I am here, and I am listening.  All shall come to know me in their own time

Scottso, make an appointment

Wow, it's GOD! I'm so glad you finally showed up! (better late than never, as they say...)

I've got a question I've always wanted to ask you; can you create a boulder so large that even you can't lift it?

oohchild, I called his name several times last night, maybe that's why he showed up? :O

Jewels, no I couldn't overcome my alcoholism on my own, I don't know anyone who has. It's like representing yourself in a court of law. Not a good idea.  lol   We have been through this before Jewels, I know it's hard for you to understand my methods for staying sane.  But, I will go through it one more time for ya:

The AA fellowship was my higher power in that regard.  People who understood what I was going through and knew how to stay sober using the steps of AA.   I know my web page of of the Alternative 12 steps for people who don't believe in God upset you but,  http://wud1.com/steps/Steps...  these steps are what helped me.  A lot of people like me have a hard time with being forced to believe in God and it hampered our strives to get sober... so we came up with the alternative steps.  It's OK if you believe in God Jewels, and I'm grateful that you do seeing as how he/she is helping you. I know it's hard for you to understand that the people who do NOT believe in God have reached that same moment of enlightenment through other beliefs and traditions as you have, but I am living proof of it. I remember when suddenly everything became clear, I understood who I really am, I finally knew what path to follow. It was the most awesome feeling I have ever had to this day and I carry that clarity with me still. I know you know what feeling I am talking about Jewels.  I actually love myself today.

Point is, I haven't done drugs in 20 years and I even drink now and again without wanting to abuse alcohol.  I don't like booze much anymore, but I will have a drink or two on special occasions.  I know my beliefs are different than yours, but Jewels, what difference does it make as long as it works?  I'm happy, I have a good life today... isn't that all that matters? Don't let the way I got sober and my beliefs get you upset.    There isn't a step, tradition or phrase out of the Big Book that I don't know by heart.  I worked the AA program to the best of my ability and that is all that is asked of an AA member.  I guess for me personally it was more of a behavioral problem than a physical one.  Thus today, I try to keep things simple by accepting what I cannot change and letting it go.  "You work your program and I will work mine" is a common saying in AA. You can't work someone else's program and think it will work for you...it just doesn't make sense.  Individuals are different, you can't treat everyone in therapy the same and expect everyone to benefit from it.  The Big Book was meant to be a guide, it wasn't written in stone.

 When sponsoring someone that believes in God, I focus on their God to guide them, when sponsoring someone who is an Atheist, I use the alternative steps.   It's that simple.

Oh Sparks I am not upset.  Really...Do you sponsor people now?  As far as the behavioral part...The alcohol is only a symptom of the disease.  It's not a drinking problem, its a thinking problem.  My consumption of alcohol was just the end result of my trying to escape...me.  The disease is of the mind 1st and the body later.  I commend you for being able to drink and handle it.  You have truly broken the cycle for every single alcoholic in the world.  Maybe you weren't a true alcoholic.  You know there is different levels of alcohol problems.  And for the record, I am not upset at all if people reach a level of freedom from addiction with or without a God.  Whatever works for them is wonderful.  What I have a problem with is the myth that once you have come to the decision that you are an alcoholic and then to one day decide that its ok to drink.  That is a dangerous and deadly state of mind for real alcoholics.  If you are like us...you know that one is too many and thousand is never enough.   

I NEVER SAID PEOPLE NEEDED TO BELIEVE IN "GOD" TO GET AND STAY SOBER.

Ok Gube, do you think you can be an alcoholic one day and then decide that you can have a drink?

Jewels, right, I wasn't an alcoholic .  But 3 DUIs, and several arrests for passing out in public later....  I guess I just didn't make the cut in my 20 years of drinking. lol

Simply because I can drink now and not DIVE back into my old drinking behavior doesn't mean I wasn't an alcoholic,. I know this is what AA teaches you and in general it's true.  It's best that you do believe that taking another drink would drag you back into the abyss of alcoholism, because it probably will in your case.  Most alcoholics can never take another drink, especially chronic alcoholics such as yourself.  I have to admit I was not a chronic alcoholic, I actually managed to be sober a day or two a week. There is a difference in how people abuse alcohol and why, but it doesn't mean they are not alcoholics.  

Absolutely, I still sponsor many people with all kinds of beliefs.  However, it takes a lot of work and a lot of hard love which can be draining at times.  I never tell my babies that someday they can drink, because it's not true in most cases.  However, I will NOT LIE to them about my having a drink ocassionally because rigorous honesty is what keeps me sane and happy.