Christopher Stevens when you vote.
Pennywise
Tue, 07/10/2012 - 17:28
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We know ;)
We know ;)
"Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid."
becket
Tue, 07/10/2012 - 16:16
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Perhaps the power of the
Perhaps the power of the ocean humbles a man long enough to realize that his own will for himself has up to that point put him in a bad place. This can create willingness to do something different. If he wants to call that his higher power's will, does that hurt you? If he considers the ocean his higher power, does that affect you? It doesn't affect Bill Wilson for obvious reasons.
“The essence of the independent mind lies not in what it thinks, but in how it thinks.”
― Christopher Hitchens, Letters to a Young Contrarian
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