Must Not Go Where Liquor Is Served?
January 16, 2008 by Mark
Filed under Diseases & Conditions
I received a comment into moderation the other day relating to an older post on Clubs In AA. I haven’t approved it because I doubt its sincerity. It says: “Recently a AA club moved into a building that has a bar on the second floor. This to me is completely unacceptable.”
Really??? Think about this. Unacceptable to you??? I thought we stopped playing God in recovery.
From page 100;
“Assuming we are spiritually fit, we can do all sorts of things alcoholics are not supposed to do. People have said we must not go where liquor is served; we must not have it in our homes; we must shun friends who drink; we must avoid moving pictures which show drinking scenes; we must not go into bars; our friends must hide their bottles if we go into their houses; we mustn’t think or be reminded about alcohol at all. Our experience shows that this is not necessarily so.”
My guess is that the commenter wants us to live out our lives in some sort of fishbowl without social contact at all.
“We must meet these conditions every day. An alcoholic who cannot meet them, still has an alcoholic mind; there is something the matter with his spiritual status.”
Does it appear that our commenter has a bit of a challenge with their spiritual status? Looks like it to me…
Thank you for posting this. My boyfriend was coming up on his one-year anniversary when we met a few months ago, and despite his telling me that he doesn’t mind if I have a drink in his presence I’ve still been reluctant to. Your thoughts help me to understand why I should take his word for it. And I am grateful for his spiritual status.
Good deal Elaine, thanks for stopping by…
I think your commenter subscribes to the legalism described in that passage from the book.
If I had that mentality, I would’ve fallen out of recovery a thousand times over again.
Thanks Jen. Nice Blog
I got sober at an AA group that rented space above a liqour store called “The Cork & Bottle.” Every time anyone came to a meeting, we could make our choice to go up the stairs to recovery or walk straight ahead to death.
Thanks Leslie… appreciate your comment!
I Googled “The Cork & Bottle.” Are you in London or Washington, D.C.?
About 12 years ago I was traveling the midwest and happened in Davenport, Ia for a spell. Attended a club that was beneath a bar! No one seemed to have a problem with it. Infact we were able to do some close 12 stepping. Ha!
In Phoenix, 22 years ago we were looking for a permenant place for our Brown Baggers Noon Meeting. Until Wyatts Caferteria was availavble we met in a lounge for the noon meeting. The bar didn’t open till 4 or 5! Still, No Problem!