re - I don't think it's of overwhelming importance to Him (HER ? - 
GRIN) whether or not we believe in a trinitarian three-in-one God, etc.
- (hope I quoted that right).  Well I'd have to agree personally with 
all of what you said personally; however, we'd probably be better off 
discussing that on the Interfaith echo, where I think you'd find the 
vast majority of "regulars" would agree with you completely.  I have a 
feeling it's a bit off topic here.
.
However, what I meant was not that my particular Church is the problem 
with my sobriety, but that my own religiosity - as opposed to 
spirituality - can be a problem.  I have a tendency to get all caught 
up in disputes over such doctrines and miss the point entirely -  the 
point being what you've said so beautifully.  That a lot of this stuff 
really doesn't matter to my life.  It doesn't matter whether God is 
male or female or both or neither or, in some inexplicable way, all of 
the above, in my daily routine.   IT doesn't matter whether God is, as 
you said, a trinity, three beings working together, one being or many 
beings or a totally impersonally force, not in my day to day existence 
and in my search for sobriety, serenity and recovery.  NOW I AM TALKING
FOR MYSELF ALONE HERE - lest someone take offense.  But I can get 
caught up in this stuff and become very unhappy - as well as to busy to
work on my recovery.  In short, I would have to honestly say I can use 
religion as another addiction when I want to and let it be something to
hide behind so I do not face the real issues of my recovery, so that I 
can stay sick.
.
I like what an oldtimer in Maryland AA used to say: "THe only thing I 
need to know about my Higher Power is that I ain't it."   He'd say this
at least once a month of so at our step meeting and it used to bug me, 
but now I am grateful for it.
.
My Church does frustrate me with it's local politics and personalities 
sometimes, true.  But I also have to look at the fact that sometimes 
other members don't get drawn into all the contreversy and melodrama 
the way I do.  Why is that?
.
In Al-Anon one of the slogans is How Important Is It?  and that's a 
slogan I really need, but still don't use well.
.
By the way, as a teen, I hung out at a Baptist Church because of their 
youth program, although I was not a member - know what you mean 
precisely.
.
As for Phil, I'm glad you hooked up with him - I had to made a 
mega-ammend to him after posting that to you, as I realized I broke his
anonymity.  Fortunately I'm forgiven.  (OOOOOOPS - I don't usually do 
that.)  But I think you'll enjoy the e-mail listing.
--- TriToss (tm) Professional 11.0 - #66
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