Comments on: THE PERILS OF THE LIMELIGHT http://www.daily-reflections.com/2009/11/27/the-perils-of-the-limelight-2/ Online Blog of Reflections by A.A. Members for A.A. Members Fri, 12 Mar 2010 14:26:10 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Robert http://www.daily-reflections.com/2009/11/27/the-perils-of-the-limelight-2/comment-page-1/#comment-930 Robert Sun, 29 Nov 2009 01:48:54 +0000 http://www.daily-reflections.com/2009/11/27/the-perils-of-the-limelight/#comment-930 I have been going to AA meetings - of all stripes and types - for over six years and have been welcomed regardless of what I said. There have been people in meetings who show signs of disapproval, but those are individuals who have there opinions which I respect, but as a whole no group has every made me feel less than welcome. I have been going to AA meetings – of all stripes and types – for over six years and have been welcomed regardless of what I said. There have been people in meetings who show signs of disapproval, but those are individuals who have there opinions which I respect, but as a whole no group has every made me feel less than welcome.

]]> By: Steve O http://www.daily-reflections.com/2009/11/27/the-perils-of-the-limelight-2/comment-page-1/#comment-920 Steve O Fri, 27 Nov 2009 20:10:20 +0000 http://www.daily-reflections.com/2009/11/27/the-perils-of-the-limelight/#comment-920 I have found that if you express any sort of opinion or dissent not sanctioned by AA ideology you are treated a s an ignorant fool and rejected by "friends" you thought you had made in the program. This leaves one dejected and being of a depressive type who never really fit in with any group in a dangerous place. I do believe AA can kill people with its ideology I have found that if you express any sort of opinion or dissent not sanctioned by AA ideology you are treated a s an ignorant fool and rejected by “friends” you thought you had made in the program. This leaves one dejected and being of a depressive type who never really fit in with any group in a dangerous place. I do believe AA can kill people with its ideology

]]> By: Naaysayer http://www.daily-reflections.com/2009/11/27/the-perils-of-the-limelight-2/comment-page-1/#comment-919 Naaysayer Fri, 27 Nov 2009 19:50:41 +0000 http://www.daily-reflections.com/2009/11/27/the-perils-of-the-limelight/#comment-919 AA is now breaking its own traditions. I saw a commercial on TV for AA. I thought it was attraction rather than promotion. I would like to hear from knee jerk AA'ers about this. AA is now breaking its own traditions. I saw a commercial on TV for AA.
I thought it was attraction rather than promotion. I would like to hear from knee jerk AA’ers about this.

]]> By: Sherri G http://www.daily-reflections.com/2009/11/27/the-perils-of-the-limelight-2/comment-page-1/#comment-918 Sherri G Fri, 27 Nov 2009 19:17:28 +0000 http://www.daily-reflections.com/2009/11/27/the-perils-of-the-limelight/#comment-918 oh geeze...KISS, would ya? oh geeze…KISS, would ya?

]]> By: true believers http://www.daily-reflections.com/2009/11/27/the-perils-of-the-limelight-2/comment-page-1/#comment-917 true believers Fri, 27 Nov 2009 17:06:07 +0000 http://www.daily-reflections.com/2009/11/27/the-perils-of-the-limelight/#comment-917 Sherri G. Here is a good example of cult speak in your post. EXAMPLE "I am now like a snake shedding old skin." This is a platitude, a common form of making a point in AA. It does not make the statement true, it is simply cute. As an AA, you are programmed to accept this type of nonsense. I wonder, did you come up with this one on your own? What value does the statement have? Are you still a snake? Are you shiny with your new skin? Where did the onion go? Here is another slippery psychological mind control technique. "In this 12 step program we don’t “teach” anything. We simply speak from our experiences to show others what has worked for us." In this way the true believer can influence others while taking no responsibility for the outcome and separating their solution from the core cult doctrine. AA can kill. In order to be a truly good AA I had to accept the realities of the program and have an open mind. Sherri G.

Here is a good example of cult speak in your post.
EXAMPLE
“I am now like a snake shedding old skin.”
This is a platitude, a common form of making a point in AA.
It does not make the statement true, it is simply cute.
As an AA, you are programmed to accept this type of nonsense.
I wonder, did you come up with this one on your own?
What value does the statement have? Are you still a snake? Are you shiny with your new skin? Where did the onion go?

Here is another slippery psychological mind control technique.
“In this 12 step program we don’t “teach” anything. We simply speak from our experiences to show others what has worked for us.”

In this way the true believer can influence others while taking no responsibility for the outcome and separating their solution from the core cult doctrine.

AA can kill. In order to be a truly good AA I had to accept the realities of the program and have an open mind.

]]> By: true believers http://www.daily-reflections.com/2009/11/27/the-perils-of-the-limelight-2/comment-page-1/#comment-916 true believers Fri, 27 Nov 2009 16:49:51 +0000 http://www.daily-reflections.com/2009/11/27/the-perils-of-the-limelight/#comment-916 Before I went to AA I did not think I was an alcoholic. It was through the indoctrination into the program that I became one. Before I went to AA I did not know that if I left the group I would die, go to prison, or go insane; all this is thought programming. AA and its members tell you exactly what you want to hear in combination with a love bomb, this opens you up for the programming. AA suggests you get with a sponsor when you are new, this way a true believer can solidify your membership. Much of the AA program is based on magical thinking and cult characteristic programming. For many educated or intelligent people that have a predisposition to a scientific or opposing mindset, this is objectionable. These people are told that some are too smart to get the program. I have personally known many who have suffered under the influence of AA. What is dangerous is your statement “We don’t play off of the fears of people, we tell them the reality of what will happen to you if you don’t accept this simple program." Now fully concentrate on this statement with an open mind. “That which is true in your own mind and part of your belief structure controls your actions; (we tell them the reality of what will happen) is not the truth, it is what was programmed into you, it is not your original thought, it was learned”. To drink or leave the group with this belief structure is very dangerous; this is why many who don’t stay yet accept the indoctrination become very ill and even die. This is the negative effect of your programming, the positive effect being long term abstinence. Sure, AA helps people. What I wonder is weather or not it could help people without all the cult speak and damaging programming. What if the parts that kill people were eliminated? There are lots of ways to manage or correct a drinking problem. This is my favorite alternative for the person that will just not accept AA but continues to try while becoming victim to the dangerous programming. http://hamshrn.org/ Before I went to AA I did not think I was an alcoholic. It was through the indoctrination into the program that I became one. Before I went to AA I did not know that if I left the group I would die, go to prison, or go insane; all this is thought programming. AA and its members tell you exactly what you want to hear in combination with a love bomb, this opens you up for the programming. AA suggests you get with a sponsor when you are new, this way a true believer can solidify your membership. Much of the AA program is based on magical thinking and cult characteristic programming. For many educated or intelligent people that have a predisposition to a scientific or opposing mindset, this is objectionable. These people are told that some are too smart to get the program. I have personally known many who have suffered under the influence of AA.

What is dangerous is your statement “We don’t play off of the fears of people, we tell them the reality of what will happen to you if you don’t accept this simple program.”

Now fully concentrate on this statement with an open mind. “That which is true in your own mind and part of your belief structure controls your actions; (we tell them the reality of what will happen) is not the truth, it is what was programmed into you, it is not your original thought, it was learned”. To drink or leave the group with this belief structure is very dangerous; this is why many who don’t stay yet accept the indoctrination become very ill and even die. This is the negative effect of your programming, the positive effect being long term abstinence.

Sure, AA helps people. What I wonder is weather or not it could help people without all the cult speak and damaging programming. What if the parts that kill people were eliminated?

There are lots of ways to manage or correct a drinking problem.

This is my favorite alternative for the person that will just not accept AA but continues to try while becoming victim to the dangerous programming.

http://hamshrn.org/

]]> By: Sherri G http://www.daily-reflections.com/2009/11/27/the-perils-of-the-limelight-2/comment-page-1/#comment-915 Sherri G Fri, 27 Nov 2009 16:46:40 +0000 http://www.daily-reflections.com/2009/11/27/the-perils-of-the-limelight/#comment-915 If I hadn't needed to use alcohol, a mind altering substance, to cope with life and myself then I would have been able to drink moderately. That was always the goal - just don't drink too much and all will be fine. BUT I'M AN ALCOHOLIC...That's why I used alcohol: to prevent me from facing reality, people, myself, responsibility... . I have the progressive disease of alcoholism and insisted on trying to moderate my use for years. I failed over and over again. For anyone who does not have alcoholism I suppose learning to drink in moderation would work...again, that is if you truly are not an alcoholic. But how do you know? I'm not willing to take that chance. I've worked hard in sobriety and have gained enough peace from those efforts to know that going back to using alcohol would ruin my life like it almost did before I stopped drinking. In this 12 step program we don't "teach" anything. We simply speak from our experiences to show others what has worked for us. You are free to take it or leave it. Working the steps and actually DOing the work with a sponsor has already provided me with great rewards in all areas of my being: spiritual, mental, emotional and physical health. I've gained a perspective on life that no one could have made me believe was possible when I was drinking. I am now like a snake shedding old skin. Fears that have dominated me and held me captive my entire life are falling away. And, I know there's more health for me to gain. I'm not giving that up, not even for one drink. That's what it's like for me. God Bless! If I hadn’t needed to use alcohol, a mind altering substance, to cope with life and myself then I would have been able to drink moderately. That was always the goal – just don’t drink too much and all will be fine. BUT I’M AN ALCOHOLIC…That’s why I used alcohol: to prevent me from facing reality, people, myself, responsibility… .

I have the progressive disease of alcoholism and insisted on trying to moderate my use for years. I failed over and over again. For anyone who does not have alcoholism I suppose learning to drink in moderation would work…again, that is if you truly are not an alcoholic. But how do you know? I’m not willing to take that chance. I’ve worked hard in sobriety and have gained enough peace from those efforts to know that going back to using alcohol would ruin my life like it almost did before I stopped drinking.

In this 12 step program we don’t “teach” anything. We simply speak from our experiences to show others what has worked for us. You are free to take it or leave it. Working the steps and actually DOing the work with a sponsor has already provided me with great rewards in all areas of my being: spiritual, mental, emotional and physical health. I’ve gained a perspective on life that no one could have made me believe was possible when I was drinking. I am now like a snake shedding old skin. Fears that have dominated me and held me captive my entire life are falling away. And, I know there’s more health for me to gain. I’m not giving that up, not even for one drink.

That’s what it’s like for me. God Bless!

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