re - And what i don't undeerstand is why are you trying to pick a fight
in an echo where people come, not to be "anti" anything, but just to 
stop things they don't want in their *own* lives anymore.  Very well 
said!  It's tempting to make a remark about denial not just being a 
river in Egypt, but I think that's too trite for this situation.
.
Frankly, if someone else chooses to smoke or drink or do any other 
activity, is their business or theirs and the law's if it's an illegal 
activity.    I am here because booze, drugs and codependency on 
unhealthy relationships made me crazy and I can't PERSONALLY handle 
these things - and the weakness is one of my own, not necessarily 
inherent to these substances.  I'm an addictive personality and I could
probably get addicted to smoking banana, if I'm not scrupulously honest
with myself.
.
In fact I am still addicted to food, as thanksgiving day once again 
proved, so I can't judge anyone else.
.
When I read the quotes from the letter you were replying to, in your 
own post, all I could think of is how defiant I was when I came into AA
- the first 12 step recovery fellowship I joined.  I didn't believe in 
any Higher Power, especially GOD.  To me this was synonymous with  
CHURCH and, at that time, I had tried several types of churches and 
found these all wanting FOR ME.  I belong to a different one today.  I 
know I never would have become tolerant enough to consider one again if
it wasn't for the program of recovery and the twelve steps.  Because 
when I came into the fellowship my defiance was so great that not only 
would I refuse to join in the closing prayer, I wouldn't always have 
the graciousness to run in the lady's room and not be obvious.  Many 
times I sat with my hands crossed ignoring it entirely, while everyone 
else joined hands in a circle to say this prayer.  Nobody could miss my
anger.
.
Another thing that struck me in the message you were replying to was 
her asking whether folks aren't concerned about other issues, such as 
the rain forest.  I could see that the writer is unfamiliar with the 12
traditions used in most of our recovery fellowships, if not all of 
them.  These tell us that by concentrating on one thing in almost all 
of these fellowships - whatever that fellowship is for - and the few we
PERSONALLY need to address, on an individual level, in one or more of 
these recovery groups, as the case may be, we are able to free 
ourselves up so that on an individual level we are more effective in 
living our lives.  This also makes me freer to address individual 
concerns such as my church, perhaps, for me or the rain forest for 
someone else or what have you, ON MY OWN TIME and in other appropriate 
organizations.  However experience has shown us that trying to address 
these other issues in our recovery programs diverts us from our primary
purpose and dilutes what each program has to offer.  And we try not to 
do that for others who may be desparately seeking the same help that we
need - help that groups of former sufferers are uniquely able to offer 
in a way no professional ever could.  We don't get mixed up in other 
issues and diverted from our primary purpose because we want to be 
there when someone else needs and WANTS help.  
.
B
(GRRRR - Try that again! GRIN)
But for those who are HAPPY as they are, far be it from me or any 
member of a 12 step recovery fellowship to interfere in their lives, 
except for in those rare cases where someone has become a 12 step 
zealot, which is usually only temporary, Thank Goodness!  But such is 
definitely not the policy of any 12 step group I know of.  As the 
traditions also saw, we are - or should be - based on attraction, 
rather than promotion.  If this lady doesn't want what we have because 
it seems to be of interest to her, that's fine with me - and most of 
us, I daresay!
--- TriToss (tm) Professional 10.0 - #66
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