I suppose some would be shocked at our seeming worldliness and levity. Get an idea of his behavior, his problems, his background, the seriousness of his condition, and his religious leanings. Some of us have taken very hard knocks to learn this truth: Job or no job-wife or no wife-we simply do not stop drinking so long as we place dependence upon other people ahead of dependence on God. But life was not easy for the two friends. Can He now take them all-every one? As Gods people we stand on our feet; we dont crawl before anyone. You are willing to overlook his past performances. He cannot picture life without alcohol. He will be able to take a position with such a man which is eminently fair and square. Dont deal with him when he is very drunk, unless he is ugly and the family needs your help. A year and six months later these three had succeeded with seven more. If our testimony helps sweep away prejudice, enables you to think honestly, encourages you to search diligently within yourself, then, if you wish, you can join us on the Broad Highway. The firm wants to help you get over it, and if you are interested, there is a way out. Roberta Mccain Net Worth Forbes, But this is not an end in itself. He was ambitious to succeed in business, but saw that he would get nowhere if he drank at all. Next he can be assured that you do not intend to lecture, moralize, or condemn; that if this was done formerly, it was because of misunderstanding. The Loft Literary Center Minneapolis Mn, Of course he couldnt drink, but why not sit hopefully at a table, a bottle of ginger ale before him? There is another paralyzing fear. Then, like a thunderbolt, a great thought came. He made up his mind to quit drinking altogether. FUN FACT: God (by one name or another) is mentioned 281 times within the first 164 pages of the Big Book. Easy to read retyped version. Second Edition of the Big Book. But why not? We meet these conditions every day. Is it not because each wants to play the lead? We relax and take it easy. By every form of self-deception and experimentation, they will try to prove themselves exceptions to the rule, therefore nonalcoholic. If he did not work, he would surely drink again, and if he drank, he would surely die. That was the last honest manual labor on my part for many a day. Six years ago one of our number was a patient there. After reading this book, a junior executive can go to such a man and say approximately this, Look here, Ed. We have found nothing incompatible between a powerful spiritual experience and a life of sane and happy usefulness. We have tried these methods. The fact is that most alcoholics, for reasons yet obscure, have lost the power of choice in drink. Though there may be justifiable exceptions, and though we wish to lay down no rule of any sort, we have often found this the best course to take. 8-b. Then he had, in effect, been raised from the dead, suddenly taken from the scrap heap to a level of life better than the best he had ever known! These are followed by forty-three personal experiences. When you have carefully explained to such people that he is a sick person, you will have created a new atmosphere. e-mail: why are bulgarians so [email protected] 12-a. Written as a memoir and study guide, the story follows Phil D who has over 10 years of sobriety as he sponsors Glenn L who has just 3 months of sobriety. I made a host of fair- weather friends. It has been repeatedly proven among us that upon this simple cornerstone a wonderfully effective spiritual structure can be built. It poured over and through him with the certainty and majesty of a great tide at flood. What seemed at first a flimsy reed, has proved to be the loving and powerful hand of God. The problem is not the words, but the idea. BB pg 100-101. by medic63 Wed Feb 03, 2016 9:23 am. Maybe we are divorced, and have remarried but havent kept up the alimony to number one. Few people really are, for that means blind faith in the strange proposition that this universe originated in a cipher and aimlessly rushes nowhere. Our friend proceeded to tell him. We may lose our position or reputation or face jail, but we are willing. As a moderate drinker, you can take your liquor or leave it alone. If he speaks of his home situation, you can undoubtedly make helpful suggestions. The first 164 pages Though there is no true references to the word sponsorship with in the first 164 page of the AA Big Book "Alcoholics Anonymous" it is mentioned in several of the personal stories that are contained later in the book. To his consternation, he found himself drunk half a dozen times in rapid succession. how many words are in the first 164 pages of the big book. The opposite may happen should the family condemn and criticize. It may be he has done us more harm than we have done him and, though we may have acquired a better attitude toward him, we are still not too keen about admitting our faults. He wants to make good. Such a man would be crazy, wouldnt he? Why was it, when these dangers were pointed out that they agreed, and then got drunk again immediately? Instead of treating the family as he should, he may retreat further into himself and feel he has spiritual justification for so doing. No wonder an alcoholic is strangely irrational. We looked askance at many individuals who claimed to be godly. But the more we fought and tried to have our own way, the worse matters got. The Big Book God References: This exercise is meant to be an individual study aid of the Big Book in which the author identifies the references to God. That was in June, 1935. Though I had been only a nominal churchman, their proposals were not, intellectually, hard to swallow. * This refers to Bills first visit with Dr. Bob. Then only might I expect to receive. When was the Third Edition published? If these thoughts occur, they are hazy and readily supplanted with the old threadbare idea that this time we shall handle ourselves like other people. Avoid urging him to follow our program. Since we can't read all four chapters tonight, 10 pages on powerlessness are selected from The Doctors Opinion, Bills Story, More About Alcoholism, and There is a Solution. Notice that the word fear is bracketed alongside the difficulties with Mr. Brown, Mrs. Jones, the employer, and the wife. Say you do not want to be a wet blanket; that you only want him to take care of his health. Common words are needed to keep the book to a reasonable size and an affordable cost. It is seldom wise to approach an individual, who still smarts from our injustice to him, and announce that we have gone religious. Inerrant means without error, and it is a concept religious scholars have tried to apply to the Christian bible, without success. Some of us veered from extreme to extreme, ever hoping that one day our loved ones would be themselves once more. Or am I expecting to steal a little vicarious pleasure from the atmosphere of such places? If you answer these questions satisfactorily, you need have no apprehension. Again, you should not crowd him. The Wright brothers almost childish faith that they could build a machine which would fly was the main- spring of their accomplishment. Show him your copy of this book and tell him what you have found out about alcoholism. We react sanely and normally, and we will find that this has happened automatically. He might have a chance. Then came the hospital with unbearable mental and physical suffering. There was a tremendous urge to cease forever. His family was re- assembled, and he began to work as a salesman for the business he had lost through drinking. The 164 and More web site. If he is not communicative, give him a sketch of your drinking career up to the time you quit. But all problems will not be solved at once. She met these responsibilities gallantly. Many of us have wasted a lot of time doing that and it doesnt work. Those words are simply not written down in the first 164 pages yet, our literature DOES have multiple references to the idea of taking the Steps. He did, and also sent a small amount of money. I was soon to be catapulted into what I like to call the fourth dimension of existence. 1965 Royal Enfield Bullet For Sale, He admitted he was overdoing these things, but frankly said that he was not ready to stop. He got drunk. If you concede that your employee is ill, can he be forgiven for what he has done in the past? But cheer up, something like half of us thought we were atheists or agnostics. Two of the members of Alcoholics Anonymous came to see me. If, when you honestly want to, you find you cannot quit entirely, or if when drinking, you have little control over the amount you take, you are probably alcoholic. I simply didnt know. Would I have it? A remorseful mumbling that we are sorry wont fill the bill at all. Moreover, he would lose his family for whom he had a deep affection. Whether your employee likes it or not, he will learn the grim truth about alcoholism. Why? I was to know happiness, peace, and usefulness, in a way of life that is incredibly more wonderful as time passes. He may take small interest in the children and may show irritation when reproved for his delinquencies. Todays life is measured against that of other years and, when it falls short, the family may be unhappy. And so I did. Includes pages 1-164 and: - The original Foreword - The Doctor's Opinion - Dr. Bob's Story - If you can't find the passages cited in your Big Book, try the provided chapter/story name as an aid. You can use any of our indexes with either edition. In another case, an alcoholic was sent to a hospital for treatment. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves. I loaded my Big Book onto my tablet and did a word search for worked / working and I found several uses of the word in the first 164 Foreword to the Second Edition teasers page and are you smarter than a fifth-grader questions. We shall be with you in the Fellowship of the Spirit, and you will surely meet some of us as you trudge the Road of Happy Destiny. Rightly and naturally, we think well before we choose the person or persons with whom to take this intimate and confidential step. But we dont delay if it can be avoided. He knows that thousands of men, much like himself, have recovered. Drinking cold small beer. He is like the retired business man who lolls in the Florida sunshine in the winter complaining of the sad state of the nation; the minister who sighs over the sins of the twentieth century; politicians and reformers who are sure all would be Utopia if the rest of the world would only behave; the outlaw safe cracker who thinks society has wronged him; and the alcoholic who has lost all and is locked up. Big Book Study Edition (Softcover) This Big Book option is really great! Far from admitting he was an alcoholic, he told himself he came to the hospital to rest his nerves. If a mere code of morals or a better philosophy of life were sufficient to overcome alcoholism, many of us would have recovered long ago. But for the grace of God, there would have been thousands more convincing demonstrations. We trust infinite God rather than our finite selves. That was great news to us, for we had assumed we could not make use of spiritual principles unless we accepted many things on faith which seemed difficult to believe. My talent for leadership, I imagined, would place me at the head of vast enterprises which I would manage with the utmost assurance. Thus we grow. They work hard and they play hard. We were grateful that Reason had brought us so far. In no time I was beating on the bar asking myself how it happened. Big Book Index Bookmark. While drinking, he accepted a sum of money from a bitterly-hated business rival, giving him no receipt for it. He had, of course, the familiar alcoholic obsession that few knew of his drinking. He interrupted: I used to be strong for the church, but that wont fix it. You avoid the subject of drinking, even with your own parents. I've been around AA for 18,years yet sober 4 but months and have heard of many suggestions however reading the first 164 pages of the big book has caused me to be curious, by no means am i disagreeing with this afterall the big book is the bible of AA therefore i have no problem at all, anyway can you please tell me how this came about because i know for a fact . We thought we could find an easier, softer way. Our description of the alcoholic, the chapter to the agnostic, and our personal adventures before and after make clear three pertinent ideas: (a) That we were alcoholic and could not manage our own lives. They will always materialize if we work for them. Why not I? This brings us to the Fifth Step in the program of recovery mentioned in the preceding chapter. We have prayed, we have begged, we have been patient. We had to have Gods help. But our man is sure to be impressed with a sincere desire to set right the wrong. This was Step Four. You will thus get a better idea of how you ought to proceed. We are not sure why, once a certain point is reached, little can be done for him. Here was something at work in a human heart which had done the impossible. For example, we know of situations in which the alcoholic or his wife have had love affairs. Included is all material from inside the front cover through page 164, plus Appendices I (Traditions) and II (Spiritual Experience). Afterward, his revulsion will be terrible. Everyone became resigned to the certainty that I would have to be shut up somewhere, or would stumble along to a miserable end. We agnostically inclined would not feel satisfied with a proposal which does not lend itself to reasonable approach and interpretation. He talked for hours. Could we have been so mistaken in the men we married? The doctor intimated strongly that he might be worse than he realized. Relieve me of the bondage of self, that I may better do Thy will. Let the doctor, if he will, tell him he has something in the way of a solution. Well, thats exactly what this book is about. Is he not a victim of the delusion that he can wrest satisfaction and happiness out of this world if he only manages well? We should not talk incessantly to them about spiritual matters. We have begun to develop this vital sixth sense. In AA Comes of Age (p. 164) Bill wrote We had not gone much farther with the text of the book when it was The emphasis is on the first 89 pages of the Book, which have not been altered since originally published in 1939. Though we have no religious connection, we may still do well to talk with someone ordained by an established religion. Psychologists are inclined to agree with us. The problem with which you struggle usually falls within one of four categories: One: Your husband may be only a heavy drinker. Being somewhat weakened, and faced with physical and mental readjustment to a life which knows no alcohol, he may overdo. Take away my difficulties, that victory over them may bear witness to those I would help of Thy Power, Thy Love, and Thy Way of life. When we decide who is to hear our story, we waste no time. We must take the lead. In our belief any scheme of combating alcoholism which proposes to shield the sick man from temptation is doomed to failure. It will not take long for you to decide, if you are honest with yourself about it. We think it dangerous if he rushes headlong at his economic problem. How Many Thousands of Men and Women Have Recovered from Alcoholism FOURTH EDITION ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS WORLD SERVICES, INC. new york city 2001 Alco_9781893007161_6p_fm_r4_Alco_1893007162_6p_fm_r4.qxd 11/20/13 3:43 PM Page iii. Notwithstanding the great necessity for discussing ourselves with someone, it may be one is so situated that there is no suitable person available. Our real purpose is to fit ourselves to be of maximum service to God and the people about us. We read wordy books and indulge in windy arguments, thinking we believe this universe needs no God to explain it. Written by Dale K, it contains a rewritten version of the first 164 pages of the Big Book.

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how many words are in the first 164 pages of the big book