Comments on: Powerlessness: Hacking the 12-Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous

By: Andrew

Andrew — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 20:07:30 +0000

Powerlessness is a bit of a mis-definition. Alcohol is addictive, and therefore potentially habit forming.

IF a person is the sort to deal with life in any habit forming way…it gets to be a habit…AND if the substance is addictive they could spiral into a lifestyle which is dangerous and life threatening.

I attended for a while and it helped but I had to move on and stop talking about the bad/not helpful and start rewiring my thought processes toward helpful/progressive ideas.

Now, I can’t stop with almonds, munch, munch, munch.

By: Jim G

Jim G — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 06:08:00 +0000

Hi. I am glad to see this subject matter being discussed. Just this evening was at my regular AA meeting and there was a discussion about being Powerless over alcohol. My take has always been, and I stressed “my take”, is that once I imbibe alcohol, I am then powerless over the results, which are usually more and more consumption. I also stated that, if I am doing what needs to be done in order to maintain “Sobriety”, I am no longer powerless while not actively drinking. I got a lot of consternation from the other attendees, some feeling that even while sober we are still powerless over alcohol. I came home and sat thinking, that if I am “sober”, and have the choice not to pick up the drink I am not powerless. Hope I came across the way i wanted to.

By: Patty

Patty — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 05:18:17 +0000

Jim Tuzak – is this the Jim who attended OLV and St. Paul? If so, old friends are looking for you.

By: Little Micky

Little Micky — Wed, 06 May 2009 21:07:18 +0000

SOBRIETY OR SALVATION? We need to realize that we are not ALCOHOLICS in need of SOBRIETY ; we are SINNERS in need of GOD. We will never find God by trying to clean up our sinful behaviour one piece at a time. This is the wrong method to find true Biblical healing. A Christian does not keep their old clothes and simply sew new patches of unshrunk cloth on them, patching them up as they cleanse each sin. If they were to do that their clothes would be worse off with the patch, not better! Look at what Jesus said: "No man putteth a piece of new cloth unto an old garment, for that which is put in to fill it up taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse. Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved. (Matthew 9:16 - 17)

By: md

md — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 19:56:30 +0000

You are not powerless. You can use your power to seek out all the good that life has to offer. If you seek or are involved with things or thoughts that you think you are powerless over, you will become trapped in sickness, disease, and powerlessness. If you have faith that there is a bright future without such things, your confusion and disease will disappear, for they cannot exist in someone who thinks and lives a powerfully good life. You will be able to more easily and effectively help others with the overflow of love and happiness that comes from one who has left the arena of disease and powerlessness and moved on to thoughts and actions of good health, growth, and wealth. If you have quit using, it’s time to advance. So many others have done so. If you stay with confusion, powerlessness and disease, it will surely lead to death.

Wallace D Wattles has some good audiobooks on growth, give it a try and good luck to ya.

By: md

md — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 00:28:51 +0000

“,it’s always possible to find the necessary power if you follow the directions of those who have done what you want to do.”
(from above article)

Nice.

But what if the majority of people who have completely over come their addictions and moved on have done so without AA or 12-step involvement?

Would you follow?

By: russ r

russ r — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 23:50:38 +0000

god is either everything or he is nothing what is our choice to be

By: Dick B.

Dick B. — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 23:47:12 +0000

The Highest Power is God: As Dr. Bob’s story says on Big Book, page 181, “Your Heavenly Father will never let you down!” The “higher power” idea appears only twice in the first 164 pages and, in both cases, it is used in the context of “God.” See pages 44-46, 100. Unfortunately, the “higher power” idea has been corruptued into a light bulb, a radiator, a tree, a chair, the Great Pumpkin, Santa Claus, the Big Dipper, Ralph, and Gertrude. There are many more nonsense gods that have appeared on the scene. And the best answer to them is the Ten Commandments and Psalm 115.

By: russ r

russ r — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 23:30:54 +0000

at the end of my comment it was meant to say myhigherpower is God who works thru my sponsor and others

By: dave b

dave b — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 22:13:05 +0000

don’t forget the a,b,c in how it works