tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18504038.post8066247800073044887..comments2008-04-06T11:30:30.935-07:00Martin Nicolaushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08984388941903679095noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18504038.post-78659045742838478372008-04-06T11:30:00.000-07:002008-04-06T11:30:00.000-07:00Great post, Marty. All I can say is, yup, AA is bullshit. I went to over 90 meetings, many different groups - all B.S.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18504038.post-75603799683248852092008-02-12T10:39:00.000-08:002008-02-12T10:39:00.000-08:00Re Mike's comments...After being around AA for more years than most of the readers have been alive it astounds me that people continue to support what the doctor referred to as "Bullshit". Do most of the members not subscribe to the steps and the basics of AA or do they simply not know what they are?<BR/>Jack McNeil.Jackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11309925900703885632noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18504038.post-8484071228668588622008-01-18T10:46:00.000-08:002008-01-18T10:46:00.000-08:00Marty--<BR/><BR/>I just came across your blog a few days ago and will continue checking in as I've enjoyed what I've read so far. While I've had a different experience within AA myself, I have no problem acknowledging that it's certainly not for everyone and it's certainly not anywhere close to perfect. Although, it's such a strange organization, I'm not sure if anyone can accurately talk about "it" as though it's an entity with a clear definition and/or scope. <BR/><BR/>Shortly after I got sober (10/20/2001) I began to sense that AA was a cult and that I was probably not going to be able to stay a member. Before walking out, I met a man who would eventually become one of my sponsors (Dr. Earle Marsh). I saw him tell a whole room of 100+ men that everything they had been spouting about that evening was bullshit. They got quiet for a few minutes and then they laughed. He simply shook his head and told them that he wasn't kidding. It was bullshit.<BR/><BR/>My world and my recovery changed that moment.<BR/><BR/>The other thing that changed my perception of AA was the pamphlet, A Member's Eye View of AA. Written in 1968 or so, it is, in my less than humble opinion, the best piece of AA sanctioned literature that's ever been written.<BR/><BR/>As to humility, I've been thinking about your post now for a couple of days. I suspect it's always hard to find good examples of humility when you look at the bottom rungs of an organization. Given AA's "inverted triangle" design, where the individuals are at the "top" of the organizational triangle and the "leaders" at the bottom, I prefer to look for paragons of humility in the meetings and outside the rooms. I've met some of the most amazing people over the last six years, many of them tremendously humble without even knowing it.<BR/><BR/>Sure, there are assholes. All too often, I'm one of them.<BR/><BR/>Take care! Feel free to peruse my blog, which I just started a couple of weeks ago:<BR/><BR/>MikeLRecovery.blogspot.com<BR/><BR/>I think I'm going to post something along the lines of humility when I have a moment.<BR/><BR/>Mike Libby<BR/>cmichaellibby@gmail.com<BR/>(Live in the East Bay, so I will look into attending one of the local LifeRing meetings, have never done that.)Mike L.http://www.blogger.com/profile/03218230734014569429noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18504038.post-28647177940485118952008-01-18T07:21:00.000-08:002008-01-18T07:21:00.000-08:00Always enlightening Marty!<BR/><BR/>I found many people I came across in AA were still in the dark ages of everything in their life. AA will never move forward if they do not open their minds. I found many members in Victoria basically disown you if you are not "in."<BR/><BR/>The smoking at AA was a real turn-off for me. It really is astounding how many people in AA smoke.Michael Walshnoreply@blogger.com