On (30 Jan 97) Bob Perlitz was mumbling to Tim Dill...
 BP> WOW, is that an understatement!!!!!
 No, Have you my experience?...
 If not this is an alterative viewpoint.
 BP> I guess you REALLY believe the AA program is a failure.  That does not
 BP> quite coincide with my experience but you are entitled to your
 BP> opinion.
 Yes, and my opinion marks the ones who have recovered and now are
 really taking a long hard look at the _Wording_ that got them
 into recovery. An inventory of the organization that may get
 people sober.. but leaves them lacking in the way they do it.
 BP> Now some might call it name calling to say that you are not a
 BP> supporter of AA.  But after what I just read I just want to ask, "Are
 BP> you a
 BP> supporter of AA"?  And then, if not a supporter of AA are you a
 BP> supporter of the 12 steps (that is the AA program of recovery)?
 I support AA but not GSO nor the General Service Committee that
 wasted 7.2 million dollars of the 7th tradition without
 consulting the members...
 I support the local groups, I speak at meetings, I make Coffee
 at my Monday night step meeting... 
 But I find that the Literature must change else the Great Program
 which got me sober will die...
 I never thought that once this would be anyone's reaction to this...
 I am sober/clean by the Goddess' power over 7 years now but
 it's time I seriously looked at the wording and the way
 the Books are written.
 In the NA twelve and twelve Character Defects are not mentioned until
 the 6th step... and ego deflation hardly at all... It looks at the 4th
 step as the most loving thing that you could do for yourself....
 There are 22 NEGATIVE references to the ego in the AA 12&12's 4th step
 alone.. I have not even begun to count the NEGATIVE ideas throughout
 the whole book. With this in mind, I dare say that with this NEGATIVE
 reference to us as human beings and one's negative attitude when one 
 "Hits bottom" and see's the way (and I dare say the only way because 
 AA won't publish any other) charts the course to recovery...
 one could think that they are in CATHOLIC school with all the
 attending sin and worthlessness and guilt associated with just
 being human and then see this is JUST a spiritual program?
 I don't think so....
 Therefore just for the newcomer we need to REVISE the 1939 Texts
 and the 1947 Texts to reflect the CURRENT membership...
 There have been 5 revised copies of the NA Blue books out since I
 got clean. The NA 12 & 12 has been written in 1990 and published in 
 1993 reflecting the learning curve of dealing with the "dregs of 
 humanity" it reflects a gentler way of dealing with the ones hurt
 by AA's out moded way of TALKING to the sufferer....
 Tim....
... First listen to sermon, THEN eat missionary.
--- PPoint 2.00
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