Christian Recovery

Mel Gibson and Forgiveness

2011-10-18T09:00:00.001-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_AAJuynxnTQ

A friend of mine sent me this. It is worth watching and speaks for itself.

Ted

Mitch Winehouse remembers daughter Amy

2011-10-12T11:17:00.001-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeYZorhCQag
Mitch Winehouse remembers daughter Amy

Brief interview with Mitch Winehouse in which he says his daughter was "full of love."

Sorry, Mitch, people are not drug addicts because they are full of love. They are drug addicts because they are full of hate.

Addiction Memoirs

2011-09-28T19:20:00.000-07:00

Here are some reviews of a few addiction memoirs:

1) Etta James, "Rage to Survive"

Etta's book is interesting to me since I knew Etta personally. It does give an accurate view of the Synanon Clone program known as the Tarzana Family. However, I don't think Etta ever really got down to the root of her problems.

2) James Frey, " A Million Little Pieces".

I wrote on this one before here Actually, it was a fun read but needs to be viewed as a work of fiction.

3) Brian Morris, "Chased by a Dragon,Caught by the Lamb"

I liked this book Brian takes us from being busted and thru his conversion to Christianity. You
can read a sample chapter here

4) Ted Adamson, "Up From Down"

I was priveledged to read an advance copy of this new book. It is powerful. You can find out
more at this link It is available as a low cost e-book

I will be having more to say about Addiction memoirs in the future

Montana Meth ads

2011-09-21T11:15:00.000-07:00

Montana Meth ads decreasing meth use

Well, if you want to know what I think here it is.

It may have an impact on kids who have not yet started using and that would account for lower rates of meth use. I doubt very much that it would much, if any, effect on people who are already using; they will just laugh at the ads.

I would be curious to see how other drug rates have been impacted. I suspect marijuana use etc. is still rampant, and the way addiction works is gradually. People who are into it gradually get deeper into it. They may be smoking dope today but 10 years from now they will be doing coke or heroin or whatever.

You just aren’t going to address the problem as long as you don’t address the root causes. As long as kids have bad parents whom they hate, they are going to need something to escape the pain.

But I am not opposed to the ads, but they aren't really going to solve the problem.

My two cents.

Thomas Jefferson on the Trinity

2011-08-30T20:37:00.001-07:00

"Ideas must be distinct before reason can act upon them; and no man ever had a distinct idea of the trinity. It is the mere Abracadabra of the mountebanks calling themselves the priests of Jesus." 1816

Interesting quote from Thomas Jefferson.

Update on a newcomer

2011-08-28T12:00:00.000-07:00

Well, I have been posting off and on about a newcomer I am calling "Gabriella".

As I posted before, she was released from the Orange County Jail after doing 30 days on a possession charge. She has very little self control and within 30 days of being released was violated for giving her probation officer a dirty test. She is currently doing 90 days on the violation which means she actually does 60 days.

After doing her 60 days, her probation officer is going to require her to do a 6 month stay at a Salvation Army rehab program.

We will see how it goes. I see something good in this girl but unless she gets away from her "friends" and connections, I am afraid it will be more of the same.

Anyway, unless something changes she is headed for an early grave. She is only 34 years old.

*************************************************************

Another update on Gabriella. She continues to live at the Salvation Army rehab program, and has been there nearly four months. They put her on probation of some sort because of her outbursts of anger. How much it is helping her I cannot say, but the way she was going she would have soon been dead. It remains to be seen if she will stay clean or not.

But the Salvation Army is doing her a service by at least giving her a chance at a start.

Passed away

2011-08-25T07:49:00.000-07:00

WEGENER On Friday, July 29, 2011, Edmund T. "Ted" Wegener, Jr. passed away at the age of 64, at his residence in Slidell, La. He was a Board Certified Family Law attorney and practiced law for over 40 years in the New Orleans and St. Tammany Parish Areas at his law office, Oster & Wegener, PLC, and was also a retired Navy CAPT, USNR, JAGC He is survived by his wife, Darlene Wegener, a son from a prior marriage, Jason G. Wegener, and a grandson, Aidan James Wegener and a niece, Catherine Bruning. Preceded in death by a sister, Janet W. Landwehr. Ted will be cremated for the preparation for a formal Naval burial at sea. D.T. Williams Funeral Home of Pearl River, La. in charge of arrangements.

Letters to a Heroin Addict in Jail

2011-07-28T21:16:00.000-07:00

The daughter of a friend of mine is back in jail again after a dirty test. I am calling her Gabriella although that is not her real name. She will probably be getting 90 days in jail tommorrow.

I will be writing her some letters soon and will post them here. If they don't help her, maybe they will help someone else.

Amy Winehouse Dead

2011-07-23T15:22:00.000-07:00

It's over the news and blogs reporting the death of Amy Winehouse

Huffington Post has an article here:

Amy Winehouse Dead

I never met and don't know a lot about Amy Winehouse except that she died about the same age I stopped using heroin. And ,of course, I know about the song "Rehab". In case you don't here is what Wikipedia has to say about it:

"Rehab" is a song by Amy Winehouse from her second studio album, Back to Black. Written by Winehouse and produced by Mark Ronson, it was released as the album's lead single in the United Kingdom on 23 October 2006. The lyrics are autobiographical, describing a protagonist's drinking habits and refusal to enter rehabilitation clinics.
The song received widespread critical acclaim and enjoyed commercial success in Winehouse's native England and abroad. The tune won the 2007 Ivor Novello Award for Best Contemporary Song. "Rehab" won three Grammy Awards in 2008, including Record of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance."

When I heard the song rehab, I did not like the glorifying and celebration of what is basically a degenerate life style. I know free speech and all that.

But may I suggest that those awarding grammy's and producing such songs bear some responsibility for her untimely death. And probably the deaths of others too.

The Music Industry has been sick for a long time. The list of songs portraying drug use in a favorable light is lengthy.

May I politely suggest those making royalties off her songs, put some of the profits into helping young people with drug problems.

Wisdom from Jesus

2011-07-08T11:17:00.000-07:00

Regardless of your prejudices towards Jesus (most likely formed as a result of those who were bad examples) there is wisdom in his teachings. As Bill Wilson said . " To Christ I conceded the certainty of a great man, not to closely followed by those who claimed him"(BB)

LUKE 7:40-43:

40And Jesus answering said unto him, "Simon, I have something to say unto thee." And he said, "Master, say on."

41"There was a certain creditor that had two debtors. The one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty.

42And when they had nothing to pay, he freely forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?"

43Simon answered and said, "I suppose that he to whom he forgave most. And He said unto him, "Thou hast rightly judged."

How to pass a drug test for heroin

2011-07-06T23:11:00.000-07:00

So you did a google search on how to pass a drug test for heroin and you landed here. Good.No doubt it is because you have been using.

As a former heroin addict, I can tell you a lot of things. For example, I had my last fix about in the spring of 1976, By my calculations, that is over 35 years ago. So you see, it is possible to get clean and have a good life. Spend a little time on this website and see what I have to say.

And no, I wont tell you how to pass a drug test for heroin.

All the best.

How to pass a drug test in 24 hours?

New Antiviral Drug Cures Hepatitis C

2011-06-25T08:53:00.000-07:00

Many people who used drugs may have contracted Hepatitis C and not know it. It is a silent killer, frequently without symptoms. If you ever used IV drugs, you should be tested, even if it was over 30 years ago. Here is the latest development with Hepatitis C:

What's the Latest Development?

"Roughly 80 percent of patients with the most common strain of hepatitis C and who had either never undergone treatment before or had suffered a relapse were cured when they took the antiviral Incivek in addition to the standard drugs, according to one study led by researchers at California Pacific Medical Center and published in the New England Journal of Medicine. That is a marked improvement over the previous treatment, which cured less than half of those patients. Most patients in the study were able to stop treatment after 24 weeks instead of the standard 48 weeks—a significant change, because the drugs can have brutal side effects."

LINK

The Burden is Light Eugenia Price

2011-06-15T18:47:00.000-07:00

This does not have anything to do with addiction except tangentially. This is a Christian Testimony book that was published in 1971 (at least my copy). I haven't read it all but I have read the section where Eugenia describes her Born Again experience.

I suspect I would disagree a little bit with her theology but I liked reading her testimony for what is worth.

Another update on the newcomer "Gabriella"

2011-06-05T05:44:00.000-07:00

I am off to the Orange County Jail to visit the newcomer I am calling "Gabriella" (not her real name).

I am still hopeful about this young lady. I see something good in her. But she has tons of resentment towards her mother that needs to be dealt with. The truth is her mom hated her when she was little and it has destroyed her whole life. And her mom realizes it.

She has also resented me for really no good reason (see my previous posts on the mattter)but I think she is over it now.

Anyhow, its off to jail again but I will be coming home this time. Stay tuned for details.

***************************************************************************************
Update to the update: Back from the Orange County Jail. Sad to say, I am not hopeful. This young lady has too many negative influences in her life. In my opinion, she needs to get away from south Orange County to have a chance. But she is unwilling to do that. I could be wrong but I see unhappiness in her future and a probable return to drugs. In her case, that probably means a stint in State Prison.

Skid Row Shelter Charges Fee

2011-06-03T12:38:00.000-07:00

link to article

Excerpt from article:

"Two months ago, Union Rescue started charging $7 for an overnight stay, and cut its three free meals a day to one.
The move was driven by budget woes caused by the pinch of plummeting funding and soaring demand. But Andy Bales, the mission's chief executive, said he had been trying to institute fees for several years under a philosophy that homeless people should learn self-sufficiency. Faced with similar crunches, more shelters are taking that view.
"We've increased our sustainability, but we really think people are feeling better about themselves if they're not just taking handouts," Bales said."

I have mixed feelings about this. I know how desperate some of these people are. One time I dragged a guy out from underneath a car where he was sleeping.He had been using drugs for years. I called one of his relatives who wanted nothing to do with him. Finally, I ended up taking him down to the Union Rescue Mission as a last resort.He didn't have $7.

I do note that "Mothers with children do not have to pay and can eat all meals for free".

I wonder what you all think of this?

Global group calls for end to drug war

2011-06-02T18:46:00.000-07:00

I picked up a copy of the LA Times today and, on the front page, was an article entitled "Global group calls for end to drug war". Some high profile people including Kofi Annan (former UN Secretary General), Paul Volker (former Fed Chairman), and Richard Branson (founder of Virgin Group).

You can read a version of the article here: Global group calls for end to drug war

All I can say is that these influential people are sadly mistaken. I know from my own personal experience that one of the best things you can do for a drug addict is to lock them up for their own good. If it was not for the drug laws, I am certain I would probably be dead or at least a living zombie on Methadone. Do not let these misguide people make you doubt that laws against drug use and possession are bad. They are basically advocating legalization and there is nowhere that they can point to as an example of legalization improving a society.

I am no fan of the Obama administration but they got it right on this issue. From the article:

"Making drugs more available, as this report suggests, will make it harder to keep our communities healthy and safe," said Rafael Lemaitre, spokesman for the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy"

God forbid Annan, Volker, and Branson get their way.

Update on the newcomer "Gabriella"

2011-05-28T14:51:00.000-07:00

I am working with the newcomer Gabriella and her mother. Today her mom went down to the Orange County Jail and visited. Gabriella has a lot of resentment toward her mother so it is difficult for them to communicate.

We are trying to get Gabriella to leave her south Orange County stomping grounds and come live in Riverside county. We are offering her a place to live as well as get her into cosmetology school.

There may be exceptions but, in general, an addict is better off in early recovery being away from their old "playmates and playthings".

At this point, we are not sure if she is willing to relocate and abide by the rules we will establish. It is not looking promising. She is scheduled to be released on June 12.

I don't believe she will be able to stay clean unless she relocates. And I won't be willing to help her go to school if she cannot agree to that.

Perhaps she will have to suffer a little more before she is willing to listen to someone.

Remember her in your prayers

Tough Love

2011-05-20T16:43:00.000-07:00

Another update on the newcomer "Gabriella". I am not as optimistic as I was about her.

She called me during the week after court. I had put $40 on the books for her several weeks ago. She asked for money and I refused. I asked her why she wanted more money and she said she didn't want to suffer while in jail. I told her that I thought a little suffering was good for her at this point. And therein lies the rub.

Apparently, she got very resentful towards me over the remark. Her present situation in jail came about as a result of the woman who was ennabling her kicking her out and showing her some tough love. It resulted in her being homeless and the current charges and sentencing against her. She is resentful towards that woman for her tough love and resentful towards me for the same reason.

At today's visit she stormed out saying, "I am done with tough love people".

The truth of the matter is that I wasn't all that tough with her. $40 on the books is probably more than I should have given her. It certainly wasnt all that tough.

Anyway, that is where she is at.

Her plan of recovery after she is released on June 12 is to "crawl into bed" with some "friend" of hers who will let her stay there.

In other words, she plans on prostituting herself to avoid being homeless.

Doesn't sound like all that good of a recovery plan to me.

This is actually a very sad,sad situation. I am trying to encourage her to go to Teen Challenge for a year. Prayers for her will be appreciated. Working with newcomers can be hard on the heart.

Working with the Newcomer

2011-05-17T09:12:00.000-07:00

Another update on "Gabriella", my friends daughter who is in the Orange County Jail on Possession charges. On monday she plead guilty to possession charges and resisting arrest, and the possession of controlled substance paraphenalia and unauthorized Possession Hypodermic Needle charges were dismissed.

I believe they gave her 90 days in jail and three years formal probation with drug testing. Also some heavy fines and the possibility of prison or more county time if she violates probation.

Because the jails are so overcrowded she is scheduled to get out on June 11. Frankly,I am a little disappointed that she is staying in jail such a short time. I would have prefered she at least do a real 90 days. This is a woman who has not really experienced lot of jail time and I believe it would be good for her. Courts are not doing drug addicts a favor when they are too lenient on them. At any rate, it is what it is.

I see some good things in this young woman, and some things that are not so good. She called me on the phone after sentencing and she is glad she is clean now.

Time will tell, but, right now, I have a good feeling about her.

Update on Gabriella

2011-05-15T09:00:00.000-07:00

Just an update on Gabriella, my friend's daughter who is in jail on possession of heroin charges. She is in the Orange County Jail. It appears the prosecutors are going to also charge her with Driving under the influence.

I have been a little bit out of the legal loop in California due to living in Oregon for 12 years. The laws have changed since I was using drugs in the 60's or 70's. Most notably proposition 36 which gives addicts chances at treatment.

Anyway, Driving under the influence apparently does not qualify for proposition 36 so Gabriella will not be getting out of jail soon.

Frankly, I believe that is a good thing for her. She is 35 years old and been doing drugs since she was 17 and has not suffered a lot of legal consequences. She has not done much more than 90 days in jail or so. So in her case, I think jail is a very good thing.

I often say the worst thing anybody can do for an addict is to take their suffering away. It is the suffering of the addict life style that can cause a drug addict to want a new way of life and to cry out to God.

So, Grabriella, I hope your suffering does its job and that God watches over you to see no permanent harm comes to you.

Friend's daughter in Jail -Gabriella

2011-05-13T22:18:00.000-07:00

Well, for the last 35 years or so, I have had very little to do with drug addicts except for involvement with Narcotics Anonymous.

However, I have a friend who has a daughter who is a 35 year old heroin addict. I met with her and her daughter about 2 weeks ago. The daughter was high on heroin at the meeting. I followed up with her about a week later in a seperate meeting. We were trying to get her into detox and a drug treatment program but were not able to do so.
Regular readers of my blog will know I don't think too highly of most of the so-called treatment programs. But they have their place. The truth of the matter is that most people do not want a junkie around if they are clean so without the treatment programs where would they go?

Anyway, several days after my last meeting with the young lady (whom I will call Gabriella) she was busted. The charges are :

11350(a) HS F Unlawful possession of controlled substance 1 148(a)(1) PC M Resisting public or peace officer
11364 HS M Possession of controlled substance paraphenalia 4140 BP M Unauthorized Possession Hypodermic Needle

At this point,I do not know if she is ready to be helped. But I do believe that God can help most anyone when they are ready.

I will be going down to the Orange County Jail again tommorrow to met with her. I plan on giving periodic updates on her progress or lack thereof.

Stay tuned if you would like to know more. It will either be a success story or a story of continuing tragedy; I hope it is the former.

Marijuana and False Enlightenment

2011-04-09T14:20:00.000-07:00

Rick Hurst has posted an interested article on Marijuana and False Enlightenment

Excert:

"I smoked pot for many years. I liked pot because it helped me forget what a mess my life was, but I also liked it because of the effect it had on me. Whereas most people would zone out, drift away into la la-land and/or forgetfulness when they smoked pot, people would say things to me like "you are the only person I know who gets sharper when you get high". My mind became acutely aware."

It is worth reading. Click on the link to read more.

Carl Jung's letter to Bill Wilson

2011-04-04T18:27:00.000-07:00

“An ordinary man, not protected by an action from above and isolated in society, cannot resist the power of evil, which is called very aptly the Devil.” ---excerpt

Link

http://www.silkworth.net/aahistory/carljung_billw013061.html

January 30, 1961
Kusnacht-Zurich
Seestrasse 228

Mr. William G. W--.
Alcoholics Anonymous
Box 459 Grand Central Station
New York 17, New York

Dear Mr. W.:

Your letter has been very welcome indeed.

I had no news from Roland H. any more and often wondered what has been his fate. Our conversation which he has adequately reported to you had an aspect of which he did not know. The reason that I could not tell him everything was that those days I had to be exceedingly careful of what I said. I had found out that I was misunderstood in every possible way. Thus I was very careful when I talked to Roland H. But what I really thought about was the result of many experiences with men of his kind.

His craving for alcohol was the equivalent, on a low level, of the spiritual thirst of our being for wholeness, expressed in medieval language: the union with God.

How could one formulate such an insight in a language that is not misunderstood in our days?

The only right and legitimate way to such an experience is that it happens to you in reality, and it can only happen to you when you walk on a path which leads you to higher understanding. You might be led to that goal by an act of grace or through a personal and honest contact with friends, or through a higher education of the mind beyond the confines of mere rationalism. I see from your letter that Roland H. has chosen the second way, which was, under the circumstances, obviously the best one.

I am strongly convinced that the evil principle prevailing in this world leads the unrecognized spiritual need into perdition if it is not counteracted either by real religious insight or by the protective wall of human community. An ordinary man, not protected by an action from above and isolated in society, cannot resist the power of evil, which is called very aptly the Devil. But the use of such words arouses so many mistakes that one can only keep aloof from them as much as possible.

These are the reasons why I could not give a full and sufficient explanation to Roland H., but I am risking it with you because I conclude from your very decent and honest letter that you have acquired a point of view above the misleading platitudes one usually hears about alcoholism.

You see, alcohol in Latin is "spiritus," and you use the same word for the highest religious experience as well as for the most depraving poison. The helpful formula therefore is: spiritus contra spiritum.

Thanking you again for your kind letter.

I remain

yours sincerely

C. G. Jung

*"As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God." (Psalm 42.1)

Delancey Street Foundation

2011-03-22T10:48:00.000-07:00

I have a friend who was interested in the Delancey Street Foundation and asked me my opinion. I checked out their website. It reminds me of Synanon and even the Tarzana Family, but I wanted to be sure so I gave them a call. The first warning sign was that there was no mention of God on their website.

So I called. The Conversation went something like this:

"Hello, I have some questions about the Delancey Street Foundation"

"Ok, let me transfer you to someone who can answer your question"

They transfered me.

" My name is xxxxx,can I help you ?"

"Yes,I have some questions about the Delancey Street Foundation, can you help me'"

"Yes".

" I don't know how else to ask this but come right out and ask it; Is Delancey Street Foundation 'Gay Friendly'"

"Yes. I can answer that question. Yes we are gay friendly"

"So if someone wants to come to Delancey Street and they are gay you will accept them?

"Yes"

"You wont try and change them or anything like that"

"Oh no, as long as they want to be a decent human being, we wont try and change them"

"So you are gay accepting in other words"

"Yes"

**********************************************************************

Folks. DO NOT SEND YOUR LOVED ONES TO THE DELANCEY STREET FOUNDATION. THEY ARE AS CRAZY AS BED BUGS.

You cannot get right with God and be a practicing homosexual. Groups like Delancey street do not understand that and they cannot help anyone. In fact, they need help.

Welcome

2011-01-21T07:26:00.000-08:00

Welcome to my blog. I hope you find something here to help you on your journey.

Murderer becomes Pastor

2010-11-04T22:31:00.000-07:00

http://www.huckabeefanclub.com/apps/videos/videos/show/10015046-maury-davis

LINK

Pastor Maury Davis speaking about his journey from psychopathic killer to redeemed
Christian minister.

Christian testimony on forgiveness

2009-03-08T20:46:00.000-07:00

Great Christian Testimony on forgiveness on 60 minutes tonight. You missed out if you didn’t see it.

A man wrongly convicted of rape and imprisoned for 11 years and his forgiveness for the women who put him in prison। Very powerful. Story on link below

Ronald Cotton

MEMOIR ON THE STORY AVAILABLE AT AMAZON.COM. BOOK IS ENTITLED PICKING COTTON.

The Key to Forgiveness

2009-02-26T02:25:00.000-08:00

What would you pay to find the key to forgiveness? $5,000? $10,000? More?

It is actually priceless. I would like to give it to you free.

Go to the following link:

The Jesse Lee Peterson Show

Listen to the Hour 3 of the program dated Tues, 24 Feb 2009. The key is there.

Thank God for BOND, Jesse Lee Peterson, and the work they are doing.

Scientology and Narconon

2009-02-21T12:01:00.000-08:00

My experience with Scientology was limited. 35 years ago or so, when I was using drugs, some people invited me to a Scientology meeting of some sort at their Long Beach facility. I went along but somewhere on the ride over I got a funny feeling about the whole thing. I decided to just stay in the car and not go in; I'm glad I did.

Narconon is a Scientology related program which says they help people get off drugs. I would stay as far away from it as possible.

Here's an interesting video from a former Scientologist who worked at one of their missions.

Scientology: What I saw while working on staff

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CaP2Y75Hqa0

Certainly not an organization that has anything to offer.

An open letter to Alcoholics Anonymous

2009-02-15T12:09:00.000-08:00

Here are some thoughts this morning. Certainly, the homosexual population ( I don't want to use the word Gay to describe something that certainly isn't gay) has a major
problem with drinking or "Alcoholism" if you will.The question is what to do about it. AA's response these last 30 years has been allowing Gay AA meetings to be listed as "special purpose" meetings. Something that did not happen in AA's early history. It looks like a good thing doesn't it? After all, the homosexual suffering from alcoholism is thrown a life saver and , no doubt, some or even many stop drinking. But is that real love for the Homosexual Alcoholic?
Some would say yes no doubt. It really boils down to whether or not you believe Homosexuality is intrinsically immoral or not. 2000 years of Christian tradition and teaching says that it is.If homosexuality is intrinsically evil, then by giving them a stamp of approval and acceptance that would not be the essence of true love for them would it? In fact, you would be encouraging their aberrant behaviour.

No sane person would argue that thieves or adulters be given thier own special purpose meetings would they? Many alcoholics are thieves when they come to AA. I was. Probably most
are. In fact, I could present a powerful argument that I was born a thief since it started at a relatively young age. So why shouldn't thieves have their own special purpose meetings?.
After all, they have their own special problems and many do not want to stop stealing.

How does AA deal with thieves that are alcoholics? Generally, people are encouraged to stop drinking, take a fearless and searching moral inventory, and commit their lives to God. They are discouraged from stealing arent they? In other words, they are encouraged towards self-
examination and change. I might even use the word "Repentance". That is love isn't it? It is correction. In fact, a powerful argument could be made that correction is the essence of true love. After all, isn't that what good Parents do for their children? Isn't that what God does for us?

Therein lies the rub. AA, as a matter of group policy, does not correct Homosexuals. It accepts them the way they are. It doesn't do that with thieves, adulterers, or other sinners. It only does it with homosexuals. Why? Because radical homosexuals, to proud to admit they were wrong,
pushed for it for years and liberal elements within AA gave in to it. So AA has become like some of the more liberal and heretical "Christian" denominations":Metropolitan Community Church, Episcopal Church, or the Reformed Catholic Church. AA hides behind the tradition 10 "Alcoholics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the A.A. name ought never be drawn into
public controversy."

If asked I'm sure representative at World Services would say that AA has no position on the homosexual controversy raging in our society at large. But what they say conflicts with what they do by their actions. I accuse Alcoholics Anonymous World Services of equating being
Homosexual with being Black or American Indian. I accuse Alcoholics Anonymous World Services of not adhering to the tradition that "Alcoholics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues" through a cooperative relationship with the Internation Advisory of Homosexual Men and Women in Alcoholics Anonymous. accuse Alcoholics Anonymous World Services of promoting the radical homosexual agenda in violation of AA traditions. I accuse AA members involved in Round Up committes of promoting the acceptance of homosexuality. I accuse AA of promoting the acceptance of homosexuality in conference approved literature. I accuse AA of promoting the acceptance of homosexuality in a personal story in the fourth edition of the the Big Book. I accuse AA members of a failure to speak out about this in AA
meetings.I accuse AA of a failure to love.

Post traumtic stress and drug/acohol abuse

2009-02-07T10:16:00.000-08:00

"Traumatized people who cannot spontaneously dissassociate may attempt to produce similar numbing effects by using alcohol or drugs.Observing the behaviour of soldiers in wartime ,Grinker and Spiegel found uncontrolled drinking increased proportionately to the combat groups losses; the soldiers use of alcohol appeared to be an attempt to obliterate their growing sense of helplessness and terror..........In another study of 100 combat veterans with severe post-traumtic stress disorder,Herbert Hendin and Ann Haas noted that 85 percent developed serious drug and alcohol problems after their return to civilian life...... The largest and most comprehensive investigaton of all , the National Vietnam Veterans Readjustment Study, reported almost identical findingsza; 75 percent of men with the disorder developed problems with alcohol abuse or depence" *

*Trauma and Recovery, Judith Herman, M.D.

***************
I don't endorse this book by Judith Herman as it seems to be written from the perspective of a
somewhat radical feminist. Judith Herman is married to Jerry Berndt but, as the book cover reveals, she doesn't even use her husband's name which says something about her. However there are some interesting facts and footnotes to some interesting studies in it.

Alcoholics Anonymous (Narcotics Anonymous also) continue to describe drinking and drug use
as "diseases". This is a disservice to people suffering from these conditions. The link to post traumatic stress is firmly established. And I hasten to add that combat soldiers are not the only ones suffering from post traumatic stress disorder. There are also the millions of victims of child abuse, rape, and incest to name just a few.

Recovery Conference

2009-01-06T21:34:00.000-08:00

http://www.anewwayout.com/

A New way out

Christian Recovery conference to be held in Southern California . I'm not involved in this yet but it does look interesting. I thought I would pass it along to you.

2009-01-01T23:00:00.000-08:00

A Guide to True Peace

2008-12-27T22:23:00.000-08:00

Hall V. Worthington and Joan Worthington have put a downloadable pdf file of the Guide to True
Peace on their website. Thanks Hall and Joan.

Guide to True Peace

BOND ACTION , Inc.

2008-10-19T12:08:00.000-07:00

I dont endorse many organizations but I do endorse this one.

http://www.bondaction.org/

What is BOND Action, Inc.?

BOND Action, Inc. is a new cultural action organization that is totally separate from BOND, legally. It has been created by separating out of BOND those activities which constitute lobbying under the IRS code so that they can be expanded in scope. It exists to educate, motivate, and rally Americans to greater involvement in the moral, cultural and political issues that threaten our great country.

Every Prisoner was once a child

2008-03-29T18:19:00.000-07:00

Heres an interesting blog entitled "Daily Life as a Spiritual Exercise".

I especially like the article entitled: Every prisoner was once a child

Here's an excerpt:

"Resentment opens the portal of your mind and allows infection and infestation to enter in. That is how evil works, it tempts you to hate it, and when you do it gets inside you and grows up in you. It is for this reason that Jesus said "do not hate your enemy, overcome them with good" He was warning you about not opening your mind to evil, which is exactly what resentment does."

Amen

God is everywhere

2008-03-25T11:42:00.000-07:00

If God is everywhere, why do so few people find him?

Part of what I try to do on this blog is discuss ideas which can be helpful to the reader, especiallythe ones suffering from some kind of addiction. On occasion I find an article written by someone else which is powerful and helpful.

Here is one I recommend to your attention:

If God is everywhere, why do so few people find him?

David Kupelian is also author of "The Passion of the Christ" which I also recommend. He is one of the finest Christian writers around.

Are alcoholics physically different?

2008-03-25T11:30:00.000-07:00

Are alcoholics physically different?

Many people would have you believe so. But it’s a fair question to ask whether its true or not, isn’t it?First of all, where does the idea come from.? It comes from the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous. Barefoot Bill describes where the idea comes from here:

The phenomenom of craving

Alcoholic Anonymous meetings worldwide, it is taught at step studies that an “Alcoholic” has an “allergy” to alcohol. Step One of the 12 steps and 12 traditions ,an AA primer,says:

“ The Tyrant alcohol wielded a double-edge sword over us: first we were smitten by an insane urge that condemned us to drinking, and then by an ALLERGY OF THE BODY that insured we would ultimately destroy ourselves in the process”

Barefoot Bill goes on to describe why alcoholics are bodily different:

“Alcoholics make up about 12% of the population. The body of the alcoholic is physically different. The liver and pancreas of the alcoholic process alcohol at one-third to one-tenth the rate of a normal pancreas and liver. Now as alcohol enters the body, it breaks down into various components, one of which is acetate. We know now that acetate triggers a craving for more acetate. In a normal drinker, the acetate moves through the system quickly and exits. But that doesn't happen in an alcoholic. In alcoholics, the acetate of the first drink is barely processed out, so by staying in their body, it triggers a craving for more acetate. The alcoholic then has a second drink, now adding to most of the acetate of the first drink, and that makes them want a drink twice as much as the normal drinker. So they have another. Then, having almost three times the craving as a normal drinker, they have another.”

If you do a google search you will find quite a number of similar sites which to this day promote something similar. And if you got to AA, it is a commonly held belief that alcoholics are physically different, and they are a variety of theories by which they attempt to explain it.

The acetaldehyde hypothesis was advanced in a popular book titled “Under the Influence”, by James Milam and Katherine Ketcham (ironically subtitled a guide to the myths and realities of alcoholism) , first published in 1981. James Milam argued that acetaldehyde is a primary biological and genetic basis for alcoholism, which they claimed is completely biologically determined.So how valid is the idea that is promoted as truth that alcoholics process alcohol at 1/3 to 1/10 the rate of a normal liver and pancreas?

“What role do acetate and acetaldehyde (break-down products of alcohol) play in the production of "alcoholism" (alcohol dependence)? Very little, according to available research. Old ideas that acetaldehyde is a poison that leads to organ damage and perhaps brain damage, and that the rate at which acetaldehyde turns to acetate in the brain influences the onset of alcoholism, have not been substantiated by science. (January 10, 2005)”----Addiction science research and education center, University of Texas at Austin.

In fact, James Milan got the idea from a psychiatrist named Mark Schuckit. According to Stanton Peele ,Schuckit himself no longer focuses on acetaldehyde as the most likely mechanism for the heritability of alcoholism.In fact, here is site where the executive director of The Counseling Center is promoting the idea.

The Counseling Center
http://tccportsmouth.blogspot.com/2006/09/disease-of-addiction.html

What do you think? Should we tell Alcoholics the truth, or just promote ideas like this whether they are true or not?

Christian meditation

2008-02-12T21:19:00.000-08:00

LINK TO CHRISTAIN MEDITATION

Here you go. Free link to Christian meditation technique. Sometime called Judeo/Christian meditation.

This is a form of meditation done by ancient Jews and still practised by some elements of Judaism today. You can read about it here:

Tefillin

Exodus Chapter 13

verse 9 And it shall be for a sign unto thee upon thy hand, and for a memorial between thine eyes, that the law of the LORD may be in thy mouth; for with a strong hand hath the LORD brought thee out of Egypt.

Psalm 46:10

Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.

Chased by a dragon, caught ba a lamb

2008-02-12T10:55:00.000-08:00

Im interested in books about Christian recovery and addiction, and someone brought my attention to this one the other day. Brian's book is worth reading I think. Although not the most well written book I have ever read, Im sure that his experiences are true. If your trying to recover from an addiction I think I could in good conscience recommend this one.

"A million little pieces" isnt really worth reading although it was better written and had an interesting story. It had a lot of fabricaton in it.

Im trying to right something right now that will be interesting and exciting but yet also have a message.

Im afraid sometimes the books with a Christian emphasis are only read by Christians when its the unsaved that really need to read them.

Anyway, I recommend Brian Morris's "Chased by the dragon, caught by the Lamb"

Christ and Alcoholics Anonymous

2008-02-10T14:44:00.000-08:00

Christ and Alcoholics Anonymous

Most AA’s know little of the history of Alcoholics Anonymous.
Most Christians even less.

The popular notion among Christians is that Alcoholcs Anonymous
is not a Christian program. I wont argue that. Its currently not.

However, that doesn’t mean that at one time the teachings of Jesus
didn’t occupy a prominent place. They clearly did. But organizations
change over time and not always for the better. Just as Americans
become better Americans when they understand their marvelous
heritage, so do AA’s becomebetter AA’s when they understand AA’s
Christian roots. Dick B. does a pretty thorough job of filling in the
missing blanks www.dickb.com

Has Christ been deliberately taken out of AA literature?
Many modern AA's dont even know that he was. The current watered
down 4th edition of AA's Big Book makes no referecnce of him except
briefly in Bills Story..So for those who are ignorant of AA's Christian
roots a good place to start is to read the conference approved "Dr.Bob
and the Good Oldtimers".

There are many good Christian testimonies in the First Edition. Some
from people who got sober and stayed sober all their lives. They
werent"slippers". Some will say that was the reason. Certainly people
like Clarence S. whose story "Home Brewmeister"appeared in the AA
Big Book for over 60 years were not deleted because of their lack of
sobriety or committment to AA.I talked to an AA lady the other day
about this. She was a longtime 20+ years member of AA and her
response was "They found out it didnt work".

So I shot off an e-mail to AA historian Dick B. (www.dickb.com) to find
out ifit was true. His response:

“Dear Ted:

That baloney about the Bible didn't work shows how few people
have read our accurate history and have just swallowed the idea
that the Oxford Group didn't work, Dr. Bob's efforts didn't work,
the Bible didn't work, the Creator didn't work, Jesus Christ didn't
work, but radiators and lightbulbs did. The proof is in the facts,
not the prejudices. Anyone who cares to can read any of my twenty-five
published titles and find accurate documentation that puts the lie to
the lady's speculations.I cannot tell you why Bill deleted the stories of
Bible reading andChristian testimony. I can say that Lois claimed there
was an "agreement"that A.A. should be "universalized" because not all
AAs were Christians.I can tell you that Bill (AA's Co-founder) never ever
accurately told the A.A. story about the Bible, the Oxford Group, Sam
Shoemaker, Anne Smith, Quiet Time, or the Christian literature AAs
read.In fact the original program, as reported by Frank Amos, just
vanished with Bill's pen in the Big Book. Moreover, there was the famous
dispute in Ruth Hock's office where "God as we understood Him" was
introduced into the Steps, where Fitz Mayo remonstrated, and where
soon over 400 pages were tossed out and which (according to Ruth's
account to Bill Pittman) contained mostly Christian and Biblical materials.
There may be your complete answer”

*******************************************************************

I would like to add a little something to Dick B. statement.

“We war not with flesh and blood but spiritual wickedness in high places.”

Connect the dots.

Alcoholics can be cured

2007-09-11T09:46:00.000-07:00

The following article was published September 19,1964

From the September 19, 1964 Saturday Evening Post.ALCOHOLICS CAN BE CURED--DESPITE A.A.By Dr. Arthur H. Cain

An expert charges that Alcoholics anonymous has become a dogmatic cult that blocks medical progress and hampers many members' lives.
It is time we made a thorough investigation of Alcoholics Anonymous in the interest of our public health. A.A. is identified in the public mind as a God-fearing fellowship of 350,000 "arrested alcoholics" who keep one another sober and rescue others from the horrors of alcoholism. Unfortunately, A.A. has become a dogmatic cult whose chapters too often turn sobriety into slavery to A.A. Because of its narrow outlook, Alcoholics Anonymous prevents thousands from ever being cured. Moreover A.A has retarded scientific research into one of America's most serious health problems.
My own experience with A.A. began in 1947. As a psychologist and investigator into the causes and cure of uncontrolled drinking, I have attended about 500 A.A. meetings in over 40 states and a dozen foreign countries. At first I was tremendously impressed with A.A.'s altruistic efforts in alcoholics' behalf. Its members would perform prodigies of selfless service, no matter what the hour by meeting the helpless and sodden in hospitals, flophouses and homes, and offering their sympathy, a helping hand, and their own example that temptation could be withstood. At the weekly meetings, which all A.A. members attended, there was a true sense of humility and a devout belief in God (We "came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity") and the fellowship of man--the original tenets of A.A. New members were given the freedom to question A.A.'s guiding principles codified in the Twelve Traditions and the Twelve Steps of Recovery. '
'Over the years a disturbing change began to take place. As an increasing number of alcoholics joined A.A. chapters many turned out to be misfits who had rejected Christianity, Judaism or the Kiwanis Club. Dogmatic and opinionated in their nonbeliefs, they found in A.A. an instrument for a new kind of bigotry. Their only meaning in life was that they had heroically become "arrested" alcoholics. Arrogant egoists, they soon dominated many of A.A.'s 10,000 chapters. Weekly meetings, once spontaneous and exciting, became formalized and ritualistic. Anyone who questioned A.A.'s principles or even expressed curiosity was handed the slogan, Utilize, Don't Analyze, and told to sit down. The desire to help others degenerated. As one disheartened former A.A. member told me, "I felt nobody cared what happened to Mary W. I felt they were just interested in another alcoholic who would become another notch in their belts. I felt as if I was being pressed into serving their cause and building up their oligarchy."
With this growing dogmatism came a Dark Ages attitude toward any scientist who might differ with official A.A. doctrine. According to the A.A. litany, alcoholism is a physical disease which can never be cured: "Once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic." The corollary is: "A reformed alcoholic must live A.A. from day to day and never leave A.A."
Actually, there is no scientific evidence that alcoholism is an incurable, physical disease. According to current evidence, the origin of uncontrolled drinking is psychological. A person drinks to ease anxiety, depression, boredom, guilt, timidity, inarticulateness. An alcoholic learns to become one; he is not born that way. This means that many alcoholics can return to normal drinking without fear of ending up on Skid Row. Over the past 17 years I have treated more than 50 alcoholics who no longer need to attend meetings or receive treatment. Most important, over 20 of my patients have learned to drink normally, to use alcohol as a beverage, not a psychological crutch.
Yet when scientists have reported similar findings, A.A. members have often set out to discredit them. In 1957 Doctors Melvin L. Selzer and William Holloway of the University of Michigan came up with the then startling report that 13 confirmed alcoholics had become social drinkers. Because of the pressure of an influential A.A. member, the state agency that provided the funds for the study virtually ordered the two scientists to omit what it called these "embarrassing" findings. Doctor Selzer published his findings anyway.
In 1962 Dr. D.L. Davies, after a study at Maudsley Hospital in London, declared that seven men who had been alcoholics were able to drink normally after treatment, some had been drinking without problems for as long as 11 years. Doctor Davies concluded that 'the generally accepted view that no alcohol addict can ever again drink normally should be modified." Some A.A. members branded the scientist's report "immoral, because it might cause some members to drink."
Dr. E. M. Jellinek, a cofounder of the Yale School of Alcohol Studies and a dean of researchers in the field of alcoholism until his death in 1963, was drawing on his own experience when he declared: " . . . Alcoholics Anonymous have naturally created the picture of alcoholism in their own image . . . and there is every reason why the student of alcoholism should emancipate himself from accepting this exclusiveness as propounded by A.A."
Not only has A.A. interfered with scientific investigations, it has prevented medical and psychological treatment which runs counter to its own theories. At one New York City hospital, for instance, the physicians preferred using paraldehyde to treat acute intoxication. But then A.A. members implied that they would stop referring patients there if paraldehyde was used. The doctors were persuaded to switch to another drug, chloral hydrate. As the physician in charge of the alcoholics' ward explained, the A.A. non-scientists had discovered that paraldehyde was a form of alcohol. Actually, chloral hydrate is the more toxic drug. In fact, its indiscriminate use in another New York hospital has left some patients more intoxicated upon discharge than when they were admitted.
While A.A. adherents battle scientific inquiry that does not fit A.A.'s narrow theories, its chapters often attempt to assume control of members' lives. Purporting to offer everything needed for human fulfillment, the fellowship now boasts of a "ladies auxiliary," called Al-Anon, for spouses of members and even a division for members' children called Alateen. It suggests that the youngsters open their meetings by reciting this incantation: "We will always be grateful to Alateen for giving us a Way of Life and a wonderful, healthy program to live by and enjoy!" Implied is the distressing theory that there is no other way of life for alcoholics except that of A.A.--a life in which every waking hour is devoted to the struggle for sobriety.
The wife of a Texas member described some unfortunate consequences of A.A.'s creed that the struggle against alcohol must be the most important ambition in a member's life. "This must be placed above wives or husbands, children homes, or jobs. They must be ready to abandon these things at any time.... The tragic part is, some of them while searching for this sobriety and serenity actually do exactly that." How pervasive the obsession with A.A. can become was poignantly demonstrated by a patient who had come to me because of worries about her A.A. husband. He had proposed that they move their bed into the A.A. clubhouse so they might be "avail able 24 hours a day just in case an alcoholic wandered in."
For many members, of course, staying sober is a fierce challenge daily. But under the A.A. program, the lives of many are so sterile that their growth as human beings is hindered. Taught to rely or slogans and compulsive A.A. routine, some are unable to face the fact that they are alcoholics because they are psychologically sick. It is for this reason that many A.A. members never recover.
A New Hampshire novelist and former A.A. member, who has been continuously sober for eight years, described this human waste when he wrote me- "I have met members who are actually afraid to think. They have made a high fence of A.A., which shuts them out from all pleasurable and vital aspects of life."
Behind the A.A. fence the original principle that alcoholics must be humble before God has been turned into the dictum that alcoholics are God's chosen people. This theme is preached in meetings and through books and pamphlets. A typical illustration is a booklet titled. "Around the Clock With A.A.," published recently by an A.A. group in California. One passage declares: "God in His wisdom selected this group of men and women to be the purveyors of His goodness.... He went right to the drunkard, the so-called weakling of the world. Well might He have said to us: 'Unto your weak and feeble hands I have entrusted- power beyond estimate. To you has been given that which has been denied the most learned of your fellows. Not to scientists or statesmen, not to wives or mothers, not even to my priests or ministers have I given this gift of helping other alcoholics which I entrust to you."' Such idolatry causes the believer to see himself as all-knowing, and turns the missionary into the zealot.
A.A.'s creeds not only infect its own members but pervade public education. Most of what we hear or read about alcoholism is inspired by A.A. adherents spouting A.A. dogmas. City, state and private agencies frequently fill all key posts with A.A. members. One western state actually requires that personnel assigned to its alcoholism program be A.A. members for at least two years. No professional experience is needed. The A.A. philosophy also dominates the National Council on Alcoholism, the only nationwide public-information agency on alcoholism. N.C.A., which is supported by public donations, has over 60 affiliated information committees scattered throughout the country. Although both N.C.A. and A.A. deny that they are officially connected, many members of N.C.A.'s staff and some directors are A.A. members. A.A. members serve as directors in eight out of ten N.C.A. information centers in the largest cities in the United States.
Thus, it is not surprising that N.C.A. continues to parrot the A.A. line that alcoholism is a "progressive disease for which there is no known cure, but which can only be arrested." Further, N.C.A. in a series of radio and TV commercials actually stated that the American Medical Association had declared alcoholism to be a disease, although the A.M.A. has restricted itself to general statements that the alcoholic is "sick." Time and again, I have heard public figures recite A.A.-N.C.A. myths and propaganda as if they were gospel.
I once heard Arthur Flemming, former Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare, read verbatim a pronouncement on alcoholism which I knew had been prepared a year earlier by N.C.A.'s public-relations firm. Flemming offered the now familiar "statistic" that there are five million alcoholics in the United States. This figure is based on a study Doctor Jellinek of Yale conducted 18 years ago in a small community; he thought he had found that three percent of the population were alcoholics. N.C.A. applied this percentage to the whole nation. Doctor Jellinek, a great physiologist but no statistician, repudiated his own formula in 1956. The five-million figure is only a guess, for- no scientific count of alcoholics has ever been made.
While N.C.A. issues well-intended but sometimes questionable facts and theories, A.A. officials, when pressed, often hide behind the famous Tenth Tradition, which states that "Alcoholics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues, hence the A.A. name ought never be drawn into public controversy." This device enables members of A.A. to make outrageous assertions which A.A.'s head quarters promptly disavows when challenged. "Many people I have tried to help," said one Chicago member, 'have abandoned the program just because they couldn't take the ex cathedra homilies on drugs, alcohol, psychiatry, medicine, sociology, biology, to name a few subjects on which they speak with authority."
Much of A.A.'s failure can be blamed, on a lack of forward-looking, constructive leadership. Writer Jerome Ellison recently spent several months as a paid consultant to A.A. evaluating the fellowship's publications and activities. At national headquarters in New York City, Ellison declared, committee politics took up half the working day, and gossip was venomous. Everybody was an expert, Ellison went on, "with a cluster of ideas closed to amendment." He related how one member had submitted to the A.A. monthly bulletin an article which showed that nearly all southern and a great many northern A.A. chapters were racially segregated, and that A.A. had failed to keep pace with the growing, problem of Negro alcoholism. The article was turned down on the ground that it "might disrupt A.A. unity."
Ellison's most damning indictment concerned the rule made by A.A.'s nonalcoholic board of trustees that no change can be made in A.A.'s theories on, alcoholism even though they are nearly a quarter of a century old. "Despite the fact that the rank and file teems with exciting, relevant, informed and up-to-the-minute experience," Ellison declared, "none of it is permitted to appear in book form. To publish such literature, it is felt, would be to risk heresy."
Needless to say, I do not suggest that A.A. be abolished or that a single member quit. That A.A. helps many thousands stay sober is obvious. But Alcoholics Anonymous should return to its original purpose of being a much-needed first-aid station. The "arrest" of uncontrolled drinking is the essential first step in becoming a recovered or cured alcoholic. During this critical period, the alcoholic needs the sympathy and understanding that only another alcoholic can give. But after three months or so, when the shakes have subsided and the cobwebs are beginning to clear, the recovering alcoholic should go ahead. He should not be taught that he must remain forever crippled and bound by the paralyzing concept "Once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic." It is at this point that the patient needs a different kind of understanding: an objective, dispassionate, clinical understanding that physicians, psychologists and pastoral counselors, not A.A. members, are trained to give. Only after he has undergone a rigorous and lengthy revision of his personality should he attempt to drink normally again, and then only if he desires to do so.
After all, sobriety in itself is not a way of life. It is simply the absence of intoxication. It is what one does with his sobriety and his life that is important.

Lindsay Lohan fails rehab drugs test

2007-08-30T23:12:00.000-07:00

LINDSAY IN THE NEWS AGAIN.

LINK

I DONT KNOW WHAT TO SAY ABOUT IT EXCEPT THIS IS A VERY SICK YOUNG GIRL.
IF SHE CANT STAY CLEAN WHERE SHE'S AT , SHE NEEDS TO BE IN A LOCKED DOWN
FACILITY. MAYBE A YEAR OF ENFORCED SOBRIETY WILL DO HER SOME GOOD. HEAR THAT JUDGE?

Why so many Americans today are mentally ill

2007-08-14T19:53:00.000-07:00

Great article by David Kupelian of Worldnetdaily.

Excerpt:

"Do you get drunk to deal with your problems? That used to be considered a moral failing, a character weakness, a failure to face your problems with courage and honesty. Now, of course, it's a disease called "alcoholism."

ARTICLE

QUOTE OF THE DAY

2007-08-07T11:08:00.000-07:00

" I used to have the goal of always sounding strong because I hated how weak I was. I know now that just simply looking at our weaknesses and wanting to be better calls on the power of God to change us."---Anonymous

Lindsay Lohen

2007-07-24T19:09:00.000-07:00

All over the internet and television.

The thing I notice is that nobody is really discussing the real nature of addiction. The panel of
experts on CNN (and everybody else) are calling addiction a "disease". Daniel Baldwin was on the panel. A man that has been to rehab 9 times and never has been able to stay clean is now the new media expert on addiction. A man who calls himself a "born again" Christian but according to the FaFafarrazi website is living in sin with the women he impregnated during rehab. One other thing should be mentioned. There is a certain kind of drug addict and drunk who doesnt want to quit using drugs or getting drunk. In fact, most are like that in the beginning and some never grow out of it. No amount of treatment anywhere will help them. They like getting high and like getting loaded.

Now hear this:

ADDICTION IS NOT A DISEASE!!

Nothing could be farther from the truth. Addiction is not a "disease". Never has been and never will be. Nothing in the Bible indicates that it is.

When will we ever have some honest talk about addiction in this society?

We have a society that doesnt understand addiction and experts that dont know what to do it about.

Beyond AA

2007-07-15T07:45:00.000-07:00

"aa won't ...........keep you from going to hell.............nor is it a ticket to heaven............but it will...........keep u sober long enough.........for you to make up your mind...............which way you want to go! "--From the AA Canada.com website

Ive always said there is some value to AA, It is true that some people get sober. However, most fair minded people would acknowledge that being sober is not the same as being right with God.
And some of AA's teachings are good. Why wouldnt they be? They were lifted directly out of the Bible.

However modern AA has problems also. Does any fair minded person think that the early religious promoters of AA would endorse gay AA meetings? Most Christians denominations still consider it sin (except the apostate ones) . An organization which is accepting and condoning of such wicked behavior has serious problems. Decency prevents me from even describing the vile things that homosexuals do to one another (golden showers,scat, etc).

Of course some people will never change. They are wicked to the core. It enough for them not to drink. They have no desire to abandon their promiscuity,adultery, resentment, lust, anger and pride. Sad to say, AA's founder, Bill Wilson, was such a man, despite the generous praise so often heaped upon him.

So what is the sincere AA, longing for a right relationship with God, to do?. Perhaps he is greatful to AA for the good it has done him. That is fitting and proper. However, one can be grateful to an organization without extending uncritical acceptance to all it does or everything it teaches.

The best course of action is to view AA as part of your spiritual journey, a sort of spiritual kindergarten. Acknowledge the good you may have derived but dont let that stunt your spiritual growth!

There are still some good Christian Churches and spiritual organazitions out there. Seek them out. There are also many (the majority actually) which are far from the teachings of Christ and the Scripture. It takes diligence to find the good ones. Dont throw the baby out with the bathwater! Seek out a good Church just the way you sought out a good AA meeting, or a good bag of dope. Seperate the good stuff from the bunk.

In fact, the AA Big Book advises just such a thing:

"Not all of us join religious bodies, but most of us favor such memberships"
P.28 of the Big Book (the statement was true when the Big Book was written, although I dont its true of modern AA's)

In another place:

"Be quick to see where religious people are right. Make use of what they offer" P87 of the Big Book. (But how many AA's take that advice to heart?)

Prize the truth above all things. Especially the truth about yourself. Dont resent what you see. Be grateful to God for his unmerited mercy.And may God bless you on your journey.

Anti-Christian Bill in Senate

2007-07-13T10:31:00.000-07:00

LINK

Wicked left wing liberals are engaged in an attempt to silence speaking the truth. Its
a sad day when we have legislation like this proposed in America.

Write your Senator to vote against SB 1105

Comments

2007-07-12T22:09:00.000-07:00

About a year ago I disabled the comments here due to rude people posting insults and the like.

I've enabled the comments again. I dont mind intelligent discussion or civil disagreement but

wont tolerate insults or profanity. Dont bother posting such things since I'll just remove them.

FATHERS DAY MESSAGE

2007-06-16T09:38:00.000-07:00

FATHERS DAY MESSAGE FROM REV. PETERSEN

excerpt:

According to popular myth, men leave because they’re irresponsible and don’t care about their families. Yes, there’s a very small segment of the male population who are guilty of this, but for most American men this is not the case.

Jesse Peterson Radio Show

2007-05-10T11:36:00.000-07:00

Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson is the host of “The Jesse Lee Peterson Radio Show.” The program airs Monday through Friday at 10-12 Noon PST / 1-3 p.m. EST. This is a good program to listen to and a good place to get counseling. I get some there myself now and then:

Counseling and radio show

Alcoholics Anonymous and Christianity

2007-04-30T05:38:00.000-07:00

Is Alcoholics Anonymous Christian? I dont think any fair-minded person would argue that it is. In fact, there are aspects of the AA program that no one trying to live a Christian life could accept. However, AA wasnt always that way. Here is an excerpt from the First Edition of Alcoholics Anonymous (which most AA's have never read).

" It is an easy matter to repeat and orally affirm a faith. Here were these men whovisited me and they, like myself, had tried everything else and although it was plain to be seen none of them were perfect, they were living proof that the sincere attempt to follow the cardinal teaching of Jesus Christ was keeping them sober. If it could do that for others, I was resolved to try it, believing it could do something for me also."
As Paul Harvey would say, now you know the rest of the story.
MY WIFE AND I

Proposition 36

2007-04-22T19:07:00.000-07:00

PROP 36----Where’s the beef?

http://www.adp.ca.gov/pdf/SACPAEvaluationReport.pdf

I have been waiting for about 3 years for the UCLA report on proposition 36 (The law that mandates treatment for drug addicts in California instead of incarceration). The prop 36 law itself mandates that UCLA study the effectiveness as well as the financial impact of prop 36. At last I thought we are going to get some reliable statistics on how effective the drug treatment industries so-called treatment is,not the usually waffling one gets when you try and find out how effective a drug treatment program really is. Californians are finally going to get to find out how many people have actually got off drugs and stayed off as a result of the millions of dollars that have been spent. Silly me to think such a thing.

First of all, reading the report is a bit like walking on nails or deciphering hieroglyphics. It’s written by academics and not really in a common sense way that is easy to understand. As I read the report I finally came to this:

“Compared to pre-SACPA drug use, abstinence increased among SACPA offenders in the follow-up period”--see Chapter 5 of the 2004 SCAPA Evaluation Report for further details

Wait a minute here. No new details or surveys or statistics? Just regurgitating what was said in 2004? How can they get away with that? Big money was paid to UCLA for the report. And besides I read the previous report in 2004 and the question of rate of success wasn’t adequately answered then. That's why I had been waiting. And the law requires a study on Prop 36 effectiveness.

I went back and looked at the 2004 report. It has no long term follow up statistics on abstinence. All the 2004 report had was a 1 year follow up and all they asked them about was their drug use 30 days prior to the interview (and it was self reporting at that!).Anybody think a dopefiend might lie?

The 2004 report says this: "Among offenders who were assessed but did not receive treatment, 34.6% reported drug use in the past 30 days; among those who entered but did not complete treatment, 27.4%; and among those who completed treatment, 17.7%. The difference between completers and each other group was statistically significant."

So the UCLA researchers want Californians to believe that abstinence increased among those who completed treatment by 16.9% based on a 30 day snapshot 4 years ago? They want us to believe Prop 36 has a 82.3% success rate based on that?

How many of those people who completed "treatment" eventually relapsed? We don’t know; the study didn’t tell us. What is the long-term abstinence success rate of Prop 36? We don’t know that either. The study we paid for didn’t tell us. And anyone who has worked with drug addicts know that many go back to drug use after a period of clean time.

All of the above didn’t stop the report from saying that Propistion 36 needs an additional 228.6 million dollars or the second annual “Prop 36 works” rally in Sacramento.

Call me skeptical if you will, but I think before we fork out 228.6 million MORE dollars we are at least entitled to know the real statistics on how many people are actually staying off drugs as a result of prop 36..

And shame on the researchers who didn’t answer the questions they were hired to answer.

The original AA program

2007-04-02T04:18:00.000-07:00

With thanks to Dick B.

LINK TO ORIGINAL AA PROGRAM

Bill Wilson Quote

2007-04-01T06:11:00.000-07:00

"Some AA's say, 'I don't need religion, because AA is my religion.' As a matter of fact, I used to take this tack myself."
"After enjoying this simple and comfortable view for some years I finally awoke to the probability that there might be sources of spiritual teaching, wisdom and assurance outside of AA."
"AA had provided me with the spiritual home and climate wherein I was welcome and could do useful work. This was very fine, all to the good."
"Yet I finally discovered that I needed more than this. Quite rightly, AA didn't try to answer all of my questions" --- Bill Wilson , founder of AA

Hostage to the Devil

2007-03-10T14:04:00.000-08:00

HOSTAGE TO THE DEVIL

One of my favorite books is Hostage to the Devil written by the late Malachai Martin. For those who work in the field of addiction treatment and doubt the reality of demonic possession this book is a must read. It was published in March 1976 and is as fresh as the day it was written.
It documents the possession and exorcism of 5 living Americans.

Here is an excerpt:

"Many exorcists think that the majority of the partially possessed who rebel this way never get priestly help. They are taken to doctors and psychiatrists who never succeed in helping them......The subjects may often spend time in mental institutions and there they will become progressively worse as their awful battle goes on"

So now you understand why psychiatry, with rare exceptions, is not able to help addicts and alcoholics.

Helium Anonymous Meetings

2007-03-03T18:20:00.000-08:00

Its not talked about a lot but there is a serious problem with helium addiction .

Link to Helium Anonymous Meeting

Homosexuality and AA: The Betrayal of Alcoholics Anonymous

2006-11-17T16:26:00.000-08:00

The Betrayal of Alcoholics Anonymous

Early AA was a good thing. As Dr.Bob (one of the co-founders of AA) said in his last major address to AA's:

"It wasnt until 1938 that the teachings and efforts and studies that had been going on were crystallized in the form of the 12 steps.....We already had the basic ideas....We got them, as I said , as a result of our study of the Good Book"

How then did AA, a program with Christian Roots, evolve into a program that has Gay AA meeting and Gay AA Roundups Link. Indeed, the new (and improved?) 4th Edition of Alcoholics Anonymous has further deleted some of the Christian Testimonies of early AA pioneers (Clarence Snyder of Cleveland Ohio: Home Brewmeister) and replaced it with stories of unrepentant homosexuals: "Tightrope" **LINK

The question is "How did it happen" .

The website of " International Advisory Council of Homosexual Men & Women in AA) "
LINK gives us part of the answer to the sordid story. And it involves betrayal at the highest levels of Alcholics Anonymous.

Alcoholics Anonymous has a tradition (Traditon 10) which states:

"Alcoholics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence,the AA name ought never be drawn into public controversy"

And the traditon served AA well for the first 40 years of its existence. There were no officially designated "Gay" meetings during that time. However, as society itself began to deteriorate and begin to be more accepting of perversion, AA began to reflect this change. Homosexual activists began clamoring for official acceptance within AA. But they had to get around the traditon to do it. The General Services Office of Alcoholics Anonymous was all too willing to help.

Gay Activists wrote a pamphlet entitled "The Homosexual Alcoholic - A.A.'s Message of Hope to Gay Men and Women." They also published a meeting list: " Meetings for Gay Recovering Alcoholics". Neither of these publications were authorized AA publications. It was sort of an underground AA.

Now let me quote from Nancy T., Arlington the homosexual activist largely responsible compiling the gay meeting list:

" I made contact with the General Services Office, and sent them copies of the pamphlet and directories. The GSO folks were very kind. Although neither the pamphlet nor the directory were Conference approved, those caring people in New York distributed the pieces of "literature" in response to requests for information from gay/lesbian Alcoholics and their friends and sponsors. They also referred people directly to me. This began a cooperative relationship between the community of gay and lesbian recovering alcoholics and the General Services Office that endures to this day through IAC. "

There you are from the mouth of the woman who did it. Alcoholics Anonymous General Serives Office promoting the homosexual agenda. Distributing non-conference approved literature and directories to the public in order to promote an outside issue: the acceptance of homosexuality in society.

The General Service Office went further. In 1980 homosexual activists were asked by the GSO staff to help plan two gay/lesbian workshops for the 1980 International AA Convention.

It could not have happened with the connivance and approval of General Service Office.Briefly, that is the story of the betrayal of Alcoholics Anonymous by those trusted servants sworn to have no opinon on outside issues.And we can be pretty sure they didnt get the idea from their study of the Good Book.

Bill Wilsons letter to Dr Jung

2006-11-02T09:38:00.000-08:00

The Devil and Alcoholics Anonymous

Bill W.'s letter to Dr. JungSwiss psychologist & psychiatristJan 23, 1961

(Mentioned on pages 26 & 27 of the Big Book)

My dear Dr. Jung:

This letter of great appreciation has been very long overdue. May I first introduce myself as Bill W., a co-founder of the Society of Alcoholics Anonymous. Though you have surely heard of us, I doubt if you are aware that a certain conversation you once had with one of your patients, a Mr. Rowland H., back in the early 1930's, did play a critical role in the founding of our Fellowship. Though Rowland H. has long since passed away, the recollections of his remarkable experience while under treatment by you has definitely become part of AA history. Our remembrance of Rowland H.'s statements about his experience with you is as follows: Having exhausted other means of recovery from his alcoholism, it was about 1931 that he became your patient. I believe he remained under your care for perhaps a year. His admiration for you was boundless, and he left you with a feeling of much confidence. To his great consternation, he soon relapsed into intoxication. Certain that you were his "court of last resort," he again returned to your care. Then followed the conversation between you that was to become the first link in the chain of events that led to the founding of Alcoholics Anonymous. My recollection of his account of that conversation is this: First of all, you frankly told him of his hopelessness, so far as any further medical or psychiatric treatment might be concerned. This candid and humble statement of yours was beyond doubt the first foundation stone upon which our Society has since been built. Coming from you, one he so trusted and admired, the impact upon him was immense. When he then asked you if there was any other hope, you told him that there might be, provided he could become the subject of a spiritual or religious experience - in short, a genuine conversion. You pointed out how such an experience, if brought about, might remotivate him when nothing else could. But you did caution, though, that while such experiences had sometimes brought recovery to alcoholics, they were, nevertheless, comparatively rare. You recommended that he place himself in a religious atmosphere and hope for the best. This I believe was the substance of your advice. Shortly thereafter, Mr. Rowland H. joined the Oxford Groups, an evangelical movement then at the height of its success in Europe, and one with which you are doubtless familiar. You will remember their large emphasis upon the principles of self-survey, confession, restitution, and the giving of oneself in service to others. They strongly stressed meditation and prayer. In these surroundings, Rowland H. did find a conversion experience that released him for the time being from his compulsion to drink. Returning to New York, he became very active with the "O.G." here, then led by an Episcopal clergyman, Dr. Samuel Shoemaker. Dr. Shoemaker had been one of the founders of that movement, and his was a powerful personality that carried immense sincerity and conviction. At this time (1932-34) the Oxford Groups had already sobered a number of alcoholics, and Rowland, feeling that he could especially identify with these sufferers, addressed himself to the help of still others. One of these chanced to be an old schoolmate of mine, Edwin T. ("Ebby"). He had been threatened with commitment to an institution, but Mr. H. and another ex-alcoholic "O.G." member procured his parole and helped to bring about his sobriety. Meanwhile, I had run the course of alcoholism and was threatened with commitment myself. Fortunately I had fallen under the care of a physician - a Dr. William D. Silkworth - who was wonderfully capable of understanding alcoholics. But just as you had given up on Rowland, so had he given me up. It was his theory that alcoholism had two components - an obsession that compelled the sufferer to drink against his will (NOTE THE DRINKING AGAINST THE WILL HERE: Ed.) and interest, and some sort of metabolism difficulty which he then called an allergy. The alcoholic's compulsion guaranteed that the alcoholic's drinking would go on, and the allergy made sure that the sufferer would finally deteriorate, go insane, or die. Though I had been one of the few he had thought it possible to help, he was finally obliged to tell me of my hopelessness; I, too, would have to be locked up. To me, this was a shattering blow. Just as Rowland had been made ready for his conversion experience by you, so had my wonderful friend, Dr. Silkworth, prepared me. Hearing of my plight, my friend Edwin T. came to see me at my home where I was drinking. By then, it was November 1934. I had long marked my friend Edwin for a hopeless case. Yet there he was in a very evident state of "release" which could by no means accounted for by his mere association for a very short time with the Oxford Groups. Yet this obvious state of release, as distinguished from the usual depression, was tremendously convincing. Because he was a kindred sufferer, he could unquestionably communicate with me at great depth. I knew at once I must find an experience like his, or die. Again I returned to Dr. Silkworth's care where I could be once more sobered and so gain a clearer view of my friend's experience of release, and of Rowland H.'s approach to him. Clear once more of alcohol, I found myself terribly depressed. This seemed to be caused by my inability to gain the slightest faith. Edwin T. again visited me and repeated the simple Oxford Groups' formulas. Soon after he left me I became even more depressed. In utter despair I cried out, "If there be a God, will He show Himself." There immediately came to me an illumination of enormous impact and dimension, something which I have since tried to describe in the book "Alcoholics Anonymous" and in "AA Comes of Age", basic texts which I am sending you. My release from the alcohol obsession was immediate. At once I knew I was a free man. Shortly following my experience, my friend Edwin came to the hospital, bringing me a copy of William James' "Varieties of Religious Experience". This book gave me the realization that most conversion experiences, whatever their variety, do have a common denominator of ego collapse at depth. The individual faces an impossible dilemma. In my case the dilemma had been created by my compulsive drinking and the deep feeling of hopelessness had been vastly deepened by my doctor. It was deepened still more by my alcoholic friend when he acquainted me with your verdict of hopelessness respecting Rowland H. In the wake of my spiritual experience there came a vision of a society of alcoholics, each identifying with and transmitting his experience to the next - chain style. If each sufferer were to carry the news of the scientific hopelessness of alcoholism to each new prospect, he might be able to lay every newcomer wide open to a transforming spiritual experience. This concept proved to be the foundation of such success as Alcoholics Anonymous has since achieved. This has made conversion experiences - nearly every variety reported by James - available on an almost wholesale basis. Our sustained recoveries over the last quarter century number about 300,000. In America and through the world there are today 8,000 AA groups. So to you, to Dr. Shoemaker of the Oxford Groups, to William James, and to my own physician, Dr. Silkworth, we of AA owe this tremendous benefaction. As you will now clearly see, This astonishing chain of events actually started long ago in your consulting room, and it was directly founded upon your own humility and deep perception. Very many thoughtful AAs are students of your writings. Because of your conviction that man is something more than intellect, emotion, and two dollars worth of chemicals, you have especially endeared yourself to us. How our Society grew, developed its Traditions for unity, and structured its functioning will be seen in the texts and pamphlet material that I am sending you. You will also be interested to learn that in addition to the "spiritual experience, "many AAs report a great variety of psychic phenomena, the cumulative weight of which is very considerable. Other members have - following their recovery in AA - been much helped by your practitioners. A few have been intrigued by the "I Ching" and your remarkable introduction to that work. Please be certain that your place in the affection, and in the history of the Fellowship, is like no other.

Gratefully yours,
William G. W.Co-founder Alcoholics Anonymous

***************************************************************************
Reply by Dr. Jung to Bill W.Jan. 30, 1961
Mr. William G. Wilson
Alcoholics Anonymous
Box 459 Grand Central Station
New York, 17, N.Y.

Dear Mr. Wilson

Your letter has been very welcome indeed.I had no news from Roland H. anymore and often wondered what has been his fate. Our conversation which he has adequately reported to you had an aspect of which he did not know. The reason that I could not tell him everything was that those days I had to be exceedingly careful of what I said. I had found out that I misunderstood in every possible way. Thus I was very careful when I talked to Roland H. But what I really thought about, was the result of many experiences with men of his kind.His craving for alcohol was the equivalent on a low level of the spiritual thirst of our being for wholeness, expressed in mediaeval language: the union with God. 1)How could one formulate such an insight in a language that is not misunderstood in our days?The only right and legitimate way to such an experience is, that it happens to you in reality and it can only happen to you when you walk on a path, which leads you to higher understanding. You might be led to that goal by an act of grace or through a personal and honest contact with friends, or though a higher education of the mind beyond the confines of mere rationalism. I see from your letter that Roland H. has chosen the second way, which was, under the circumstances, obviously the best one.I am strongly convinced that the evil principle prevailing in this world, lends the unrecognized spiritual need into perdition, if it is not counteracted either by a real religious insight or by the protective wall of human community. An ordinary man, not protected by an action from above and isolated in society cannot resist the power or evil, which is called very aptly the Devil. But the use of such words arouse so many mistakes that one can only keep aloof from them as much as possible.These are the reasons why I could not give a full and sufficient explanation to Roland H. but I am risking it with you because I conclude from your very decent and honest letter, that you have acquired a point of view above the misleading platitudes, one usually hears about alcoholism.You see, Alcohol in Latin is "spiritus" and you use the same word for the highest religious experience as well as for the most depraving poison. The helpful formula therefore is: spiritus contra spiritum.

Thanking you again for your kind letter

I remain yours sincerely

Carl Jung

1)"As the heart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God." ( Psalm 42,1)

***********************************************************************************Then,of course, there is Bill Wilsons oblique reference to the devil in his story in the Big Book:

“If there was a Devil,he seemed the Boss Universal, and he certainly had me.”

Over the years I have heard some interesting things in Alcoholics Anonymous. One time I heard a man describe his experience on an airplane after years of sobriety. He said as he sat in the plane the stewardess came down the aisle with drinks in her hand. All of a sudden he was seized with a raging, irresistible impule and craving to drink. He said he called out to God and after a few moments the craving passed. His conclusion was “ I think Im possessed”. Anecdotal for sure, but what other evidence could you expect if we are dealing with an invisible, unmeasureable spirit?

GSO says sharing Christian experiences violates AA principles

2006-11-01T09:18:00.000-08:00

Links to the letter sent to me by General Service Office of Alcoholics Anonymous

Page 1

Page 2

Unfortunately, the letter does not explain why the First editon of the
Big Book has specific Christian testimonies. Perhaps this is one of the
reasons AAWS considers the First Editon of the Big Book "dangerous"

Christian Testimonies deleted from Big Book

2006-10-21T20:55:00.000-07:00

If you are a member of Alcoholics Anonymous, there is a good chance the only AA literature you know about is the Big Book, 3rd and 4th editions.

The following story appreared in the original Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous.

SMILE WITH ME, AT ME
(by Harold Sears from Brooklyn, N.Y.)

AT THE age of eighteen I finished high school and during my last year there my studies were dropping away to be replaced by dancing, going out nights, and thinking of a good time as most of the boys of my age did. I secured a job with a well known telegraph company which lasted about a year, due to the fact I thought I was too clever for a $7.00 a week job which did not supply me with enough money for my pleasures, such as taking girls out, etc. I was not at all satisfied with my small wages.

Now, I was a very good violinist at the time and was offered jobs with some well known orchestras, but my parents objected to my being a professional musician although my last year in high school was mostly spent playing for dances and giving exhibition dances at most of the fraternity affairs. Now naturally I was far from satisfied with my seven dollars a week wages, so when I came across a boy neighbor of mine on the subway one night (by the way I read in the newspaper that this same boy died four days ago) he told me he was a host in a celebrated Restaurant and Cabaret, and that his salary ran $14.0 per week and he made $50.00 a week in tips. Well, think of being paid for dancing with the carefree ladies of the afternoon and receiving all that sum, and me working for only $7.00 per. The following day I went straight uptown to Broadway and never did go back to my old job.

This was the beginning of a long stretch of high-flying as I thought, only to find out when I was forty-one years old to be very low-flying. I worked in this restaurant until I was twenty-one, then we went into the world war. I joined the navy. My enlistment pleased the owner of my cabaret so much that he offered me a good job at the end of my federal service.

The day I walked in to his establishment with my release from active duty, he said, "You are my assistant manager from now on." Well, this pleased me as you can imagine and my hat from then on would not fit.

Now, all this time my taste for liquor was constantly growing although it was no habit and I had no craving. In other words, if I had a date and wanted a drink with the girl friend I would, otherwise I would not think of it at all.

In six months time I found I was too good for this job and a competitive restaurateur, or a chain of the best well-known night clubs offered me a better position which I accepted. This night life was starting to tell and show its marks and together with the slump in that sort of business at the time, I decided to apply for a job with a well known ballet master who drilled many choruses for Broadway shows.

I was this man's assistant and I really had to work very hard for the little money I received, sometimes twelve hours or more a day, but I got the experience and honor which was just what I was looking for. This was one time when my work interfered with my drinking. This job came to an end one evening when I was drinking quite heavily. A certain prominent actress inquired of Professor X, my boss, if I would be interested to sign an eighty week contract for a vaudeville tour. It seems she could use me as a partner in her act. Now, a very nice woman, Miss J. who was office clerk and pianist for the boss, overheard the conversation and told both Mr. X and Miss Z that I would not be interested.

On hearing this I went out and drank enough to cause plenty of trouble, slapping Miss J. and doing an all round drunk act in the studio.

This was the end of my high-flying among the white lights. I was only twenty-four years old and I came home to settle down; in fact I had to. I was broke both financially and in spirit.

Being a radio operator in the navy, I became interested in amateur radio. I got a federal license and made a transmitting radio set and would often sit up half the night trying to reach out all over the country. Broadcasting radio was just in its infancy then, so I began to make small receiving sets for my friends and neighbors. Finally I worked up quite a business and opened a store, then two stores, with eleven people working for me.

Now here is where Old Barleycorn showed his hidden strength. I found that in order to have a paying business I had to make friends, not the kind I was used to, but ordinary, sane, hard working people. In order to do this I should not drink, but I found that I could not stop.

I will never forget the first time I realized this. Every Saturday, my wife and I would go to some tavern. I would take a bottle of wine, gin, or the like, and we would spend an evening dancing, drinking, etc. (This was fourteen years ago.)

I was practically a pioneer in the radio business and that must account for people putting up with me as they did. However, within three years time I had lost both stores, I won't say entirely due to my drinking, but at least if I had been physically and mentally fit, I could have survived and kept a small business going.

Now from this time up to about a year ago, I drifted from one job to another. I peddled brushes, did odd jobs such as painting, and finally got established with a well known piano company as assistant service manager.

Then came the big crash of 1929 and this particular company abolished their radio department. For two years I worked for one of my old competitors who owned a radio store. He put up with my drinking until I was in such a physical breakdown that I had to quit.

All this time my troubles at home were getting worse. My whole family blamed my failure on the alcoholic question and so the usual arguments would start the instant I came in the house. This naturally made me go out and drink some more. If I had no money, I would borrow, beg, or even steal enough for a bottle.

My wife fortunately went to business which was our only salvation. Our little boy was six years old at the time and due to the fact we needed someone to care for him during the day we moved in with my family. Now the trouble did start, because I not only had my wife to face every evening, but three of the elders of the family.

My wife did everything for me she possibly could. First she got in touch with a well known psychiatrist and I went faithfully to him for a few months. This particular doctor was such a nervous individual, I thought he had the St. Vitus' dance and I really thought he needed some kind of treatment more than I did. He advised hospitalization from three months to a year.

Well, this was all out of order as far as I was concerned. In the first place I had an idea that my wife wanted to put me away in a state institution where maybe I would be stuck for the rest of my life. In the second place, I wanted to go, if anywhere, to a private institution and that was far beyond our financial means. In the third place, I knew that that would be no cure, because I reasoned that it would be like taking candy out of a young child's reach. The instant I would come out a free man I would go right back to old Alky again. In this one thing I found out later I was perfectly right.

What I thought and wanted at the time was "not to want to want to take a drink." This phrase is a very important link in my story. I knew this could only be done by myself, but how could I accomplish it? Well, this was the main question.

The point was always that when I did drink, I wanted all the time not to, and that alone wasn't enough. At the time I felt like a drink, I did not want to take it at all, but I had to, it seemed. So if you can grasp what I mean, I wished I would not want that drink. Am I nuts, or do you get me?

To get back to the doctor. If anything, these visits made me worse, and worst of all, everyone told me I wanted to drink and that was all there was to that. After going to as many as six or eight other doctors, some of my own friends advised my wife to make her plans for the future as I was a hopeless case, had no backbone, no will power, and would end up in the gutter.

Well, here I was, a man with much ability, a violinist, a radio engineer, a ballet master, and at this point took up hair dressing, so that added one more to the list. Can you beat it? I knew there must be some way out of all this mess. Everyone told me to stop my drinking, but none could tell me how, until I met a friend and believe me he turned out to be a true friend, something I never had until this past year.

One morning, after one of my escapades, my wife informed me I was to go with her to a public hospital or she would pack up and leave with our boy. My father, being a physician for forty years, put me in a private New York hospital. I was there ten days and was put in physical shape, and above everything else put on the right path to recovery and happiness.

My friend first asked me if I really wanted to stop drinking, and if I did, would I do anything no matter what it was in order to? I knew there was only one thing left to do if I wished to live and not enter an insane asylum where I knew I would eventually wind up.

Making up my mind that I would, he said, "Fine." And went on to explain the simple steps to take. After spending an hour or two with me that day he returned two days later and went into the subject more thoroughly. He explained he had been in the same hospital with the same malady and after taking these steps after his discharge, had not taken a drink in three years and also there were about sixty others that had this same experience. All these fellows got together on Sunday evenings and brought their wives and everybody spent a very pleasant time together.

Well, after I met all these people, I was more than surprised to find a very interesting, sociable, and friendly crowd. They seemed to take more interest in me than all of my old fraternity brothers or Broadway pals had ever done.

There were no dues or expenses whatsoever. I went along for about fourteen weeks, partly keeping these ideas, and so one afternoon I thought it would do no harm to take a couple of drinks and no more. Saying to myself, "I have this thing in hand now, I can be a moderate drinker." Here I made a fatal mistake. After all my past experience, again I thought I could handle the situation only to find out one week later it was the same old thing. I repeated the same thing over again and another week again.

Finally I was back at the hospital, although I went under protest. My wife had expected to take two weeks vacation in the country with me, but instead had to use this money for the hospital expenses. During my one week stay, I held this as a grudge against her. The result was I got drunk three days after I was discharged from the hospital. And she left me for two weeks. During this period of time I drank heavily, being upset not only over her absence, but perfectly at sea as to how I could ever get back on my feet and make a new start again.

There was no mistake about it there was something that I failed to do in those simple steps. So I carefully went over each day as best I could since my first drink after the fourteen weeks of sobriety, and found I had slipped away from quite a few of some of the most important things which I should do in order to keep sober.

Certainly I was down now - ashamed to face my new friends - my own family giving me up as lost and everyone saying, "The system didn't work, did it?"

This last remark was more than too much for me. Why should this fellowship of hard working fellows be jeopardized by me? It worked for them. As a matter of fact, not one who has kept faithfully to it has ever slipped.

One morning, after a sleepless night worrying over what I could do to straighten myself out, I went to my room alone - took my Bible in hand and asked Him, the One Power, that I might open to a good place to read - and I read. "For I delight in the law of God after the inward man. But I see a different law in my members, warring against the law of my mind and bringing me into captivity under the law of sin which is in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me out of the body of this death?"

That was enough for me - I started to understand. Here were the words of Paul a great teacher. What then if I had slipped? Now, I could understand.

From that day I gave, still give and always will give time everyday to read the word of God and let Him do all the caring. Who am I to try to run myself or anyone else?

searchable online big book

2006-10-17T16:16:00.000-07:00

Here is a link to an online searchable Big Book. You might find it useful. By providing the link, it is not an endorsement of all the ideas in the Big Book.

LINK

Especially, watch out for idea that "Alcoholism" is a disease. It isn't and never was.

googleb6e63780fd6759fc.html

2006-10-15T21:29:00.000-07:00

googleb6e63780fd6759fc.html

The Useful Lie

2006-10-15T21:24:00.000-07:00

Over the last 30 years, I have read a lot of books on recovery. All the AA books and literature, the NA basic text, Stanton Peeles books, Herbert Finagerette book on "Heavy Drinking", as well as Dick B.'s books on AA history.

However, I think the best book I have read about alcoholism/addiction is a small booklet called "The Useful Lie" by William Playfair. It is a very simple clearly written book and almost without exception the information contained within it is true. Here is an excerpt from the book below as well as a link to it.

LINK

"So it is with the addiction recovery industry. I have no doubts about the sincere intentions and well-meaning efforts of many who work in this area. Most really do want to help the alcoholic and the drug addict and may sacrifice a great deal to do so. As it turns out, however, their efforts are seriously misguided.

Surprising as it may seem, the recovery industry, as a whole, is not helping, but actually hurting the people it is trying to help" excertpt from The Useful Lie by Willian Playfair ,M.D.

A good summary of modern AA by an AA member

2006-10-08T10:28:00.000-07:00

I couldnt have said it better myself.

***************************************************************************************************

LINK

The Code of Silence: Why does AA try hide it's origins?

On February 3rd, 1990 I attended my first AA meeting. I was not to
drink alcohol or do drugs from that day on, and I remain sober to this
day.

I was in my mid-twenties and had never been to any 12-step program in
my life. I was looking for help and just didn't know where to go. A
friend suggested I go and check out this meeting. He had told me these
people helped him with the same problems I described to him. I had no
idea what I was walking into. Little did I know it would be a blessing
and a curse.

Looking back, I guess it was the appearance of a bond within the group
that attracted me. The people seemed very close and loving towards one
another. As time went on, I attended the suggested 90 meetings in 90
days. I had made a fresh start in my life, and was achieving some
progress. My first six months were a time of awakening and radical
shifts in my life. I could sense a renewing of my mind and body.

I always love to poor myself into whatever I am doing in my life. I
wish to know all I can about whatever things I participate in, and AA
would be no different. I studied all the books and literature that were
available. This was the beginning of the end.

As I studied the available literature, I learned a great deal about the
founders and as well as the Christian history of AA. As I read and
learned, I would share this newfound info and its impact in meetings. I
had also met a woman in an Alano club and started dating her. I greatly
enjoyed learning and thinking again. My reasoning was simple--if the
founders of the program created it, they surely would reveal the goals
and secrets of this 12-step magic. The flowing opinions and rumors
roaming about were plentiful. So I studied and searched. During this
time, I had received a very intense lack of support from within the
fellowship. At times, I was warned that thinking could get me drunk.
This concept confused and angered me. Thinking was bad, wrong and
destructive? I quickly was forced to find a rebuttal for this attack. I
would reply, all thinking can't be bad; I think the 12-steps helped me,
so how can thought be bad?

At the same time, I was warned that a relationship with this woman
would most likely end in my return to the alcohol or drugs. It seemed I
was going against the grain and I just got started.

By this time, I had a year sober and was still moving on with my
reading and my relationship with my girlfriend. I had started reading
the Bible. I saw in some of the history texts that the founders read
the Bible often as a source of inspiration. So why shouldn't I read it?
I had never read it before, so I did. As time went on in my
relationship, my girlfriend and I talked a lot about spiritual issues.
Morality, honesty, dignity, willingness and commitment were always
spoken about with high regard in meetings. However, as I shared my
newfound source of inspiration--the Bible-- in the fellowship and
meetings, I was met with hostility. On one hand, members of the
fellowship would state whatever works, yet on the other hand many
seemed angry at what worked for me. I now felt unwelcome, and was often
challenged about my beliefs.

I took some college classes on philosophy, critical thinking and logic.
I found that I really enjoyed learning and expanding my mind. But this
opened Pandora's box as well. As time went on, and I began to utilize
my new thinking and logic skills, I began to hear many self-defeating
notions coming from within the fellowship. I was also the butt of much
anger.

One man, who once helped me at my beginning of sobriety, now angrily
attacked my way of thinking and spiritual foundation. The irony was
that I had merely adopted the same Christian foundation as the
founders. It was simple; God was the source for sobriety and change.

My girlfriend and I were getting closer and talked a lot about the
insanity within the fellowship. Things such as doorknobs, the group and
anything could be "termed" God. I was in love and happy with my life.
When I did spend time around the fellowship, I saw that my lack of
attendance of meetings was met with skepticism. I had a good job and
was busy with school. Time was a rare commodity. Yet it was even
suggested to me that I would drink again if my meeting attendance were
kept so low. This confused me, for I was happy, in love, working and
learning. I never stopped sharing hope with newly sober people and
those in need of help. My girlfriend and I helped people whenever we
could.

The longer I was sober and the more I listened, the more I saw that the
fellowship had this groupthink type mentality. I no longer was stating
meaningless phrases. I was giving thought to what I said.

I had stumbled onto a copy of the original manuscript of the Big Book
and studied that. Since I was on the board of directors of this Alano
club I frequented, I suggested that we print and distribute this
manuscript, which was very direct and was not watered down. It also was
not edited as the current edition was. My position was that we should
have any literature for sale at our private club that might enhance
knowledge and understanding of our fellowship. We agreed to think it
over and meet the following week. Much to my surprise, when we met that
following week, four representatives from AAWS (Alcoholics Anonymous
World Services) corporate headquarters were there to speak. My
girlfriend was downstairs and waited patiently.

This wasn't happening, this couldn't be happening. Right before my eyes
these representatives were suggesting this information was harmful and
not to be distributed. In logic, we call this form of argument ad
misericordian. They were appealing to the sympathy of the newcomer to
the board. I was still in shock that these trusted servants would
attend a private meeting at a private club and use their status as a
means to accomplish their task.

The other board members quickly were subdued by the assumed
authoritative positions. But I was not. This was a private club under
its own bylaws and private charter. This group of representatives had
no authority in matters dealing with the activities and actions of this
club. Nonetheless, before my eyes, they molded the minds of the members
using fear of outcast from AAWS.

After the meeting, I confronted the group and told them they were in
violation of their own traditions. After we debated some issues, when
their arguments no longer held up, they asked me if I would consider
becoming a representative. They said they needed people like me. To
this day, I find this amusing.

At the same time all this conflict was going on, my relationship with
my girlfriend was having some troubles. It seemed as if my world in AA
was crashing down. I didn't have the desire to drink or use drugs; this
was the furthest thing from my mind. But I started to see things I
never had before. I started to see friends move from one woman to the
next within the same circle of friends. It seemed very odd to me that
they didn't sense a conflict on interest, that no one seemed to mind.
In fact, this behavior was widely accepted amongst the group. It was
type of "wife swapping" in a new way. One of my mentors termed it a
form of "incest". This made sense to me, considering that relationships
with people outside of this group were almost nonexistent. My
girlfriend even commented on this immorality from time to time.

At one point, I saw myself as an outsider. I didn't think like the
group, I didn't act like the group and I didn't share in the
group-philosophy. It seemed everything they held as sacred was spoken
from within the group itself. The literature contradicted what I was
seeing and hearing in the fellowship. The only conclusion I was left
with was that the fellowship was something other than what the
literature spoke about. In my mind, there was no doubt this was a rumor
driven fellowship, ignorant of its foundation. When I realized this,
all hell broke loose.

I could no longer deny the fact that the more time I had under my belt
sober, the more I saw unhealthy behavior and reasoning amongst my
peers. I saw the notion of being powerless taken to the extreme. The
claim that meetings were important was only coming from within the
meetings. Types of circular reasoning based on superstition ran
rampant. A radical anti-intellectual theme coupled with moral silence
filled the fellowship. There was this silent agreement amongst the
group, raised to an eerie level. No matter what the conduct of a
member, no one ever spoke up. At four years sober, reality met me face
to face.

In my relationship with my girlfriend I also noticed odds things
happening. It wasn't until I started asking leading questions to others
in the group that I came to the truth. We had troubles, but I assumed
nothing abnormal or out of the ordinary for couples. But I learned she
had engaged in two affairs with two men from the group. These two men
not only were regular members of this group, but I knew them on a first
name basis. This was not fatal in and of itself, what made matters
worse was the fact that specific members knew this behavior was going
on and said nothing to me. It was all placed under the notion It's none
of my business. I also saw her being lovingly accepted as a good
outstanding member of the group because she was an alcoholic. This is
the great moral code of silence in the groups today.

The news of these affairs were painful, but I did not drink over it.
But, while I sought compassion, all I received was concern about my
possible return to alcohol, an assumption that I was incapable of
feeling pain without drinking or using drugs. This was nothing short of
mere lunacy.

It is commonplace in meetings to hear about how someone did a wrong,
yet were celebrated because they didn't drink after doing that wrong.
The phrase still angers me today: But I didn't drink. The I didn't
drink over it mindset was applauded when my x-girlfriend shared about
her emotional turmoil. The true irony was that she induced her own
turmoil and was applauded for her abstinence.

I wish to assure you I have no anger towards AA or the fellowship; I
write out of concern for those engulfed in the 12-step subculture. In
all of my study and historical readings I have found one common theme.
Early AA was about bringing you back to society and living life, not
about creating a subculture and cult-like mentality to dwell in. So
even today you will find some within AA that deny its current trends.
It is akin to a civil war. No one seems to care. No one is listening.
The 75k yearly incomes of AAWS representatives, the contradictory
logic, the ignorance of history, the immorality, the self-defeating
notions of God and the control superstition has on them is meaningless
in the feeling-dominated culture they have created. They feel good and
that's all that matters. The goal is to feel good at any cost,
regardless of the reasoning and ramifications. Some in the fellowship
truly believe without the fellowship or meetings they will not survive.
Strange how it hasn't dawned on any of them that they heard that in a
meeting or from the fellowship itself.

May God bless and help those who are seeking recovery to become
healthy, moral and productive citizens once again.

Anonymous

Author's note: You are welcome to do as you wish with my article (that
includes gso.org). It is a gift. We should never run from truth, but
embrace it. If I can ever help an alcoholic, I will. This includes
dignity, truth and honor.

Quote of the day

2006-09-18T18:55:00.000-07:00

Ive had to temporarily disable anyone from posting comments on my recovery site. Apparently, someone is irate that I would challenge the accepted beliefs and is posting rude comments. I will enable it some other time.

"Almost everything that the American public believes to be the scientific truth about alcoholism is false.The facts are an open secret.That is, they are quite familiar to scientists and leading researchers in a variety of fields who read the major journals and books addressed to professionals. Indeed, the relevant scientific literature spans several decades of research that roundly contradicts the popular beliefs and suggests an entirely new perspective on alcoholism and heavy drinking.And yet the public-including many counselors and paraprofessionals working in treatment centers-remains in the dark, still holding, and encouraged to hold, beliefs that are 40 years out of date" --- Heavy Drinking BY Herbert Fingarette, PHD

Quote of the day

2006-06-09T11:02:00.000-07:00

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you
But make allowance for their doubting too,
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream--and not make dreams your master,
If you can think--and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings--nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much,
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And--which is more--you'll be a Man, my son!

--Rudyard Kipling

Compassion for Patrick Kennedy

2006-05-05T16:14:00.000-07:00

I sat down and started to write this piece, and then looked on the blogosphere. Remember when you were a kid and you piled on somebody. It felt a little like that.

************************************************************************
Ok, I admit it. I’ve been busted for being driving under the influence before. It happened January 8, 1969. But before I tell you what happened lets look at how Patrick Kennedy was treated.

“The Hill” reported the following:.

“According to two knowledgeable sources, two sergeants responded to the accident, and after reviewing the incident with the watch commander, dismissed the rank-and-file officers.The responding officers were not permitted to investigate the accident or conduct a field-sobriety test.The sergeants then drove Kennedy home.”

LINK

Well, that’s not so unusual is it? After all , many thousand of American are arrested for drunk driving every year. That’s how they are all treated, isn’t it?

I do have to admit that the fact that there is a difference between Kennedys Signature at the time of his traffic stop

Link

and Kennedy’s Normal Signature on a Congessional Document

link

But, hey,lets not make to big a deal of that. He had just been traumautized in an auto accident.

***********************************************************************

And then I stopped writing. The sarcasm didn’t feel right. I remembered Rush Limbaughs pain pill addiction I remember George Bush being stopped for “driving under he influence” years ago.I rembered my own 14 year struggle with addiction.

Im as Conservative as anyone but do we have to politicize everything?

I think Kennedy ought to resign as a Congressman. But I don’t think hes the only one. Im sure theres a few Repubicans who have more than a few too many sometimes, and some secret pill popers. We don’t need drunks or pill addicts as Congressman.
Hey, how about drug testing for Congressman? I like it!

But I also think we can have a little compassion for someone with addiction problems. Some of the political stuff going around is just downright cruel.

Http://Christianrecovery.blogspot.com

Letter from a Catholic Exorcist

2006-04-30T18:42:00.000-07:00

Letter from a Catholic Exorcist

The following letter was sent to me by the Late Father Malachai Maritn
shortly before his death. Dr. Martin was an advisor to several Popes.
The letter speaks for itself. Sooner or later we are going to have to
face up to facts that we are dealing with Demonic forces. Is it any
wonder that drug/alcohol treatment programs are ineffective when they
dont even know what we are dealing with?

Ephesians 6:12 (King James Version)

12For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against
principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of
this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.Here is the
complete letter sent to me in 1997 by Father Malachai Martin.

*********************************************************************************

Dear Ted:

Thank you for your most kind letter of December 24th. Im glad you were
able to listen to me on the Art Bell program. Please forgive my delay
in replying. But since the publication of my novel, Windswept House, I
have been kept busy with TV and radio shows. As a result, my volume of
mail has considerably increased.Yes, as I mentioned on Art Bell,
possession can occur as a result of drug or alcohol addiction. It opens
a doorway into the soul. The will becomes extremely weak due to its
desire for a drink or drug. This weakness and compulsion for addictive
chemicals allows evil spirits an avenue by which they may enter a
person. This process may begin subtly,even gradually. As the disease of
alcoholism and addiction progresses so too does the evil spirit
strengthen its foothold in the unfortunate's soul. If you suspect
your girlfriend is plagued by demonic forces, I always tell Catholics
they must first contact the Bishop of their diocese and thus have him
investigate the case. Authority must at all times be followed. This is
mandatory in cases of exorcism and I adhere to these principles myself.
If you cannot find a bishop to cooperate then I suggest your girlfriend
say the prayer of St.Micheal the Archangel. It is a very powerful
prayer. Also, have her invoke the most Precious Blood of Jesus Christ
in times of trial and temptation. The Son of God died for her-he died
for you and me-He will never fail her.In the meantime, know that I
shall keep the two of in my Daily Masses and prayers. I ask that you
pray for me as well as I once again take up the pen to continue work on
my upcoming boo. And please, be at peace. Our God is merciful God of
Love. He will look after you.God Bless you Always,Malachai B. Martin

*******************************************************************
Saint Micheal Prayer

Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in our day of battle. Be our
protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God
rebuke him, we humbly pray. And do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly
Hosts, thrust into Hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl
through the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

************************************************************************************
Not to long ago, I e-mailed a copy of this letter to Mel B. Mel B. is
an AA with over 50 years of sobriety. He is also the author of several
AA books including " My search for Bill W". Mel is proof there are some
decent AA's out there. Mels response to this letter was the following:

Hi Ted,Thank you for your email and for sharing the letter from Father
Martin. I see that Malachi is a different Father Martin than the
popular one that speaks around AA and has the Ashley program in
Maryland.I like this letter and will keep it to share with one of my
priest friends in the program who is also quite a Catholic scholar.
There is no doubt that a practicing alcoholic seems to be under the
grip of the Devil. As Bill Wilson wrote, if there is a Devil, he sure
had me. And Carl Jung, in his 1961 letter to Bill, even thought the
Devil was an apt description of the demonic force that holds us.My
priest friend says that an appeal to St. Anthony will help us find lost
items. I am not a Catholic, so I simply say, "Come on, Tony, get with
it and help me find this stuff!"All the best,Mel BargerMel B. has a
website at:

www.walkindryplaces.com

Rush Limbaugh arrested

2006-04-29T11:26:00.000-07:00

Its all over the news with all the pundits saying Rush got a special deal. Some are saying its because he is "white", others are saying its because he is "rich". Lets discuss a few facts.

I like Rush. However, I lost a lot of respect for him due to his drug addiction. However as one who has been there, Im not going to condemn him.

Anyone who has ever been involved in the American Justice system knows the following. The more money you have, the more likely you are going to get a better result.OJ Simpson wasnt white but he had a lot of money. And does anybody doubt that he got a better result because of his ability to afford high priced attorneys?

So yes, your pocketbook does matter when you get caught up in the justice system.

However,here is one overlooked fact in the Limbaugh case. As far as I can determine his housekeepe, Wilma Kline, was never charged with anything. Yet she admitted selling drugs to him over a long period of time. Why wasnt she charged with anything?

Could it be because she wasnt a popular conservative talk show host?

Inquiring minds want to know.

AA teaching and The Bible

2006-04-27T19:57:00.000-07:00

From the AA General Service Office website:

Fundamentally, alcoholism is a health problem - a physical and
emotional DISEASE - rather than a question of too little willpower or
of moral weakness. Just as there is no point blaming the victim of
diabetes for a lack of willpower in becoming ill, it is useless to
charge the problem drinker with responsibility for the illness or to
regard such drinking as a vice.

Truth from Holy Scripture

1 Corinthians 6:10 (New International Version)
10nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

From the AA GSO Website

“In A.A. today, I know sober leather fans, transvestites, and members of every other sexual group there is. But the only important thing here is that we are all human beings, all alcoholics, and all in A.A. together.”

Truth from Holy Scripture

1 Cor 6:9 "Or do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals"

So who is telling you the truth? The Holy Scriptures that have been passed down for over 2000 years written by prophets of God. Or some unknown drunks and employees of GSO.

There is an irreconcilable conflict between The Holy Scriptures and teaching of AA.
Guess which one is wrong?

.

Quote of the day

2006-04-22T17:52:00.000-07:00

"At any given moment there is an orthodoxy, a body of ideas which it is
assumed all right-thinking people will accept without question. It is
not exactly forbidden to state this or that or the other, but it is
'not done'... Anyone who challenges the prevailing orthodoxy finds
himself silenced with surprising effectiveness." ---George Orwell

The Passion of the Christian

2006-04-14T17:22:00.000-07:00

I never heard it said better:

LINK

The Junkie next door

2006-04-11T18:18:00.000-07:00

I watched A&E's "The Junkie next door" this afternoon. I have to say that A&E is doing a service in showing the sadness and tragedy of the "junkie" lifestyle. I've also watched their interventtion series which does the same with addicts and alcoholics.

However, I have not yet seen one person on the A&E series who has an understanding of Addiction or Alcoholism. They have no idea what causes it and they have no idea what the solution is.

Today's show focused on methadone, and Naltrexone as treatments (Stupid treatments by the way). There was absolutely no discusssion of what causes addiction. The closest they came was when they mentioned that 70% of the women using heroin had been sexually abused as youngsters.

They also threw out the statistic that 75% of addicts relapse within 1 year. That is the state of the current treatment in America today.

You would think that after 30 years of being off heroin somebody might be inclined to listen to what I have to say on the subject. After all. Im doing what they say few are able to do. But the fact is hardly anybody listens to me.

The program today ended with a mother of a heroin addict saying that her support group tells her not to blame herself. Shes says its hard.

The truth of the matter is that if you have a kid on drugs, it is your fault. But of course its not acceptable to say that. Read "Hate: The root of Addiction" on this website if you want to understand what I mean when I say that.

Oh well, maybe someone will wander by and believe I know what Im talking about.

Welcome to my blog

2006-04-09T07:42:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my BlogI don’t know how you got here, but unless it was by mistake then you have some interest in addiction to alcohol and drugs. This site is dedicated to helping those who really want a solution to their problem.So if you have a problem with drugs or alcohol (or have a family member who does) then you are in the right place. There is a lot of confusion and misinformation out there and I hope I can help you sort through it and perhaps save you some heartache. Who am I? I am just a person who was addicted to alcohol and drugs for 14 years. I got clean and sober in 1976 which is 30 years ago. I had one slip in 1982 when I got drunk during the breakup of my marriage. That was 23 years ago.I have been in various “treatment programs”. I was twice committed to the California Rehabilitation Center in Norco where the State of California sends drug addicts. I was twice in the Long Term Family program at Tarzana California ( a Synanon Clone Program). When I was in Tarzana they told me I was so sick they didn’t know if they could help me or not. I am also a long time participant in both Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous.I have outlived some of the substance abuse counselors who counseled me and who died of drug overdoses themselves.The sad truth is that we live in the dark ages of alcohol/addiction treatment.Contrary to what most Americans believe, addiction to alcohol or drugs is not a disease.I hope you will read this site with an open mind. If you do and follow some of the tips and the links provided, then it may be that your life will be forever changed for the better.And that is my prayer and purpose.God BlessTed W.PS: If you have tried to subscribe to my site via bloget, it has come to my attention that it isnt working. Im trying to resolve the issue with them. In the meantime, you can subscribe via bloglines and there is a link to them down at the very bottom of this page on the right. Or you can just visit frequently which is what some people do.

If you are seeking help,let me stress the following. There is some insight here but you should follow the top 2 or 3 links I have provided to recieve help. Or e-mail me and I will make some specific recommendations for you. There is no charge.

Conversation with an Alanon Member

2006-03-24T09:38:00.000-08:00

Well, not a conversation really but an e-mail exchange with a friend of
mine who is an Alanon member. This friend also happens to attend a
Church I have gone to in the past. Here is the e-mail exchange (slightly edited) and you can see what a more enlightened Alanon member has to say about Anonymous meetings and Alanon in private.

**********************************************************************

Alanon Member: :
I was in a recent debate with a lady in Alanon about the the alcoholic
having a disease idea, but once I could see she was un-able to grasp my
point of view, I backed off and let go rather than push her further in
to her un-reasonable point of view. I've noticed that IF I argue its
too much ego, my opponent will harden their heart against me just
because they sense my pride is to involved in trying to prove I'm
right.

My response:
Once a person falls for a false idea its hard to get them to see
they've been had. You become the bad guy if you tell them the truth. My ex-wife is the same way about her recent PSI seminar class. She doesn't want to see
shes been had.

Same way with AA by the way. Try telling them they dont have a
"disease" which is the Truth, and you will become the bad guy.

I understand what your saying thoug. . You cant push Truth on people
willfully. But realize all the people that believe that "disease" stuff
are asleep, in a trance. .No matter how many rosey things they may say
about God.

If you run into someone like that again, you might refer them to my
website. I have written quite a bit about it.

It is threatening to people involved in AA and Alanon to be told that
Alcoholism is not a disease. It is a major teaching of those programs.
Once a person has accepted the false belief that Alcoholism is a
disease it is very hard to get them to see other wise. There are so
many secular voices in our society agreeing with them, treatment
centers, etc. as well as all the members of their local groups that
they believe it just HAS to be right.

Questioning that idea is threatening to their whole world. If they were
to think Alcoholism is not a disease then it leads to many other
questions. Like what is it if it isnt a disease?. They would have to
see that all the experts at their meetings are wrong, and that all the
literature they have proclaiming it a disease is wrong. They would
eventually see that their loved one who has alcoholism (or themself)
has a very profound spiritual problem. (to put it delicately) l.They
would have to see that their programs dont really help people that they
just addict them to meetings.

I havent known a lot of Alanon people.But if you think most AA's dont
believe they have a "disease" you are wrong. Almost all of them do with
a few rare exceptions. Ask any AA person you know if they have a
disease and they will tell you yes.And at meetings it is a constant
repetion about their disease. And yes it does matter.

I cant tell you how many times at meetings I have heard people say
something like this:

"I was glad to find out that I was not a bad person but that I had a
disease. Im not a bad person but a sick person getting well", Or words
to that effect. You see how they are?They are not sinners in need of
repentance.

A Pastor friend says it like this, " You cant be born again until you
realize your evil". So can you see how the belief that you have a
disease would get in the way of that? Our mutual Pastor Friend says it
this way "if you believe your drinking is a disease that your
finished (spiritually). .

Also isnt one of the character flaws of human beings believing lies?
So the AA's that believe it are disconnected from reality, hypnotized.
The Alanons that believe it are disconnected from reality also.There is
no such thng as a disease of Alcoholism. Its just lies. I wrote the
following article about this subject:

Why Alcoholism and Addiction are not diseases

I am a long time member (20+ years of sobriety) of Alcoholics Anonymous
And Narcotics Anonymous. I have read all the AA and NA approved
literature regarding these addictions being a disease. Most members of
Anonymous programs are indoctrinated with the idea they have a disease
almost from the start. Considering the lost confused state they are in
,it is no wonder most accept the idea uncritically. It is also true
that most drinkers and drug addicts do not believe they have a disease
when they are using. But is this idea true? And is it helpful or
harmful. Their have been books written on this subject , most notably
"The Useful Lie" by William Playfair which is worth reading. The truth
of the matter is that there is no scientific proof that addictions are
a disease, although many assert that there is. Stanton Peel (author of
Diseasing of America ) has reviewed most of the scientific evidence and
it is clear to the objective observer there is no scientific proof that
addictions are diseases. The purpose of this short essay is not to
argue the point and it is recommended the sincere seeker read Peeles
work if he wants to review the so-called evidence. Belief in a lie can
effect behavior. If a person truly believes he has a disease which
triggers an allergy then he may indeed not drink or use drugs. It is
also true if a person is hypnotized into believing he is a Rooster, he
will crow like a Rooster. Why is this idea so appealing? First of all,
the alcoholic/addict does not know what is wrong with him and this is
an explanation. It is also appealing to the Alcoholic because most
alcoholics/and addicts have done terrible things. The idea of having a
disease is appealing. I have on occasion heard people in meetings say
they were relieved to "find out" they had a disease and that they
were "sick" people not bad people. It is easier for a proud, wrong
person to admit there is something wrong with his body than admit there
is something wrong with his soul. And that is what is wrong with the
disease concept. The alcoholic/addict is a sinner in need of
repentance. He needs to see his prideful, resentful,angry, disobedient
sinful nature, and feel the attendant pain. This Godly pain is what the
scripture refers to in the beatitudes "Blessed are they that mourn, for
they shall be comforted". Belief in a lie does not save, Belief in the
truth does. Think of it, the entire "treatment"industry in the United
States is based on a lie.

Ye shall know the Truth, and the Truth shall set you free-Jesus
Christ.Copyright-
*****************************************************************8
Alaonon Member :
:
That was a good article, and it's a shame that so many people believe
that nonsense, but I'm curious about something. As long as people are
keeping the focus on the fact that they have some serious character
flaws they need to look at, do you really think being in the dark about
the disease issue really matters?
The reason I ask this question is because I don't hear any AA or Alanon
people saying that since they are suffering from a disease, they are no
longer going to try and overcome their character flaws.

********************************
My response:
I was thinking about this some more today. Its very simple. You have to
realize your evil to be born again. You cant realize your evil as long
as you buy into this disease nonsense. I would say 95% at least of AA's
buy into it. And I think most Alanons buy into it also.

Alanon Member:

That makes sense, and I like the way you put that. Keep in mind that I
don't buy the disease concept, but let me say this. Suppose your in AA
or Alanon, and you buy in to all of the disease nonsense, but at the
same time you seek Gods help to address all those unhealthy ways about
you self, like your anger, your impatience, your lack of concern for
others, etc. Even if your ignorant about the real nature of the
addiction, your can still be growing, so while I am disapointed to see
the disease nonsense being preached, at least the program does address
some of what gets between us and the Lord, so I think the program is
helping a lot of people.
I know that for my self the program seems to be a positive thing,
and it seems to complement the things I haver learned at Church from my
Pastor. , but I do see your point, and any one who chooses to hold on
to "it's not my fault I'm an alcoholic", would seem to be in
disagreement with some of the very principles behind the 12 step
programs.
Here is the really crazy part, why does AA even use the 12 steps if
they really believe alcoholism is a disease? A disease can't be treated
by following moral guidlines if it were really a disease, To me the
word disease implys that it's a physical problem.

My response:
I think AA can be a stage of the journey for some people until they
find a really good spiritual teacher. Of course, there probably is that
rare individual who does find God on their own.
Unfortunately, good spiritual tearchers are rare and hard to find. .
Some AA's do eventually drift into the churches.But in many ways the
modern churches tend to be as lost as AA

The program has some postitive aspects but I dont think the people
there are finding salvation. When someone really begins to wake up they
are not too welcome at AA( if f they are outspoken. And how could you
wake up and not be outspoken?) Try speaking up at an Alanon meeting
that you dont believe its a disease and see how well received that is.

What AA seems to do is change "surface behaviour" .. But that is
definetly not the same as finding salvation.

And there are more problems than you think. AA is totally accepting of
homosexuality as are most AA's. The new 4th edition of The Big Book of
AA contains the story of an unrepentant gay activist Alcoholic. Thats a
very liberal and very wicked position.

Most AA's believe that alcoholism is a physical problem. Its not, but
they have been hypnotized by AA literature and constant repetition at
meetings to believe it is. I have never yet met one AA who accepted
this false belief and then later realized it wasnt true. There must be
one somewhere but I can tell you they are very rare.

I dont think AA helps people as much as you do

Alanon Member:

I agree with what your saying, and if it were not for being able to
connect with others in the program who I share some of the same core
values with, I would not bother going to the meetings any more. What I
like doing more than anything in these groups is just talking to others
from my own heart, and being able to connect in a way that is not so
superficial.

My response:

I have no problem with that. But it seems superficial to me that the
truth or lack thereof of the "disease concept" cant be discussed.

*************************************************************************************************
At that point the discussion about Alanon, AA, and the "disease
concept" ended.

The Spirit of God Dwells in the Heart of Man

2006-03-19T02:32:00.000-08:00

LInkThe entire booklet is at this link

A Guide to True Peace

Introduction (As taken from first two pages of Part I)

This little book was written to nourish the spiritual life. Evidently it succeeded in its purpose, for it passed through at least twelve editions and reprintings from 1813 to 1877. Compiled anonymously by two Quakers, William Backhouse and James Janson, from the writings of three great mystics of a century earlier, Fenelon, Guyon, and Molinos, it was widely used as a devotional book by members of the Society of Friends. Always printed in pocket size, it was constantly ready at hand to plead for "a species of prayer which may be exercised at all times, a lamp continually lighted before the throne of God."

In this new edition, A Guide to True Peace makes a timely reappearance. It was first issued at the dawn of the industrial age when man was learning how to control nature through scientific knowledge. And now, just when that effort seems close to complete success, we stand bewildered in the midst of the ruin we ourselves have created. Many are beginning to doubt whether the meaning and goal of life can be found through power over the world around us, but they know not where else to turn.

A Guide to True Peace diagnoses our trouble and points out the remedy. It tells us that we are in trouble because, in learning how to control nature, we have neglected to learn how to control ourselves. We must look within, not without, for the meaning and goal of life. In the depths of our being we shall find an inner sanctuary where there is true peace, where all desire for selfish exercise of power is overcome by unselfish love, where the Divine Presence is known by direct immediate glance of the soul.

This solution will seem too simple to intellectuals and too inadequate to activists, the two groups that dominate our age. The intellectual seeks an answer in some system of philosophy or theology or some scheme of social or political reform. But our Guide does not encourage us to seek ultimate Truth solely by thinking. "Man may indeed open the window, but it is the Sun himself that must give the light." This Sun is "the Way, the Truth and the Life" whose Light shines into our souls if we but open the window of prayer. All progress in prayer is a progress in simplicity, and so the highest form of prayer is not a mental act nor an upsurge of feeling but the direct perception of the Divine Presence.

But how, the activist will ask, can we heal a sick world when we are advised to "retire from all outward objects and silence all desires in the profound silence of the whole soul?" The answer is that there is no peace without until there is peace within. A man who is inwardly disordered will infect all about him with his inner disorder. John Wollman, a New Jersey tailor of the eighteenth century, followed without reservation the type of religion portrayed in Guide to True Peace, yet he was one of the world’s greatest social reformers. When he went about persuading the Quakers, a hundred years before the Civil War, to give up their slaves, he did not say much about suffering and injustice. He simply pointed out to the slaveholders that they felt no inner peace. The history of the Society of Friends shows that almost always this search for inner peace is the dynamic of Quaker pioneering in social reform. True peace comes, not by inaction but in letting God act through us.

The Guide to True Peace is compiled principally from the Short Method of Prayer of Madame Guyon, the Maxims of the Saints of Fenelon, and the Spiritual Guide of Molinos. The writers of these three mystical classics were the outstanding figures in that seventeenth century movement in France and Italy nicknamed Quietism because of its teaching that God is known only through the prayer of inward silence when all human thought and feeling is quieted. This movement had strong influence on the Society of Friends whose teachings were closely akin. Jeanne de la Motte Guyon’s dramatic and tragic life (1648-1717) is vividly described in her autobiography. Fenelon (1651-1715), Archbishop of Cambrai and preceptor to the grandson of Louis XIV, was her friend and convert. Miguel de Molinos (1640-1697) was a Spanish priest who came to Rome where he secured the support of the Pope and a large following. All three, after a period of favor, were condemned and persecuted by the Roman Church.

The present printing of the Guide to True Peace is taken from the 1839 edition published in Philadelphia.

PREFACE (also from inside book)

"They who worship the Father, must worship him in Spirit and in Truth." Now the object of this work is to explain, in a simple and familiar manner, how this only true worship can be acceptably performed, and inward, spiritual prayer rightly attained. Few authors have written with greater clearness thereon than those from whose works this little volume has been chiefly compiled; they, therefore, have been preferred: at the same time, it has been thought necessary to simplify, and render more intelligible, some of their terms, in order that they may be more generally understood.

Whilst some, into whose hands this little treatise may fall, may receive it as a messenger of glad tidings, there will, doubtless, be others, who may not feel disposed to place much dependence on the simple manner here pointed out, of drawing near to their Creator; let such, however, not judge according to the appearance; but, laying aside all reasoning thereon, in humility and simplicity make trial of it, and feel for themselves, whether what is herein stated will not prove to be something more than an empty dream of imagination, or a cunningly devised fable. And, if they do this in sincerity of heart, they will soon have to acknowledge, to their great consolation, that these are indeed substantial, efficacious, and incontrovertible truths; and that this is the true way to become purified from our many defilements, to be instructed in heavenly mysteries, to taste of the wine of the kingdom, and to partake of that bread which nourishes up unto everlasting life.

1: THE SPIRIT OF GOD

DWELLS IN THE HEART OF MAN

It is certain from Scripture, that the Spirit of God dwells within us, that a "manifestation of this Spirit is given to us to profit withal," and that this is "the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world." This is the grace of God, which bringeth salvation, and which hath appeared unto all men; teaching us, that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world. But we make too little account of this internal Teacher, which is the soul of our soul, and by which only we are able to form good thoughts and desires. God ceases not to reprove us for evil, and to influence us to that which is good; but the noises of the world without, and of our own passions within, deafen us, and hinder us from hearing him.

We must retire from all outward objects, and silence all the desires and wandering imaginations of the mind; that in this profound silence of the whole soul, we may hearken to the ineffable voice of the Divine Teacher. We must listen with an attentive ear; for it is a still, small voice. It is not indeed a voice uttered in words as when a man speaks to his friend; but it is a perception infused by the secret operations and influences of the Divine Spirit, insinuating to us obedience, patience, meekness, humility, and all the other Christian virtues, in a language perfectly intelligible to the attentive soul. But how seldom is it that the soul keeps itself silent enough for God to speak! The murmurs of our vain desires, and our self-love, disturb all of the teachings of the Divine Spirit. Ought we then to be surprised, if so many persons, apparently devout, but too full of their own wisdom, and confidence in their own virtues, are not able to hear it; and that they look upon this internal word as the chimers of fanatics? Alas! What is it they aim at with their vain reasoning? The external word, even of the gospel, would be but an empty sound without this living and fruitful Word in the interior, to interpret and open it to the understanding.

Christ saith, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock —if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in unto him, and sup with him and he with me." His knocks are the monitions of his Spirit; which touch us, and operate in us. And to attend to these monitions and follow them, is to open unto him.

He speaks in impenitent sinners; but these, engrossed in the eager pursuit of worldly pleasures, and the gratification of their evil passions, are not able to hear him. His word with them passes for a fable. But woe to those who receive their consolation in this life. The time will come when their vain joys shall be confounded.

He speaks in sinners who are in the way of conversion: these feel the remorses of their conscience, and these remorses are the voice of the Spirit, which upbraids them inwardly with their vices. When they are truly touched, they have no difficulty to comprehend the secret voice, for it is this that so pierces them to the quick. It is that two-edged sword within them, of which Paul speaks, which goes even to the dividing of soul from itself: "The word of God is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword; piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow; and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."

He speaks in persons enlightened, learned, and whose life, outwardly regular, seems adorned with many virtues; but often these persons, full of themselves, and of their knowledge, give too much ear to themselves to listen to his teachings. God who seeks only to communicate himself, finds no place (so to speak) where to introduce himself into these souls that are so full of themselves, and so over-fed with their own wisdom and virtues. He hides his secrets from the wise and prudent, and reveals them to the low and simple; Jesus said, "I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth! Because thou has hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes." It is with the humble and childlike that he delights to dwell, and to disclose to them his ineffable secrets. It is these who are more peculiarly qualified for receiving in a greater measure the gift of faith; for, being willing that the pride of Reason should be laid in the dust, they obstruct not the entrance of this gift of their vain arguments; but believe with simplicity and confidence.

2: ON FAITH

There are two sorts or degrees of faith: the first is that by which the mind gives its assent to the truth of a thing on the testimony of another; the second is of a more exalted nature, being of Divine origin, and is a gift of the Holy Spirit. By the first, we believe in the existence of God, and in the truths which he has revealed to us in the Holy Scriptures. It is an essential principle in the beginning of the spiritual path; for "he that cometh to God, must believe that he is God, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him." And if we put our whole trust in him, and endeavour in all things to obey him, we shall be in a state of preparation for the reception of that true and living faith which is "the gift of God."

It is only by this faith that we shall be enabled to overcome all our spiritual enemies, and clearly to understand those mysteries which are incomprehensible to human reason; for faith, being born of God, cannot err; reason, therefore, must follow and submit to faith, not go before and control it.

It is by faith that, "being justified, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." And when this precious gift has been granted to us, it produces in us hope, love, confidence, joy and holiness of heart. We shall then be enabled to feel an entire dependence on the goodness, power, justice, and mercy of God, and a confidence in his promises; as well as more fully to experience and comprehend the operations of his spirit on the mind.

Faith is an essential requisite for the proper performance of all our duties to the Supreme Being; indeed, without it we cannot possibly please him; neither should we ever be induced to seek him, or believe in the influence of his holy Spirit upon our souls. It is by faith that we are supported in our path to peace, and are enabled to persevere through the difficulties and besetments, which we may have to encounter on our way: it is through this holy principle that we suffer the pains of dryness, and want of consolation, without fainting; being thereby strengthened to "endure, as seeing him who is invisible." And it is only by faith that we can attain to the practice of true, inward, and spiritual prayer.

3: ON PRAYER

Prayer is an intercourse of the soul with God. It is not a work of the head but of the heart; which ought always to continue. It is the medium through which life and food are conveyed to the soul, and the channel through which the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit flow and are communicated. Every secret aspiration of the soul to God is prayer: all therefore are capable of prayer, and are called thereto, as all are capable of, and are called to salvation.

Paul hath enjoined us to "pray without ceasing;" and Jesus saith, "I say unto all, watch and pray." Come, then, all ye that are athirst, to these living waters; nor lose your precious moments in "hewing out cisterns that will hold no water." Come, ye famishing souls who find naught whereon to feed; come, and ye shall be fully satisfied. Come, ye poor afflicted ones, who groan beneath your load of wretchedness and pain, and ye shall find ease and comfort. Come, ye sick, to your Physician, and be not fearful of approaching him, because you are filled with diseases; expose them to his view, and they shall be healed.

Children draw near to your Father, and he will embrace you in the arms of love. Come, ye poor, stray, wandering sheep, return to your Shepherd. Come, ye who have been seeking happiness in worldly pleasures and pursuits, but have failed to find in them that satisfaction ye expected: come, and learn how to be truly happy here, and eternally happy hereafter. Come, sinners, to your Saviour. Come, ye dull, ignorant, and illiterate; ye who think yourselves the most incapable of prayer: ye are more peculiarly called and adapted thereto. Let all, without exception, come; for Christ hath called all. You must however learn a species of prayer which may be exercised at all times, which doth not obstruct outward employments, and which may be equally practised by all ranks and conditions of men; by the poor as well as the rich, by the illiterate as well as the learned. It cannot, therefore, be a prayer of the head, but of the heart. It is a species of prayer which nothing can interrupt but irregular and disorderly affections. And though you may think yourselves ever so dull, and incapable of sublime attainments, yet, by prayer the possession and enjoyment of God is easily obtained; for he is more desirous to give himself to us than we can be to receive him. Prayer is the guide to perfection, and the sovereign good; it delivers us from every vice, and obtains for us every virtue: for the one great means to become perfect is to walk in the presence of Infinite Purity. He himself has said, "Walk in my presence, and be thou perfect." It is only by prayer that we are brought into, and maintained in his presence; and when once we have fully known him, and the sweetness of his love, we shall find it impossible to relish any thing so much as himself.

4: ALL ARE CAPABLE OF ATTAINING

TO INWARD AND SPIRITUAL PRAYER

If all were solicitous to pursue the spiritual path, shepherds, while they watched their flocks, might have the spirit of the primitive Christians, and the husbandman at the plough maintain a blessed intercourse with his Creator; the manufacturer, while he exhausted his outward man with labour, would be renewed in internal strength; every species of vice would shortly disappear, and all mankind become true followers of the good Shepherd. Oh, when once the heart is gained, how easily is all moral evil corrected! It is for this reason, that God, above all things, requires the heart. It is the conquest of the heart alone, that can extirpate those dreadful vices which are so predominant amongst men; such as drunkenness, blasphemy, lewdness, envy, and theft. Christ would become the universal and peaceful Sovereign, and the hearts of all mankind would be wholly renewed.

The decay of internal piety is unquestionably the source of the various errors that have risen in the world; all of which would speedily be sapped and overthrown, were inward religion to be established. If, instead of engaging our wandering brethren in vain disputes, we could but teach them simply to believe, and diligently to pray, we should lead them sweetly unto God.

Oh, how inexpressibly great is the loss sustained by mankind, from the neglect of the interior!

Some excuse themselves by saying that this is a dangerous way; pleading the incapacity of simple persons to comprehend spiritual matters. But Isaiah saith, "The wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein." And where can be the danger of walking in the only true way, which is Christ? Of giving ourselves up to him, fixing our eye continually on him, placing all our confidence in his grace, and turning with all the strength of our souls to his pure love?

The simple, so far from being incapable of this perfection, are by their docility, innocency and humility, peculiarly adapted and qualified for its attainment; and as they are not accustomed to reasoning, they are less employed in speculations, less tenacious of their own opinions. Even from their want of learning, they submit more freely to the teachings of the Divine Spirit; whereas others, who are blinded by self-sufficiency, and enslaved by prejudice, give great resistance to the operations of Grace.

We are told in Scripture that, "unto the simple, God giveth understanding;" and we are also assured that he careth for them: "The Lord preserveth the simple." Christ said, "Suffer little children to come unto me, for of such is the kingdom of heaven.

The simple are incapable of reasoning; teach them therefore, the prayer of the heart, not of the head; the prayer of the Spirit, not of man's invention.

Alas! By wanting them to pray in elaborate forms, and to be curiously critical therein, we create their chief obstacles. The children have been led astray from the best of Fathers, by endeavouring to teach them too refined, too polished a language.

The simple and undisguised emotions of filial love are infinitely more expressive than the most studied language. The spirit of God needs none of our arrangements and methods: when it pleaseth him, he turns shepherds into prophets; and, so far from excluding any from the temple of prayer, he throws wide open the gates, that all may enter in; while "Wisdom crieth, ‘Who so is simple let him turn in hither; as for him that wanteth understanding,’ she saith to him, ‘Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled’."

To teach man to seek God in his heart, to think of him, to return to him whenever he finds he has wandered from him, and to do and suffer all things with a single eye to please him is the natural and ready process; it is leading the soul to the very source of Grace, wherein is to be found all that is necessary for sanctification.

O that all would at once put themselves into this way, that Christ’s kingdom might be established in their hearts! For as it is the heart alone that can oppose his sovereignty, it is by the subjection of the heart that his sovereignty is most highly exalted. And since none can attain this blessed state, save those whom God himself leads and places therein, we do not pretend to introduce any into it, but only to point out the shortest and safest road that leads to it: beseeching you not to be retarded in your progress by any external exercises; not to rest in the shadow instead of the substance. If the water of eternal life is shown to some thirsty souls, how inexpressibly cruel would it be, confining them to a round of external forms, to prevent their approaching it: so that their longing shall never be satisfied, but they shall perish with thirst!

O ye blind and foolish men, who pride yourselves on science, wisdom, wit and power! How well do you verify what God hath said, that his secrets are hidden from the wise and prudent, and revealed unto the little ones—the babes!

5: ON ATTAINING TO TRUE PRAYER

The sort of prayer to which we have alluded is that of inward silence; wherein the soul, abstracted from all outward things, in holy stillness, humble reverence, and lively faith, waits patiently to feel the Divine presence, and to receive the precious influence of the Holy Spirit. And when you retire for this purpose, which should be your frequent practice, you should consider yourselves as being placed in the Divine presence, looking with a single eye to him, resigning yourselves entirely into his hands, to receive from him whatsoever he may be pleased to dispense to you; calmly endeavouring, at the same time, to fix your minds in peace and silence; quitting all your own reasonings, and not willingly thinking on any thing, how good and how profitable soever it may appear to be. And should any vain thoughts present themselves, you should gently turn from them; and thus faithfully and patiently wait to feel the Divine presence.

If, while you are thus engaged, something of inward stillness, or a degree of the softening influence of the Divine Spirit, is mercifully granted you, you should prize these manifestations of the presence of God in your souls; and be carefully and reverently attentive thereto; being cautious, however, not to endeavour to increase them by your activity; for, by so doing, you will draw the mind off from that state of holy stillness and humble watchfulness, which you should be solicitous as much as possible to maintain: by fanning the flame there is danger of extinguishing it, and thus depriving the soul of that nourishment which was intended for it.

A lively sense of this presence will extricate us speedily from numberless mental wanderings, remove us far from external objects, and bring us nigh unto that Almighty Power, which is to be found in our inmost center; which is the temple wherein he dwelleth. And when we are thus fully turned inward, and warmly penetrated with a sense of his presence, we should in stillness and repose, with reverence, confidence, and love, suffer the blessed food of which we have tasted, to sink deep into the soul.

The prayer of inward silence is the easiest and most profitable path, because, with a simple view, or attention to God, the soul becomes like a humble supplicant before its Lord; or as a child that casts itself into the safe bosom of its mother. It is also the most secure, because it is abstracted from the operations of the imagination; which is often beguiled into extravagancies, and is easily bewildered and deceived; the soul being thereby deprived of its peace.

It will at first be difficult, from the habit the mind will have acquired of being always from home, roving hither and thither, and from subject to subject, to restrain it, and free it from those wanderings which are an impediment to prayer. Indeed those wanderings of the imagination, with which beginners are for some time tried, are permitted in order to prove their faith, exercise their patience, and to show them how little they can perform of themselves; as well as to teach them to depend upon an Almighty Power alone for strength to overcome all their difficulties; "for by (his own) strength shall no man prevail;" and if they place all their hope in him, and faithfully persevere, every obstacle will be gradually removed, and they will find that they will be enabled to approach him with facility, and that inward silence is not only attended with much less difficulty, but at times will be found to be easy, sweet, and delightful. They will know that this is the true way of finding God; and feel "his name to be as ointment poured forth."

And although we should at all times be very watchful and diligent in recalling our wandering thoughts, restraining them, as much as may be, in due subjection; yet a direct contest with them only serves to augment and irritate them; whereas, by calling to mind that we are in the Divine presence, and endeavouring to sink down under a sense and perception thereof, simply turning inwards, we wage insensibly a very advantageous, though indirect, war with them.

Those who have not learned to read are not, on that account, excluded from prayer; for the great Teacher who teacheth all things is Christ himself. They should learn this fundamental rule, that "the kingdom of God is within them;" and that there only it must be sought.

"The kingdom of God is within you," saith the blessed Jesus. Abandon, therefore, the cares and pleasures of this world, and turn to the Lord with the whole heart, and the soul shall find rest. If we withdraw our attention from outward things, and keep it fixed on the internal Teacher, endeavouring to obey him in whatsoever he may require of us, we will soon perceive the coming of the kingdom of God: for the kingdom of God is that "peace and joy in the Holy Ghost," which cannot be received by sensual and worldly men.

It is for want of inward retirement, and prayer, that our lives are so imperfect, and that we are neither penetrated nor warmed with the divine light of truth, Christ the light. We should therefore be in the daily practise of it; and there are none so much occupied, as not to be able to find a few moments of inward retirement. The less we practise silent prayer, the less desire we have for it; for our minds being set upon outward things, we contract at last such habit, that it is very hard to turn them inward.

"The Lord is in his holy temple, let all the earth keep silence before him." The silence of all our earthly thoughts and desires is absolutely indispensible, if we would hear the secret voice of the Divine Instructor.

Hearing is a sense formed to receive sounds, and is rather passive than active, admitting, but not communicating, sensation; and if we would hear, we must lend the ear for that purpose: so, Christ the Eternal Word, without whose divine inspeaking the soul is dead, dark, and barren, when he would speak within us, requires the most silent attention to his all-quickening and efficacious voice.

We should forget ourselves and all self-interest, and listen and be attentive to the inspeaking voice. Outward silence is very requisite for the cultivation and improvement of inward; and, indeed, it is impossible we should become internal, without the love and practice of outward silence and retirement.

And unquestionably our being thus internally engaged is wholly incompatible with being busied, and employed in the numerous trifles that surround us. When through inadvertency or unfaithfulness we become dissipated, or as it were uncentered, it is of immediate importance to turn again gently and peacefully inward; and thus we may learn to preserve the spirit and unction of prayer throughout the day: for if the prayer of inward silence were wholly confined to any appointed half-hour, or hour, we should reap but little fruit.

It is of greatest importance for the soul to go to prayer with confidence; and such a pure and disinterested love, as seeks nothing from the Father, but the ability to please him, and to do his will: for a child who only proportions his diligence to his hope of reward, renders himself unworthy of all reward. Go, then, to prayer, not that ye may enjoy spiritual delights, but that ye may be full or empty, just as it pleaseth God. This will preserve you in an evenness of spirit, either in desertion or in consolation, and will prevent your being surprised at dryness, or the apparent repulses of him who is altogether love.

Constant prayer is to keep the heart always right towards God. Strive then not to suffer your minds to be too much entangled with outward things, endeavouring to be totally resigned to the Divine Will; that God may do with you and yours according to his heavenly pleasure, relying on him as on a kind and loving father; and though you be taken up with your outward affairs, and your minds thereby prevented from being actually fixed on him, even then you will always carry a fire about you that will never go out; but which, on the contrary, will nourish a secret prayer, that will be like a lamp continually lighted before the throne of God.

A son who loves his father does not always think distinctly of him; many objects draw away his mind, but these never interrupt the filial love; whenever his father returns into his thoughts, he loves him, and he feels, in the very inmost of his heart, that he has never discontinued one moment to love him, though he has ceased to think of him. In this manner should we love our heavenly Father. It is by coming under the influence of the Divine Spirit that we are enabled to call God Father, and that we can indeed become his sons.

True religion is a heaven-born thing, it is an emanation of the truth and goodness of God upon the spirits of men, whereby they are formed into a similitude and likeness of himself, and become "partakers of the Divine nature." A true Christian is every way of a most noble extraction, of a heavenly and divine pedigree, being born, as John expresseth it, "from above." And in another place he saith, "Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God."

If considerations such as these are not sufficient to convince us of the folly of our attachment to perishing things, and to stimulate us to press after those which obtain for us such great and glorious privileges, we must, indeed, be sunk into a state of deep and deplorable insensibility; out of which, even "if one were to rise from the dead" for that purpose, it would be impossible to arouse us.

6: ON SPIRITUAL DRYNESS

No sooner shall we have given ourselves up to serve the Lord in this inward way, than he will begin to purify us and try our faith, in order to draw us nearer to himself. And, for this purpose, he will lead us through the paths of dryness and desertion; so that, when we endeavour to fix our minds in silence, in order to feel after our God, we will not experience the comfort and refreshment we expected; but, on the contrary, will be more than usually beset with a multitude of troublesome and importunate imaginations; insomuch, that we shall begin to think that we labour to no purpose, and that the prayer of internal silence is an attainment to which we need not aspire, seeing that our imagination is so ungovernable, and our minds so void of good. But this state of dryness is very profitable, if it be suffered with patience.

The Lord makes use of the veil of dryness, to the end we may not know what he is working in us, and so we may be humble; because, if we felt, and knew, what he was working in our souls, satisfaction and presumption would get in; we should imagine we were doing some good thing; and this self-complacency would prevent our spiritual advancement.

And, though in the prayer of mental stillness, we may feel ourselves to be in a dry and comfortless state, not being able to get rid of our troublesome thoughts, nor experience any light, consolation, or spiritual feeling, yet let us not be afflicted, nor desist from our undertaking; but resign ourselves at that time with vigour, and patiently persevere in that manner, our souls will be internally improved.

We need not believe that when we come from prayer in the same manner as we began it, without feeling ourselves profited thereby, that we have been toiling in vain. True prayer consists, not in enjoying the light, and having knowledge of spiritual things, but in enduring with patience, and persevering in faith and silence; believing that we are in the Lord’s presence, turning to him our hearts with tranquillity and simplicity of mind.

We must be aware that nature is always an enemy to the spirit; and that when she is deprived of sensible pleasures, she remains weak, melancholy, and full of irksomeness. Hence, from the uneasiness of thoughts, the lassitude of body, importunate sleep, and our inability to curb the senses, every one of which would follow its own pleasure, we will often feel impatient again to mingle in the concerns of time. Happy are we if we can persevere amidst this painful trial! Remember, that "they who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint."

The prayer of internal silence may be well typified by the wrestling, which the Scriptures say the patriarch Jacob had all night with God, until the day broke and he blessed him. Wherefore, the soul is to persevere, and wrestle with the difficulties that it will meet with in inward prayer without desisting, until the Sun of internal light begins to appear, and the Lord gives it his blessing.

If you go to prayer with the spirit and intention of praying, so long as you retract not that intention, although, through misery and frailty, your thoughts may wander, you will, nevertheless, pray in spirit and in truth. Almighty Power, in due time, will help you to overcome all your difficulties; and, when least you think, will give you holy purposes, and more effectual desires of serving him. Distrust not him, therefore, but only yourselves; and remember that, as the apostle saith, "He is the father of mercies, and God of all comforts." His comforts are sometimes withdrawn, but his mercy endureth forever. He hath deprived you of what was sweet and sensible in his grace, because you required to be humbled.

Be of good courage, then, and though it may seem to you that you toil without gaining much advantage, yet you must recollect we must plough and sow before we can reap; and if you persevere in faith and patience, you will reap an abundant reward for all your labours. Would you be so unreasonable as to expect to find without seeking; or for it to be opened to you, without your taking the pains to knock? As well might the husbandman expect to see his fields waving with grain, without his having been at the trouble to put the seed into the ground.

It is no hard matter to adhere to God while you are in the enjoyment of his comforts and consolations; but if you would prove your fidelity to him, you must be willing to follow him through the paths of dryness and desertion. The truth of a friend is not known while he is receiving favours and benefits from us; but if he remain faithful to us when we treat him with coldness and neglect, it will be proof of the sincerity of his attachment.

Though Almighty Goodness hath no other desire than to impart himself to those that love and seek him, yet he frequently conceals himself from us, that we may be roused from sloth, and induced to seek him with fidelity and love. But, with what abundant goodness doth he recompense our faithfulness! And how sweetly are these apparent withdrawings of himself succeeded by the consolations of his love! David saith, "I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And he hath put a new song in my mouth; even praise unto our God."

In seasons of the withdrawings of his presence, we are apt to believe that it will be a proof of our fidelity, and evince the ardour of our love, to seek him by an exertion of our own strength and activity; and that this exertion will induce him the more speedily to return. But this is not the right procedure when we are in this state: with patient resignation, with affection, and with reverential silence, we must wait the return of our beloved. Thus only we shall demonstrate that we seek nothing but himself, and his good pleasure; and not the selfish delights of our own sensations.

It is very common for us, when we feel the sweetness of the grace of God, to fancy that we love him; but it is only in the withdrawings of his presence that our love can be tried, and the measure of it known. It is at these seasons that we are convinced of the weakness and misery of our nature, and how incapable we are, of ourselves, to think or do any good. There are many who, when they experience meltings of heart, shedding of tears, and other sensible delights, imagine that they are the favourites of the Almighty, and that then they truly possess him; and so pass all their lives in seeking after those pleasurable sensations; but they should be cautious lest they deceive themselves, for these consolations, when they proceed from nature, and are occasioned by their own reflections, or self-admirings, hinder them from discerning the true light, or making one step towards perfection. You should therefore be attentive to distinguish those meltings of the affections from the operations which purely proceed from the Divine Spirit; leaving yourselves to be led forward by him, who will be your light in the midst of darkness and dryness.

It is of no small advantage, patiently to suffer the want of consolation, and the trouble and importunities of a wandering imagination: it is an offering and sacrifice. And as many times as you exercise yourselves, calmly to reject your vain thoughts, and peacefully to endure your dark and desolate state, so many crowns will the Lord set upon your heads.

It is of great importance that you endeavour, at all times, to keep your hearts in peace; that you may keep pure that temple of God. The way to keep it in peace is to enter into it by means of inward silence. When you see yourselves more sharply assaulted, retreat into that region of peace; and you will find a fortress that will enable you to triumph over all your enemies, visible and invisible, and over all their snares and temptations. Within your own soul resides divine aid, and sovereign succour. Retreat within it, and all will be quiet, secure, peaceable, and calm. Thus, by means of mental silence, which can only be attainted by divine help, you may look for tranquillity in tumult; solitude in company, light in darkness; forgetfulness in pressures; vigour in despondency; courage in fear; resistance in temptation; peace in war; and quiet in tribulation.

Allergic reactions to alcohol rare

2006-03-17T10:06:00.000-08:00

LINK

There are a large number of Americans who believe, falsely, that Alcoholism is a disease. It is an idea that has been popularized by AA. Americans are less aware of the nuances of this teaching within AA.

One of the basic teaching texts of AA is the book 12&12 written by Bill Wilson. Alcoholics Anonymous has step study meetings throughout the United States and the world where this idea is taught to people. Here is what the 12&12 teaches and what the majority of AA's believe:

Our spnosors pointed out our increasing sensitivity to alcohol---an allergy, they called it. First we were smitten by an insane urge that condemned us to go on drinking, and then by an allergy of the body that insured we would ultimately destroy ourselves in the process." -12&12 p.22

This idea is taught to this day. Considering the lost confused state people are in when they come to AA it is not surprising that many believe it.

What difference does it make?

It makes all the difference in the world.

Is the alcoholic a "sick" person or is he evil?

The person who sees he is evil can see his need for repentance and salvation. The person with an "allergy" cant.

The Myth of Alcoholism as a Disease

2006-03-16T13:52:00.000-08:00

LINK

The above is a link to a book review in Psychology Today by Lawrence Miller. The book under review is Heavy Drinking: The Myth of Alcoholism as a Disease.

I have to say that I have not yet read the book and I might not necessarily agree with the authors solution. But I am glad to see a voice being raised that Alcoholism is not a disease. Just imagine: almost the entire recovery industry is promoting a myth.Its one big hoax.

The Emperor has no clothes!!!

A sobering Truth

2006-03-14T08:45:00.000-08:00

In the past I have posted links to others spiritual awakenings that I feel could be helpful I have posted links to some of the Christian testimonies that were published in the First Edition of Alcoholics Anonymous, and later discarded by Bill Wilson who wanted to eradicate references to Christianity. Here is a link to La Shawn Barber's testimony which I think is powerful and well written. I'll put up some links to other testimonies as I come across them. If you have a personal testimony on how the Lord helped you with alcohol or drug addciton (or any addiction for that matter), and you would like to have it published here.Just e-mail it to me at tedw2@earthlink.net

Link to a sobering truth

Pinetree Crosses

2006-03-13T08:54:00.000-08:00

LINK

Sometimes words are not needed to explain something

AA and Lesbianism

2006-03-11T14:09:00.000-08:00

Many people outside of AA dont have an idea what goes on there. Many would be shocked to find out out that AA is approving of the homosexual lifestyle. Here is a quote.

"There is a place for me. I thought I was unique, different, that I had nowhere to turn in this world for help. But thanks to AA, I have found the way to a full and happy life"

Mary's words not mine. AA is totally accepting of the homosexual lifestyle. This poor women may be sober but there is no way on Gods green earth taht you can have a full and happy life being a Lesbian.

Shame on AA for not encouraging these people to give up their sinful lifestyle.

AA and Lesbianism

Hepatitis C -Silent Killer

2006-03-09T09:20:00.000-08:00

I thought I would post a little about Hepatitis C. Most people, even drug addicts, dont understand about it.

Hepatitis C is a virus similar to Aids which kills you slowly. It slowly eats away at your liver for years silently without symptoms. It is rampant among people who used IV drugs. You may have it and not know it. It is completely symptomless. Frequently it is a diagnosis which is missed by Doctors. They do not routinely test for it in the blood tests they do.You could also get from a blood transfusion if you had one prior to about 1989. The blood supply was not tested for it before then as there was no test.

Almost 30 years AFTER I stopped using drugs I was diagnosed with Hep C. I either got it through using drugs or possibly through a blood transfusion I got about 1978.

I walked around a long time undiagnosed with this silent killer.

I believe in Miracles but I also believe in using Doctors at times.

Current anti-viral drugs have about a 40-50% chance of effecting a cure.

I am scheduled to start anti-viral therapy today. Please keep me in your prayers that I will have a complete recovery.

And if you are a young person playing around with drugs you might let this be a lesson and a warning about what can happen if you start injecting drugs.

And if you ever used IV drugs, get tested before you end up losing your liver.

Here is a link to a site about Hep C LINK

Communism and Americas Drug problem.

2006-03-08T12:15:00.000-08:00

Here is some food for thought as to the origins of Americas extensive drug problem in the late 20th century. Im quite aware that all drug problems did not come about as a result of communist influence, but the evidence appears to be there that there was a chemical warfare being waged.

"By making drugs of various kinds readily available, by giving the teenager alcohol, by praising his wildness,by stimulating him with sex literature and advertising to him or her practices taught at the Sexpol, the psychopolitical operator cancreate the necessary attitude of chaos, idleness, and worthlessness that will be the matrix to give the teenager complete freedom everywhere-communism"

http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/7006/psychopolitics.html LINK

Also recommended is a book called Red Cocaine which details the efforts of communists to flood America with drugs. LINK

Homosexual Myths

2006-03-07T19:02:00.000-08:00

Homosexual Myths

I dont feel like writing everyday for this blog for a variety of reasons. Occasionally I will just put up some links to some articles I feel are worthwhile.

I am critical of Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous positions on homosexuality for good reason. Im often accused of being a "homophobe" or a "hater". Of course its not true but that doesn't stop some people from making the accusations.

The article discusses some of the more common myths about homosexuality.

On line Big Book Search; Searchable Big Book

2006-03-04T09:33:00.000-08:00

http://www.nokama.com/bigbook Searchable Big Book

http://www.healingresource.org/book.cgi?Display_Welcome Searchable Big Book

I thought I would put up links to an on line searchable Big Book. However, I want to add a few comments. Although I feel there is some value to the Big Book, I want to add the caution that it is not the Bible. There are some good things in it, but not all the ideas presented there are true. Where it conflicts with Scripture you can be sure it is the Big Book that is wrong.

And while Im on the subject of the Big Book, let me also put up a link to the First Edition of Alcoholics Anonymous. These are the stories of the AA pioneers.Later editions deleted many of the original Christian testimonies.

http://www.recovery.org/aa/bigbook/ww/stories1.html First Edition Personal Stories

Genetic twin studies of Alcholism flawed

2006-03-03T11:26:00.000-08:00

Many peoplesay that the genetics of alcoholism have been conclusively proved by "Twin Studies". Although I dont agree with Stanton Peele on everything he does a service by pointing out some truths about these studies Here is the link below. You will notice there is speculation the results were skewed by a "unique" definition of
alcoholism, and that other data fails to support the biological inheritance of alcoholism.

Proof that "Alcoholism" is genetic does not yet exist. People that say it
does do so because 1) they are possibly ignorant and bought into a something that isnt true or 2) they want to believe it regardless of how many facts are presented to them.

After all its easier to believe there is something wrong with your body rather than there is something wrong with your soul, isnt it?

http://www.peele.net/lib/genetics.html Genetics of Alcoholism

"Other data fail to support biological inheritance of alcoholism.
Gurling et al. (1981), when comparing MZ and DZ twins, found that the
nonidentical pairs showed a higher pairwise concordance rate for
alcohol dependence. This British group has also presented a
comprehensive critique of the twin and adoption studies (Murray et al.,
1983). Regarding Goodwin and his colleagues' (1973) seminal discovery
of an alcoholism inheritance among adoptees, Murray et al. noted that
the investigators' definition of alcoholism was unique, including a low
cutoff in the amount of consumption (daily drinking, with six or more
drinks consumed 2 or 3 times a month) combined with reported loss of
control. The definitions in Goodwin et al.'s study are crucial since
control adoptees (those without biological-alcoholic relatives) were
more often problem drinkers than were index adoptees (those with
biological-alcoholic relatives)--a finding which was reversed for
subjects identified as alcoholics. Murray et al. commented: "Could it
be that Goodwin's findings are simply an artifact produced by the
threshold for alcoholism accidentally dividing heavy drinkers in the
index and control groups unevenly?" (p. 42)."

What the Church has to learn from Alcoholics Anonymous

2006-02-18T09:54:00.000-08:00

Early AA was a good thing. Maybe not perfect but good
The following speech by the Reverend Sam Shoemaker gives insight into how AA was 50 years ago.

What the Church has to learn from Alcoholics Anonymous

"God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong . . ." I Corinthians 1:26
During the week-end of the Fourth of July last, I attended one of the most remarkable conventions I ever expect to attend. It was a gathering in 8t. Louis of about five thousand members of the movement called Alcoholics Anonymous. The occasion was the celebration of their twentieth anniversary, and the turning over freely and voluntarily of the management and destiny of that great movement by the founders and 'old-timers' to a board which represents the fellowship as a whole.
As I lived and moved among these men and women for three days, I was moved as I have seldom been moved in my life. It happens that I have watched the unfolding of this movement with more than usual interest, for its real founder and guiding spirit, Bill W., found his initial spiritual answer at Calvary Church in New York, when I was rector there, in 1935. Having met two men, unmistakable alcoholics, who had found release from their difficulty, he was moved to seek out the same answer for himself. But he went further. Being of a foraging and inquiring mind, he began to think there was some general law operating here, which could be made to work, not in two men's lives only, but in two thousand or two million. He set to work to find out what it was. He consulted psychiatrists, doctors, clergy and recovered alcoholics to discover what it was.
The first actual group was not in New York, but in Akron, Ohio. Bill was spending a week-end there in a hotel. The crowd was moving towards the bar. He was lonely and felt danger assailing him. He consulted the church-directory in the hotel lobby, and found the name of a local clergyman and his church. He called him on the telephone and said, "I am an alcoholic down here at the hotel. The going is a little hard just now. Have you anybody you think I might meet and talk to?" He gave him the name of a woman who belonged to one of the great tire-manufacturing families. He called her, she invited him out at once and said she had a man she wanted to have meet him. While he was on his way, she called Dr. Bob S. and his wife, Anne. Dr. Bob said he'd give her five minutes. He stayed five hours and told Bill, "You're the only man I’ve ever seen with the answer to alcoholism." They invited Bill over from the hotel to stay at their house. And there was begun, twenty years ago, the first actual Alcoholics Anonymous group.
The number of them now is beyond count. Some say there are 160,000 to 200,000 recovered alcoholics, but nobody knows how many extend beyond this into the fringes of the unknown. They say that each alcoholic holds within the orbit of his problem an average of fourteen persons who are affected by it. This means that conservatively two and a half million people's lives are different because of the existence of Alcoholics Anonymous. There is hardly a city or town or even hamlet now where you cannot find a group, strong and well-knit, or struggling in its infancy. Prof. Austin McCormick, of Berkeley, California, former Commissioner of Correction in the city of New York, who was also with us at the St. Louis Convention, said once in my hearing that AA may "prove to be one of the greatest movements of all time." That was years ago. Subsequently facts support his prophecy.
On the Sunday morning of the convention, I was asked to talk to them, together with Fr. Edward Dowling S. J., a wonderful Roman Catholic priest who has done notable service for AA in interpreting it to his people, and Dr. Jim S., a most remarkable colored physician of Washington, on the spiritual aspects of the AA program. They are very generous to non-alcoholics, but I should have preferred that it be a bona fide alcoholic that did the speaking.
In the course of what I said to them, I remarked that I thought it had been wise for AA to confine its activity to alcoholics. But, I added, "I think we may see an effect of AA on medicine, on psychiatry, on correction, on the ever-present problem of human nature; and not least on the Church. AA indirectly derived much of its inspiration from the Church. Now perhaps the time has come for the Church to be re-awakened and re-vitalized by those insights and practices found in AA."
I think some of you may be a little horrified at this suggestion. I fear you will be saying to yourself, "What have we, who have always been decent people, to learn from a lot of reconstructed drunks?" And perhaps you may thereby reveal to yourself how very far you are from the spirit of Christ and the Gospel, and how very much in need of precisely the kind of check-up that may come to us from AA. If I need a text for what I say to you, there is one ready to hand in I Corinthians 1:26, "... God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong." I need not remind you that there is a good deal of sarcasm in that verse; because it must be evident that anything God can use is neither foolish nor weak, and that if we consider ourselves wise and strong, we may need to go to school to those we have called foolish and weak.
The first thing I think the Church needs to learn from AA is that nobody gets anywhere till he re cognizes a clearly-defined need. These people do not come to AA to get made a little better. They do not come because the best people are doing it. They come because they are desperate. They are not ladies and gentlemen looking for a religion, they are utterly desperate men and women in search of redemption. Without what AA gives, death stares them in the face. With what AA gives them, there is life and hope. There are not a dozen ways, there are not two ways, there is one way; and they find it, or perish. AA's each and all have a definite, desperate need. They have the need, and they are ready to tell somebody what it is if they see the least chance that it can be met.
Is there anything as definite for you or me, who may happen not to be alcoholics? If there is, I am sure that it lies in the realm of our conscious withholding of the truth about ourselves from God and from one another, by pretending that we are already good Christians. Let me here quote a member of AA who has written a most amazing book: his name is Jerome Ellison, and the book is "Report to the Creator." In this (p. 210) he says, "The relief of being accepted can never be known by one who never thought himself unaccepted. I hear of 'good Christian men and women' belonging to 'fine old church families.' There were no good Christians in the first church, only sinners. Peter never let himself or his hearers forget his betrayal in the hour the cock crow. James, stung by the memory of his years of stubborn resistance, warned the church members: 'Confess your faults to one another.' That was before there were fine old church families. Today the last place where one can be candid about one's faults is in church. In a bar, yes, in a church, no. I know; I've tried both places." Let that sting you and me just as it should, and make us miserable with our church Pharisaism till we see it is just as definite and just as hideous as anybody's drunkenness can ever be, and a great deal more really dangerous.
The second thing the Church needs to learn from AA is that men are redeemed in a life-changing fellowship. AA does not expect to let anybody who comes in stay as he is. They know he is in need and must have help. They live for nothing else but to extend and keep extending that help. Like the Church, they did not begin in glorious Gothic structures, but in houses or caves in the earth,--wherever they could get a foot-hold, meet people, and gather. It never occurs to an AA that it is enough for him to sit down and polish his spiritual nails all by himself, or dust off his soul all by himself, or spend a couple of minutes praying each day all by himself. His soul gets kept in order by trying to help other people get their souls in order, with the help of God. At once a new person takes his place in this redeeming, life-changing fellowship. He may be changed today, and out working tomorrow--no long, senseless delays about giving away what he has got. He's ready to give the little he has the moment it comes to him. The fellowship that redeemed him will wither and die unless he and others like him get in and keep that fellowship moving and growing by reaching others. Recently I heard an AA say that he could stay away from his Veteran's meeting, his Legion, or his Church, and nobody would notice it. But if he stayed away from his AA meeting, his telephone would begin to ring the next day!
A. life-changing fellowship" sounds like a description of the Church. It is of the ideal Church. But the actual. Not one in a hundred is like this. The layman say this is the minister's job, and the ministers say it is the evangelist's job, and body finds a rationalized excuse for not doing what every Christian ought to be doing, i.e. bringing other people into the redeeming, life-changing fellowship.
The third thing the Church needs to learn from AA is the necessity for definite personal dealing with people. A.A.'s know all the stock excuses--- they've used them themselves and heard them a hundred times. All the blame put on someone else --my temperament; is different-- I've tried it and it doesn't work for me--I'm not really so bad, I just slip a little sometimes. They've heard them all, and know them for the rationalized pack of lies they are. They constitute, taken together, the .Gospel of Hell and Failure. I've heard them laboring with one another, .now patient as a mother, now savage as a prize-fighter, now careful in explanation, now pounding m a heavy personal challenge, but always knowing the desperate need and the sure answer..
Are we in the Church like that ? Have you ever been drastically dealt with by anybody? Have you ever dared to be drastic in love with anybody ? We are so official, so polite, so ready to accept ourselves and each other at face value. e. I went for years before ever I met a man that dared get at my real needs, create a situation in which I could be honest with him, and hold me to a specific Christian commitment and decision. One can find kindness and even good advice in the Church. That is not all men need. They need to be helped to face themselves as they really are. The AA people see themselves just as they are. I think many of us in the Church see ourselves as we should like to appear to others, not as we are before God. We need drastic personal dealing and challenge. Who is ready and trained to give it to us? How many of us have ever taken a 'fearless moral inventory' of ourselves, and dared make the depth of our need known to any other human being? This gets at the pride which is the hindrance and sticking-point for so many of us, and which, for most of us in the Church, has never even been recognized, let alone faced or dealt with.
The fourth thing the Church needs to learn from A. A. is the necessity for a real change of heart, a true conversion. As we come Sunday after Sunday, year after year, we are supposed to be in a process of transformation. Are we? The AA's are. At each meeting there are people seeking and in conscious need. Everybody m pulling for the people who speak, and looking for more insight and help. They are pushed by their need. They are pulled by the inspiration of others who are growing. They are a society of the "before and after" with a clear line between the old life and the new. This is not the difference between sinfulness and perfection, it is the difference between accepted wrong- doing and the genuine beginning of a new way of life.
How about us? Again I quote Jerome Ellison, in his report to God (page 205) :"... I began to see that many of the parishioners did not really want to find You, because finding You would change them from their habitual ways, and they did not endure the pain of change . . . For our churchman-like crimes of bland, impenetrable pose, I offer shame..." I suppose that the sheer visibility of the alcoholic problem creates a kind of enforced, honesty; but surely if we are exposed again and again to God, to Christ, to the Cross, there should be a breaking down of our pride and unwillingness to change. We should know by now that this unwillingness multiplied by thousands and tens of thousands, is what is the matter with the Church, and what keeps it from being what God means it to be on earth. The change must begin somewhere. We know it ought to begin in us.
One of the greatest things the Church should learn from AA is the need people have for an exposure to living Christian experience. In thousands of places, alcoholics (and others) can go and hear recovered alcoholics speak about their experiences and watch the process of new life and take place before their eyes. There you have it, the need and the answer to the need, right before your eyes. They say that their public relations are based, not on promotion, but on attraction. This attraction begins when you see people with problems like your own, hear them speaking freely of the answers they are finding, and realize that such honesty and such change is exactly what you need yourself.
No ordinary service of worship in the Church can possibly do this. We need to supplement what we do now by the establishment of informal companies where people who are spiritually seeking can see how faith takes hold in other lives, how the characteristically Christian experience comes to them. Some churches are doing this, but not nearly enough of them. One I know where on Sunday evenings laymen and women speak simply about what has happened to them spiritually: it is drawing many more by attraction. This needs to be multiplied by the tens of thousands, and the Church itself awakened.
As I looked out over that crowd of five thousand in Kiel Auditorium in St. Louis, I said to myself, "Would that the Church were like this----ordinary men and women with great need who have found a great Answer, and do not hesitate to make it known wherever they can--a trained army of enthusiastic, humble, human workers whose efforts make life a different thing for other people!"
Let us ask God to forgive our blindness and laziness and complacency, and through these re-made people to learn our need for honesty, for conversion, for fellowship and for honest witness

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Over 50 years later Alcoholic Anonymous has changed. Perhaps the following article should be entitled:

What AA has to learn from the Church

Early AA was a good thing. As Dr.Bob (one of the co-founders of AA) said in his last major address to AA's:

"It wasnt until 1938 that the teachings and efforts and studies that had been going on were crystallized in the form of the 12 steps.....We already had the basic ideas....We got them, as I said , as a result of our study of the Good Book"

How then did AA, a program with Christian Roots, evolve into a program that has Gay AA meeting and Gay AA Roundups ( www.gayalcoholics.com). Indeed, the new (and improved?) 4th Edition of Alcoholics Anonymous has further deleted some of the Christian Testimonies of early AA pioneers (Clarence Snyder of Cleveland Ohio: Home Brewmeister) and replaced it with stories of unrepentant homosexuals: "Tightrope" **

The question is "How did it happen" .

The website of " International Advisory Council of Homosexual Men & Women in AA) " gives us part of the answer to the sordid story. And it involves betrayal at the highest levels of Alcholics Anonymous.

Alcoholics Anonymous has a tradition (Traditon 10) which states:

"Alcoholics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence,the AA name ought never be drawn into public controversy"

And the traditon served AA well for the first 40 years of its existence. There were no officially designated "Gay" meetings during that time. However, as society itself began to deteriorate and begin to be more accepting of perversion, AA began to reflect this change. Homosexual activists began clamoring for official acceptance within AA. But they had to get around the traditon to do it. The General Services Office of Alcoholics Anonymous was all too willing to help.

Gay Activists wrote a pamphlet entitled "The Homosexual Alcoholic - A.A.'s Message of Hope to Gay Men and Women." They also published a meeting list: " Meetings for Gay Recovering Alcoholics". Neither of these publications were authorized AA publications. It was sort of an underground AA.

Now let me quote from Nancy T., Arlington the homosexual activist largely responsible compiling the gay meeting list:

" I made contact with the General Services Office, and sent them copies of the pamphlet and directories. The GSO folks were very kind. Although neither the pamphlet nor the directory were Conference approved, those caring people in New York distributed the pieces of "literature" in response to requests for information from gay/lesbian Alcoholics and their friends and sponsors. They also referred people directly to me. This began a cooperative relationship between the community of gay and lesbian recovering alcoholics and the General Services Office that endures to this day through IAC. "

There you are from the mouth of the woman who did it. Alcoholics Anonymous General Serives Office promoting the homosexual agenda. Distributing non-conference approved literature and directories to the public in order to promote an outside issue: the acceptance of homosexuality in society.

The General Service Office went further. In 1980 homosexual activists were asked by the GSO staff to help plan two gay/lesbian workshops for the 1980 International AA Convention.

It could not have happened with the connivance and approval of General Service Office.Briefly, that is the story of the betrayal of Alcoholics Anonymous by those trusted servants sworn to have no opinon on outside issues.And we can be pretty sure they didnt get the idea from their study of the Good Book.

Copyright(c)Christianrecovery.blogspot.com 2005

Has Alcoholics Anonymous Lost its way?

2006-02-15T14:58:00.000-08:00

HAS ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS LOST ITS WAY?

I have been a member of Alcoholics Anonymous for 29 years. AA has become a worldwide and an American Institution. Treatment centers throughout the United States tout the 12 steps and Christian Churches in the USA provide meeting places for Alcoholics Anonymous. It is not polite to criticize AA. But countless American depend on AA and its teachings, so it is legitimate to ask “Has AA lost its Way ? ” I say it has.Its not that there is anything wrong with the 12 steps. AA’s founder, Bill Wilson, rightly said that the principles of the 12 steps came from the bible. Consider what one early AA member had to say years ago:One morning, after a sleepless night worrying over what I could do to straighten myself out, I went to my room alone-took my Bible in hand and asked Him, the One Power, that I might open to a good place to read-and I read. "For I delight in the law of God after the inward man. But I see a different law in my members, warring against the law of my mind and bringing me into captivity under the law of sin which is in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me out of the body of this death?" That was enough for me-I started to understand. Here were the words of Paul a great teacher. What then if I had slipped? Now, I could understand. From that day years ago, I gave, still give and always will give time everyday to read the word of God and let Him do all the caring. Who am I to try to run myself or anyone else?*Times have changed since then. All references to the Holy Bible have been taken out of the later editions of the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous, and not by accident. But that’s not all.AA has a tradition which states:“No AA group or member should ever, in such a way as to implicate AA, express any opinion on outside controversial issues”Despite this fact, AA has taken a position of subtly and not so subtly endorsing homosexuality. There are many examples but one will suffice. Contrast that previous statement by an early AA with this statement by a modern AA:In A.A. today, I know sober leather fans, transvestites, and members of every other sexual group there is. But the only important thing here is that we are all human beings, all alcoholics, and all in A.A. together.*The sad fact is that the Gay Rights movement has infiltrated Alcoholics Anonymous and its literature. Being Gay is equated with being Jewish, Black, or Native American on the Alcoholics Anonymous World Services Website:LINK

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think Gays and Lesbians out to be excluded from AA, but only told that sin is sin. Anything less is a disservice to everyone, and contrary to the will of the Creator whose blessing we all seek.AA has lost its way, and should promptly admit its wrong.*The Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous, First edition**My name is Padric, and I'm and Alcoholic (gay)

©2004 Christianrecovery.blogspot.com

Prayer requests

2006-02-08T21:49:00.000-08:00

Recently I had some very serious situations where I needed prayer support. I have generally prayed alone but there is a time when you may need the prayers of others. Here is a link to prayer requests.

PRAYER REQUESTS

You may also mail prayer requests directly to me, but the link above may be better as I dont always check this site everyday.

Spiritual not religious

2006-02-08T09:16:00.000-08:00

One of the common things you hear in AA and NA is that its a "spiritual
program and not a religous program".

Silly statement. True religon is spiritual.Many people have been traumatized by hypocritical religious examples and rebel against anything religious for that reason. But to suggest that sincere religious people are not spiritual is to deny reality.

One guy I knew in NA complained to me one day that the people in the
Churches are hypocrites ( He was raised Roman Catholic and had even
been molested by a priest). Its no wonder he was turned off by such a
horribly wicked example. However, when you look at the typical NA
member I would say ( and did say) they are hypocrites too.

Another fellow I knew in AA was a Baptist preachers son. He had been
forced to go to church several times a week while growing up and
rebelled against the whole thing. As a result of the truama he had
absolutely no interest in Christianity; his associations had been all
negative. His spiritual search in NA involved Native Indian sweat
lodges and anything else as long as it had nothing to do with Christian
Spirituality.

The truama induced by wicked hypocritical religious examples can induce
a rebellion that can last a lifetime. The victim ends up throwing the
baby out with the bathwater. Both my friends needed to realize the
impact that trauma had on their lives. Maybe then they would have been
more open to religion.

Interview with M. Scott Peck

2006-02-04T18:32:00.000-08:00

I ran across this interview with M. Scott Peck. Its a good one. Anyone who doubts the existence of Satan should check it out. Scott Pecks book , "People of the Lie" is a very enlightening book and I bring it to your attention if you havent read it. Also read "Letter from a Catholic Priest" on this website.

'The Patient Is the Exorcist': Interview with M. Scott Peck

LINK TO ARTICLE

Why Parents have no love.

2006-02-03T17:20:00.000-08:00

Earlier in the week I went to the weekly recovery meeting I go to near my home. Its not an AA or an NA meeting. Its just a non-denominational meeting held at the local Catholic Church and open to all. At the meeting one lady who goes all the time who came from a very unloved home asked this question' "Why didnt my Mom love me" (She was abused)

I sent her an e-mail later. Its my attempt to explain it to her. She said it was helpful so I'll post it here in the hope that the reader will find it helpful also.

***********************************************************************************
I want to try and answer Pat's question today of why her Mom didnt love her as it may help her. More broadly the question is why parents dont love their children.Of course its not true of all parents but Im afraid its true of most. Its natural for children to want love from their parents, but most parents just dont have it to give.

My parents also didnt love me. Although Im sure if you had asked them, especially my Father, they would have said they did. They were self decieved.

Real Love is a very rare commodity. I think it always has been.

Its clear that my mother did not love me.You cant love a child and beat them. In fact, she had a spirit in her that hated me. It wasn't her but a spirit of evil that had made a home in her. How did that spirit get inside her? The usual way that the spirit of evil gets inside people is through cruelty and the attendant hate and resentment. Although their are othe ways( for example, use of alcohol and drugs) . I dont know all the details of what happened but my mom came from a broken home and had an unloving Father, although she doesnt talk about it much.What terrible traumas happened I dont know. But I do know after she married that she left home and never saw her father again.

My Father also came from horrible circumstances. His Father abandoned his family during the depression when my dad was 10 years old or so. He hated his father for it and never forgave him. Because he hated his Father, my Father was seperated from what real love really is.

All people that hate are seperated from Love. Hate is of the Devil. Love is from God. In fact, the scripture accurately states that God is Love.

It may sound like simplistic but the man or women who has found Love has also found God. In other words, the Holy Spirit is living inside them.

So to answer the question. Most Parents, includning my own, come from unloved homes. They are corrupted by cruelty and hate and seperated from Gods Love for that reason. Its like a horrible chain gang stretching back to antiquity. The First man, Adam, was a failing man who didnt love his wife. He could have told Eve to put the apple down and corrected her, but he choose instead to eat of the apple. And we are his descendants, born in sin.

So we are born into horrible circumstances and cruelty with a nature that has a tendency to judge or resent. We suffer from that and if we have children they also suffer from our lack of love.

There was one man who was never corrupted by hate, and who never fell to temptation. You know who he is. He gave himself as a sacrifcie for our sins and the sins of the whole world. When we believe in him and repent (be sorry or sorrowful), our sins our forgiven.And the Holy Spirti comes into our hearts. Then there is Love.

So really the answer to the question why parents have no love is that they have not found God. Simple as that.

Speech at The Presidents Council on Alcoholism

2006-01-30T17:59:00.000-08:00

I listened to an old tape today that is worth listening to for anyone interested in the subject of Alcoholism. It was given before treatment professionals at The President' s Council of Alcohlism in 1986. Not much has changes since that time.

The speech was given by Roy Masters. Roy is a well known radio talk show host, and Christian minister. Over the years he has been maligned and lied about by a lot of people. Don't believe what you may have heard without doing a little investigating.

The tape is great and I recommend it. I believe it is probably still available from the Foundation of Human Understanding. LINK

Depression

2006-01-30T09:19:00.000-08:00

Depression. Although Doctors are quick to point to a "chemical imbalance" as the cause of depression, my opinion is that it is rarely, if ever, the cause. We look back 150 years ago and chuckle and how "unenlightened' the medical practioners were. In another 150 years it may be the same.

I have had periods of depression in my life, and, thank God, I never went to a Doctor for treatment. Im sure they would have diagnosed me as "bipolar' or whatever and prescribed some kind of medication.

Everyone seems to think that Depression is a bad thing.I think it is a good thing actually. It lets you know something is seriously wrong.

My first serious bout with depression was over 30 years ago. I was in a drug treatment program for my drug and alcohol addiction. My perspective now is that I should have been depressed. My life was a mess and the depression was telling me to take a good hard look at myself.

The last time I was depressed was about 8 years ago. I was consumed with resentment towards someone and suffered the accompanying depression. The depression was telling me that the was I was going was hopeless.

My personal belief is that many if not most cases of depression are caused by resentment, either overt or repressed. Repentance and forgiveness chases the depression away.

Just as happiness is a by product of living life in a right way, depression is a by product of living life in a wrong way.

Christian TV's Watchman on the Wall

2006-01-20T16:14:00.000-08:00

This post is not about recovery per se, but it is about Christianity. When you really understand what addiction or alcoholism is all about, you also understand why Christianity is so important in overcoming it.

Al Cooper of Gods Learning Channel has written an incredible book about his personal Christian walk. It is a story about incredible faith. If you believe that we dont live in an age where miracles occur then this is one book you should read.
You will find it hard to believe when you read it but its all true.

And its free. All you have to do is request it at the link below.

Al's Book

Also there are some excellent Christian Books recommended under my profile.

God Bless

The rehabiltation of "A Million Little Pieces"

2006-01-17T12:01:00.000-08:00

The Rehabilitation of “A Million Little Pieces”

I picked up a copy of this morning’s San Diego Union Tribune and read an article entitled another memoir/novel pick. Here is a link to the article.

link

Here is my take on whats happening. Instead of fessing up and admitting her book club pick of the rehabilatation of James Frey , “ A million Little Pieces”, was wrong, a fiasco, and a big mistake, Oprah is trying to use an “innocence by association” technique . She has chosen another memoir, a novel so personal that the author calls it a “memoir’ to rehabilitate her image and the image of James Frey. The book is called “ Night “ by Elie Wiesel and has been around since the 1950’s.

“A Million Little Pieces” was never marketed as a “novel”. I have my copy right here in front of me. There is nothing on the cover or in the blurbs in the front cover from reviewers to indicate it was a “novel”. Here is one blurb from a reviewer on the inside cover:

“ A stark, direct and graphic documentation of the rehabilitation process …..The strength of the book comes from the truth of the experience”---The Oregonian.

So Oprah picks a book that says it’s a novel/memoir for her next book club pick. Its like saying “ See here lots of people have memoirs that are part fiction so its no big deal really”.

Im not buying it Oprah and I hope others don’t either. A Million Little Pieces was presented as a factual experience not a work of ficton based loosely on some facts. James Frey lied and your covering up for him.

What should happen is that Oprah should apologize to her viewers for recommending a book that was not truthful. Im sure she probably didn’t know. The publisher presents it as truthful. But instead she calls up Larry King and stands behind a book that she has to know now that isn’t truthful.

And James Frey should fess up to his lies. He should go on Oprah or Larry King and admit that much of the book is fabrication and lies. The Smoking Gun website only pointed out the parts they could prove were wrong. They focused on the arrests and legal troubles where there are records. I think there are other parts of the book that are not true either. I don’t believe the part where he describes having extensive dental work without any anesthesia. Ive been in drug treatment programs myself and I never heard of anything like that happening.

Somehow Oprah stands behing the book because she believes in its message of hope for recovery for addicts. Here is what she said on Larry King:

“And I feel about "A Million Little Pieces" that although some of the facts have been questioned -- and people have a right to question, because we live in a country that lets you do that, that the underlying message of redemption in James Frey's memoir still resonates with me. And I know that it resonates with millions of other people who have read this book and will continue to read this book.

And, you know, one of the things James says in the book, for all the people who are going through any kind of addiction, is to hold on. And I just wanted to -- you know, I have been calling this number and it's been busy, trying to get through to say to all those people out there who have received hope from reading this book, keep holding on, because the essence of that, I don't doubt.”

One of the things some people don’t know is that James Frey originally tried to sell “A Million Little Pieces” as fiction, but that it got published as non-fiction. The most important thing James Frey could do is have some honesty. If he publicly stood up and said the following he would be my hero:

“You know I have to apologize to my readers. I let my book be published as non-fiction when I knew it wasn’t. I’m sorry and I apologize”

That would be a redeeming act for him. Because when all is said and done that’s what real recovery is all about: HONESTY.

As far as I’m concerened, both Oprah and James Frey could use a little more rehabilitation.

©2006 Christianrecovery.blogspot.com

More on the Disease Concept

2006-01-12T10:16:00.000-08:00

Somebody asked me the following question:

"Who was it that Told you that alcoholism is not a "disease" and how
were effected by that

Here is my response:

A Christian minister told me (paraphrase) that alcoholics run around to bars DRINKING like their is no tommorrow and that their lives are one hell of a mess and then one day they wake up with a horrilbe "DISEASE". He used the word DISEASE very sarcastically.

I realized at that time that really Alcoholism wasnt what they had been attempting to 'teach" me in AA for several years and which I could never really buy into.

My "Alcoholism" or dinking was really a result of my life of sin.

It was scary to realize the truth, but yet it is the Truth that sets us free not lies.

That realization and the accompanying realizations started me on a journey of the Christian Life.

I wont say that has been easy or without setbacks as I was a very corrupted and Evil person. But I know the way I am going is right.

Im afraid all those who buy into the "disease concept" of Alcoholism are buying into lies. They are unwilling to face up to the fact of their sinful and immoral lives and their are plenty of people in AA who will help them believe it.

Frankly, I fear for their souls.

A million little pieces- exposed!

2006-01-10T18:47:00.000-08:00

The Smoking Gun website has done a good expose of the book "A million little pieces,
the runaway best seller on addiction promoted by Oprah Winfrey. The book is a little bit of truth but mostly lies and fabrication. I read it and found it interesting but certain parts just didnt ring true.

The part that struck me the least believeable was the opening section when he is in a treatment center and they force him to go to a dentist and have dental work (root canals) without novocain. Smoking Gun website details his exaggerations with the law but doesnt address the rest of it.

Ive lived in drug treatment programs. I never heard of anyone being denied novocain for dental work. Its not like novocain gets you high. I had my widom teeth removed while I was in CRC and not only did they give me novocain but lots of painkillers afterward.

Its not that some of the things that used to take place in drug treatment programs were inhumane, they were. But not like Mr. Frey makes it out. The bottom line is he is a liar and the publishing world has done a scam on the Amercian People.

I hope this doesnt ruin the market for autobiographical addiction memoirs as mine should be finished in about a month.

Update: I saw excerpts of the Larry King interview with James Frey although I havent had time to read the whole transcript yet.James Frey is trying to put spin on the whole matter. He's certainly not fessing up entirely. And Oprah is just cleaning up after him and not admitting her mistake either. Oprah and the American people were conned plain and simple. It would be refreshing if Oprah came out and said " I made a mistake in recommending this book" but dont hold your breathe waiting for it to happen.

When you read his "memoir" you will notice there is not one word said about repentenace or his faith in Jesus Christ. In fact he says this:

"I dont believe in God or any form of Higher Power. I refuse to to turn my life and my will over to anything or anyone" (p.409)

I dont doubt that Frey was an addict and drunk of sorts. I just doubt that he has really found any type of real recovery.

Michelle D., a reader of Michelle Malkins website,link, has hit the nail right on the head:

"Among the worst facets of Oprah's "fake but accurate" defense is this: recovery requires HONESTY. Until a person can be honest about what they were and what they are, they are still addicts. This book is a pattern for a failed, incomplete recovery; written by a still-lying addict and promoted by a huckster who uses America's hunger for authenticity to enrich herself"

Here is a link to one of Michelles articles on the subject: Link

And here is a link to the somking gun website which has an expose on the false legal matter in James Frey book.

link to smoking gun

A prophecy of Jesus Christ

2005-12-22T09:10:00.000-08:00

Approximately 1000 years before the coming of Christ,King David wrote the following Psalm. It contains a prophecy of the cruxifixion.

Psalm 22
1My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?
2O my God, I cry in the day time, but thou hearest not; and in the night season, and am not silent.
3But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.
4Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them.
5They cried unto thee, and were delivered: they trusted in thee, and were not confounded.
6But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.
7All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying,
8He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him.
9But thou art he that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother's breasts.
10I was cast upon thee from the womb: thou art my God from my mother's belly.
11Be not far from me; for trouble is near; for there is none to help.
12Many bulls have compassed me: strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round.
13They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion.
14I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint: my heart is like wax; it is melted in the midst of my bowels.
15My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my jaws; and thou hast brought me into the dust of death.
16For dogs have compassed me: the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet.
17I may tell all my bones: they look and stare upon me.
18They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.
19But be not thou far from me, O LORD: O my strength, haste thee to help me.
20Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog.
21Save me from the lion's mouth: for thou hast heard me from the horns of the unicorns.
22I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.
23Ye that fear the LORD, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel.
24For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard.
25My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation: I will pay my vows before them that fear him.
26The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek him: your heart shall live for ever.
27All the ends of the world shall remember and turn unto the LORD: and all the kindreds of the nations shall worship before thee.
28For the kingdom is the LORD's: and he is the governor among the nations.
29All they that be fat upon earth shall eat and worship: all they that go down to the dust shall bow before him: and none can keep alive his own soul.
30A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation.
31They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this.