Spiritual Pride Carries A High Cost
May 1, 2007 by Mark
Filed under Diseases & Conditions
Last night I listened to a member share on and on about God, God’s Grace, God Loves You… on and on… Nothing on experience, strength and hope. Nothing on the Twelve Steps. Nothing from our literature at all. Much personal, outside AA, God “stuff.”
Talk of God ought not be a problem. Yet spiritual pride can definitely be a problem and it can come with a very high cost!
From pg. 252 in The Language of The Heart; Bill W. is speaking in an article titled “God As We Understand Him: The Dilemma of No Faith.”
Bill begins with – “God as we understand him” is perhaps the most important expression to be found in our whole AA vocabulary. Within the compass of these five significant words there can be included every kind and degree of faith, together with the positive assurance that each of us may choose his own.”
Later on, Bill shares on what can happen when some impose “their God” on others.
“Here’s a recent example of the high cost of spiritual pride. A very tough minded prospect was taken to his first AA meeting. The first speaker majored on his own drinking pattern. The prospect seemed impressed. The next two speakers (or maybe lecturers) each themed their talks on ‘God as I understand him.’ This could have been good, too, but it certainly wasn’t. The trouble was their attitude, the way they presented their experience. They did ooze arrogance. In fact, the final speaker got far overboard on some of his personal theological convictions. With perfect fidelity, both were repeating my performance of years before. Quite unspoken, yet implicit in everything they said, was the same idea – ‘Folks, listen to us. We have the only true brand of AA – and you’d better get it!’
The new prospect said he’d had it – and he had. His sponsor protested that this wasn’t real AA. But it was too late; nobody could touch him after that. He also had a first class alibi for yet another bender. When last heard from, an early appointment with the undertaker seemed probable.”
In this letter from Bill, published in April, 1961, we find something else -
The Hallmarks of Great Spiritual Worth
Humor and Patience. Gentleness and Courage. Humility and Dedication. Unselfishness and Love.
Please don’t try to shove your God down my throat folks…
Powerful stuff. Some people forget the book, forget where they came from…I know I did. One other thing I have heard at meetings many times that I hope I never said and swear I never will is…thanks to you that have gone back out for me to see what it’s like. I was sober for 12 years, I am one of those, and I honestly felt like punching her. I didn’t want to go back out, I did not want to drink…duh. Anyways, thanks again, hopefully we all live and continue to learn
Thanks Lori – I hear that same inane comment myself waaaaay too often. Usually it comes from those who are exactly who this post is aimed at. I’d like to believe they only do it because they heard someone else say it and therefore they think it’s the thing to say. I’d rather not believe they say it out of purely arrogant self-centeredness, but I know I’d be fooling myself once again…
Appreciate your input, please stop by again.
Mark
Yes I agree I surly dont need any one to back on my account , I need only to remember my last drunk ya know the best one because it got me here …
I ve gotten to the point lately where I hear people saying I dont hear this anymore …and then they go on to say something like keep it simple or some other slogan ,,,my take is if YOU did nt stop saying it you would hear it more ,,,,that’s my pet pevere this day { GOD I NEVER HAD IT SO GOOD } how are those beginner meetings going out at isle o hope?????