kobe-ja/AsBillSeesIt · Datasets at Hugging Face

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believe that I live in a rational universe under a loving God,
and that my own irrationality can be chipped away, little by
little. This is, I suppose, the process of growth for which we
are intended."
Praying Rightly
We thought we had been deeply serious about religious
practices. However, upon honest praisal we found that we
had been most superficial. Or sometimes, going to extremes,
we had wallowed in emotionalism and had also mistaken this
for true religious feeling. In both cases, we had been asking
something for nothing.
We had not prayed rightly. We hadalways said, "Grant me my
wishes," instead of "Thy will be done." The love of God and
man we understood not at all. Therefore we remained selfdeceived, and so incapable of receiving enough grace to
restore us to sanity.
TWELVE AND TWELVE, P. 32
Daily Inventory
Often, as we review each day, only the closest scrutinity will
reveal what our true motives were. There are cases where
our ancient enemy rationalization has stepped in and has
justified conduct which was really wrong. The temptation
here is to imagine that we had good motives and reasons
when we really hadn't.
We "condstructively criticized" someone who needed it,
when our real motive was to win a useless argument. Or, the
person concerned not being present, we thought we were
helping others to understand him, when in actuality our true
motive was to feel superior by pulling him down.
We hurt those we loved because they needed to be "taught a
lesson", but we really wanted to punish. We were depressed
and complained we felt bad, when in fact we were mainly
asking for sympathy and attention.
TWELVE AND TWELVE, P. 94
A Vision of the Whole
"Though many of us have had to struggle for sobriety, never
yet has this Fellowship had to struggle for lost unity.
Consequently, we sometimes take this one great gift for
granted. We forget that, should we lose our unity, the
millions of alcoholics who still `do not know' might never get
a chance."
"We used to be skeptical about large A.A. gatherings like
conventions, thinking they might prove too exhibitionistic.
But, on balance, their benefit is huge. While each A.A.'s
interest should center principally in those about him and
upon his own group, it is both necessary and desrirable that
we all get a larger vision of the whole.
"The General Service Conference in New York also produces
this effect upon those who attend. It is a vision-stretching
process."
A Mighty Beginning
Even the newest of newcomers finds undreamed rewards as
he triesto help his brother alcoholic, the one who is even
blinder than he. This is indeed the kind of giving that actually
demands nothing. He does not expect his brother sufferer to
pay him, or even to love him.
And then he discovers that through the divine paradox of
this kind of giving he has found his own reward, whether or
not his brother has yet received anything. His own character
may still be gravely defective, but he somehow knows that
God has enabled him to make a mighty beginning, and he
senses that he stands at the edge of new mysteries, joys,
and experiences of which he had never before dreamed.
TWELVE AND TWELVE, PP. 109-110
Anonymity and Sobriety
As the A.A. groups multiplied, so did anonymity problems.
Enthusiastic over the spectacular recovery of a brother
alcoholic, we'd sometimes discuss those intimate and
harrowing aspects of his case meant for his sponsor's ear
alone. The aggrieved victim would then rightly declare that
his trust had been broken.
When stories get into circulation outside of A.A., the loss of
confidence in our anonymity promise was severe. It
frequently turned people from us. Clearly, every A.A.
member's name -- and story, too -- had to be confidential, if
he wished.
We now fully realize that 100 per cent personal anonymity
before the public is just as vital to the life of A.A. as 100 per
cent sobriety is to the life of each and every member. This is
not the counsel of fear; it is the prudent voice of long
experience.
People of Faith
We who have traveled a path through agnosticism or atheism
beg you to lay aside prejudice, even against organized
religion. We have learned that whatever the human frailties of
various faiths may be, those faiths have given purpose and
direction to millions. People of faith have a rational idea of
what life is all about.
Actually, we used to have no reasonable conception
whatever. We used to amuse ourselves by cynically
dissecting spiritual beliefs and practices, when we might
have seen that many spiritually-minded persons of all races,
colors, and creeds were demonstrating a degree of stability,
happiness and usefulness that we should have sought
ourselves.
ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, P. 49
To Rebuild Security
In our behavior respecting financial and emotional security,
fear, greed, possessiveness, and pride have too often done
their worst. Surveying his business or employment record,
almost any alcoholic can ask questions like these: In

believe that I live in a rational universe under a loving God,

and that my own irrationality can be chipped away, little by

little. This is, I suppose, the process of growth for which we

are intended."

Praying Rightly

We thought we had been deeply serious about religious

practices. However, upon honest praisal we found that we

had been most superficial. Or sometimes, going to extremes,

we had wallowed in emotionalism and had also mistaken this

for true religious feeling. In both cases, we had been asking

something for nothing.

We had not prayed rightly. We hadalways said, "Grant me my

wishes," instead of "Thy will be done." The love of God and

man we understood not at all. Therefore we remained selfdeceived, and so incapable of receiving enough grace to

restore us to sanity.

TWELVE AND TWELVE, P. 32

Daily Inventory

Often, as we review each day, only the closest scrutinity will

reveal what our true motives were. There are cases where

our ancient enemy rationalization has stepped in and has

justified conduct which was really wrong. The temptation

here is to imagine that we had good motives and reasons

when we really hadn't.

We "condstructively criticized" someone who needed it,

when our real motive was to win a useless argument. Or, the

person concerned not being present, we thought we were

helping others to understand him, when in actuality our true

motive was to feel superior by pulling him down.

We hurt those we loved because they needed to be "taught a

lesson", but we really wanted to punish. We were depressed

and complained we felt bad, when in fact we were mainly

asking for sympathy and attention.

TWELVE AND TWELVE, P. 94

A Vision of the Whole

"Though many of us have had to struggle for sobriety, never

yet has this Fellowship had to struggle for lost unity.

Consequently, we sometimes take this one great gift for

granted. We forget that, should we lose our unity, the

millions of alcoholics who still `do not know' might never get

a chance."

"We used to be skeptical about large A.A. gatherings like

conventions, thinking they might prove too exhibitionistic.

But, on balance, their benefit is huge. While each A.A.'s

interest should center principally in those about him and

upon his own group, it is both necessary and desrirable that

we all get a larger vision of the whole.

"The General Service Conference in New York also produces

this effect upon those who attend. It is a vision-stretching

process."

A Mighty Beginning

Even the newest of newcomers finds undreamed rewards as

he triesto help his brother alcoholic, the one who is even

blinder than he. This is indeed the kind of giving that actually

demands nothing. He does not expect his brother sufferer to

pay him, or even to love him.

And then he discovers that through the divine paradox of

this kind of giving he has found his own reward, whether or

not his brother has yet received anything. His own character

may still be gravely defective, but he somehow knows that

God has enabled him to make a mighty beginning, and he

senses that he stands at the edge of new mysteries, joys,

and experiences of which he had never before dreamed.

TWELVE AND TWELVE, PP. 109-110

Anonymity and Sobriety

As the A.A. groups multiplied, so did anonymity problems.

Enthusiastic over the spectacular recovery of a brother

alcoholic, we'd sometimes discuss those intimate and

harrowing aspects of his case meant for his sponsor's ear

alone. The aggrieved victim would then rightly declare that

his trust had been broken.

When stories get into circulation outside of A.A., the loss of

confidence in our anonymity promise was severe. It

frequently turned people from us. Clearly, every A.A.

member's name -- and story, too -- had to be confidential, if

he wished.

We now fully realize that 100 per cent personal anonymity

before the public is just as vital to the life of A.A. as 100 per

cent sobriety is to the life of each and every member. This is

not the counsel of fear; it is the prudent voice of long

experience.

People of Faith

We who have traveled a path through agnosticism or atheism

beg you to lay aside prejudice, even against organized

religion. We have learned that whatever the human frailties of

various faiths may be, those faiths have given purpose and

direction to millions. People of faith have a rational idea of

what life is all about.

Actually, we used to have no reasonable conception

whatever. We used to amuse ourselves by cynically

dissecting spiritual beliefs and practices, when we might

have seen that many spiritually-minded persons of all races,

colors, and creeds were demonstrating a degree of stability,

happiness and usefulness that we should have sought

ourselves.

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, P. 49

To Rebuild Security

In our behavior respecting financial and emotional security,

fear, greed, possessiveness, and pride have too often done

their worst. Surveying his business or employment record,

almost any alcoholic can ask questions like these: In