Please understand that when I said 'whipping boy' it was meant in the
perennial sense of criticisms of institutions and organizations. It runs
deeper than that with me, in person I have been a careful listener but
when I encounter things in thought I start by disassembling the idea
looking for breaking points, refining my conception through negative
inferences. Empathy seems to run almost counter to that as the
disassembly is suspended or deferred. That shone through a little
earlier I think.
The radical implications of that for me are that there is no 'self' and
everything is a choice, even emotional responses. This may be the result
of intensive detachment conditioning (chosen in ignorance). In my case
having places to share experiences of strength and hope is like warming
by a strangers fire. It is warming to know you found what you needed in
AA, I grew up around many alcoholics and drug addicts so it helps me
personally to have another examplar of hope.
I have been variously referred to Castanada's Teachings of Don Juan and
Aleister Crowley's Diary of a Drug Fiend when discussing addictions,
maybe I will pick one up soon. I've been creeping through Quinn's The
Holy for months anyway. Is there a type or method of AA that you have
liked the most? I started studying twelve step programs and passed out
the other night, there is so little time to learn (and relearn)
everything. Sleep seems like such a waste.
Best Regards
On 9/15/2010 1:47 AM, iam deheretic wrote:
Ash before you belittle AA you need to learn what you are talking about..
I am a proud member of AA for over 30 years now,, and if it was not
for AA I can assure you I would not be alive..
What is share there is our experience strength and hope
Allan H.
You can beat up on a lot of organizations,, aka whipping boy .. and
it has beenmy experience that those that beat upon AA aka whipping boy
are the ones that need AA the most.
On Mon, Sep 13, 2010 at 8:51 AM, Ash <[email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote:
On 9/12/2010 9:47 PM, Slip Disc wrote:
Like most things it depends on who is wielding the book,<<ash
What does it matter who is wielding the book? The issue
starts with
us, we decide what "advertisements/enticements" we want to follow.
I agree partially, having a choice doesn't always beget being able
to make conscious determinations. The person wielding the book is
the one being referred to with authority, the character of that
authority is in their interpretation and motives. Con artists and
pedophiles prey on the weak and defenseless for example and all
sorts of predatory practice is legally actionable. If someone
isn't equipped mentally or physically for whatever reason there is
an opportunity for someone to take advantage. I'm only saying
there is potential danger, however there are stories out there
from less than grateful ex-members of AA:
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/cult-or-cure-the-aa-backlash-1160113.html
http://www.orange-papers.org/orange-cult_a0.html
but I've heard some very disturbing stories about their<ash
Their practices? Who are "their"?
This entire paragraph is related to AA, aka the whipping boy for
tonight.
practices, that combined with psychologically vulnerable
people in need of help opens us a franchise opportunity
for all sorts of predatory and unsavory uses of religion>ash
This is true but not absolute nor all encompassing aside from
being
totally tangential.
Again, I'll remind<<ash
You'll remind or reiterate? Sounds instructional.
I agree that sounds 'instructional', it was terse and hurried.
'Remind' here is intended as referential, appearing to be a flawed
sentence flow, it should have read, 'To reiterate' however that
would have also been redundant and wordy as it would suffice to
begin the sentence with 'The utmost caution', still instructional.
Writing is not my strongest pursuit, obviously, my average post
here takes a few hours of deliberation where I eventually throw up
my hands, chop out 70% as useless and say what the hell.
that the utmost caution and conscience should be the
hallmark, lest it
fall into predatory (deranged) hands. Kudos to those who
do it well.
Kudos! ah yes the kudos, can't forget the kudos. Does that come
complete with the honorary plaque or just the ribbon?
Are you teasing? :p Praiseworthy, again terse, meaning I have
respect for someone who works to reduce suffering. Moreso for
someone who can do it while being a force of emancipation.
Also, 'in need of help opens us a franchise opportunity' was
intended as, 'in need of help opens [up] a franchise opportunity'.
If anyone here is in AA or an alcoholic I mean no disrespect or to
single out a person or group, this represents an opinion based on
an insignificant amount of research of which I am not an authority.
Most people correlate instruction to some superior stance when I
could just as easily instruct one how to repeat the steps of a
thought or a random screwup. In this case the active and
emphasized language was meant to stress that I wasn't just picking
on AA but pointing at the people behind groups as responsible for
the outcomes, whether good or bad, AA or any other group.
--
(
)
I_D Allan
Be Paranoid.
God is always building a better idiot!!!
