Why - is a belief in a Higher Power "necessary" for recovery?
All the challenges we face in life can be divided into three simple categories:
1. Those that are "impossible".
2. Those that are "possible" for one to do - without the help of another person.
3. Those that one can do "with" the help of another person.
People with inflated egos - who consider asking for help to be demeaning, and an admission of weakness - dismiss the third group as nonexistent.
For them - reality consists either of the "impossible" or that which they can do by "themselves".
As a result, they either give up on things that "could" be accomplished - with help - or foolishly tackle things alone that are beyond their capacity.
Enlisting the help of a "Higher" Power, and "using" the brains God gave us to recognize that doorknobs, chairs, pencils, and toilet paper are INANIMATE objects , powers "less than" ourselves - puts reality back into proper perspective.
The dictionary defined "inanimate" as: dull, dead, lifeless, spiritless - lacking the power or force of "living" things.
A.A. is supposed to "wash" our brains; not "brainwash" us into believing myths - that consistently fail the reality test.
Having a "Higher" Power is an "essential" ingredient for recovery.
When we accept this and relinquish the fantasy that WE ARE OUR OWN HIGHEST POWER, the concept of "GOD, as I understand Him", becomes feasible.
I like this, especially ""wash" our brains; not "brainwash" us".
A friend told me that when he has a sponsee that has trouble with the HP concept, he tells them to stick their tongue in an electrical socket and they'll soon know a power greater than themselves exists
Thanks for this post. When I was faced with the impossible, my challenge was to put God first. In every impossible situation He has always perfomed miracles in my life. The BB says that "God could and would if He were sought." That's what I have always tried to do. You really don't want to know how my life was without God. I don't even like to think about.
Rainspa POSTED this quote on the intraweb but the Rabbi wrote it and LinBaba quoted it using the quote button but then it said Rainspa wrote it but she didnt, the Rabbi wrote it:Why - is a belief in a Higher Power "necessary" for recovery?
A.A. is supposed to "wash" our brains; not "brainwash" us into believing myths - that consistently fail the reality test.
Having a "Higher" Power is an "essential" ingredient for recovery.
When we accept this and relinquish the fantasy that WE ARE OUR OWN HIGHEST POWER, the concept of "GOD, as I understand Him", becomes feasible.
The steps are a mathematical formula to bring about a personality change sufficient to recover from alcoholism, to access a hitherto unsuspected inner resource that our more religious members call "God Consciousness" our more pragmatic brethren call it a "personality change sufficient to bring about recovery from alcoholism".
We found the Great Reality deep down within us. In the last analysis, it is only there that it may be found.
In order to work the steps, a mathematical equation, you need the value of (X) = A power Greater then Yourself = God as you understand God and it has to be "not you"
For those of us science minded types
(X) = everything but the little voice in my head, everything that will ever be, everything that ever was, Everything that is
or:
The Great Reality
The Dictionary Definition of God
Which is found where?
Inside us
So we have this "light" or "power" inside us, and fear, resentment, character defects are like window shades that block us from accessing this power, work the steps, clear the wreckage, unclog the channel, and viola, personality change
As a devout Agnostic Atheist Heathen Pagan I guarantee I have had just as amazing "spiritual experiences" and "Rapture" as the most devout religious person as the direct result of the steps, sitting on top of a mountain after a 5th step with a sponsee being torn in two by a beam of light while tears streamed down my face and I could feel the palpable presence of God...as an atheist
Heavy chit mang
Awesome stuff, we got lucky
-- Edited by LinBaba on Thursday 11th of November 2010 08:20:36 AM
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it's not the change that's painful, it's the resistance to change that is painful
