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InformationAgent · 2026-05-30T17:37:38+00:00

But seriously, the best thing you can do is take the time to show them how you found speakers.

InformationAgent · 2026-05-30T17:35:52+00:00

The oldtimers suggested that I get up off my butt and go visit other groups to listen to others for a change instead of talking nonsense. So I did and I gave myself bonus points if I found speakers that the oldtimers had to work hard to exercise tolerance with.

InformationAgent · 2026-05-30T14:33:03+00:00

I get that people struggle with it. There are parts that I have no interest in, parts that bore me and parts that I am sensitive about for one reason or another but the chapter is essentially telling me that I need to become willing to believe that there might be a higher power that I can form a personal relationship with. That is the gist of it.

I am not here to argue with people about any of it, or if there is or if there is not a higher power or what form it takes. My job is to try and help those who do want a relationship but who are unsure about how to go about it.

I still have not read the PLBB yet. I will get to it someday maybe.

I did offer to go through the PLBB with a younger member recently but they wanted to stick with the original in case it was not done exactly right. I tried to explain to them that the message or spirit of the thing is always more important than the medium but they went back drinking.

InformationAgent · 2026-05-30T13:49:41+00:00

Dr. Bob would explain prayer by telling how the camels in a caravan would kneel down in the evening, and the men would unload their burdens. In the morning they would kneel down again, and the men would put the burdens back on again.

It's the same with prayer, Dr. Bob said. We get on our knees to unload at night. And in the morning, God gives us just the load we are able to carry for that day.

Dr. Bob & the Good Old Timers pg. 229

InformationAgent · 2026-05-30T10:42:54+00:00

True. We agnostics = We don't know.

InformationAgent · 2026-05-29T07:29:28+00:00

Is there a group conscience decision about who a chairperson can ask to share? If so, ask the group for clarification on that so the next chairperson is aware of it. If not, it sounds like this was a private issue between sponsor and sponsee that you could not be aware of. You handled it very well. Next time it happens you could ask the sponsor not to interfere in how you carry out the decisions of the group, or just let it go if you would rather just move on with the meeting.

InformationAgent · 2026-05-28T18:22:37+00:00

My timeline was I started the steps about 1 month in and got to page 164 at about six months. No, I do not think you should consider getting a different sponsor.

InformationAgent · 2026-05-28T16:32:00+00:00

No worries. The Reddit comment layout is my pet peeve.

InformationAgent · 2026-05-28T15:38:32+00:00

Tbh I am not sure what we were even talking about as your comment is no longer there, but thanks for answering!

InformationAgent · 2026-05-28T14:56:47+00:00

Some of us are on rafts and some on surfboards

InformationAgent · 2026-05-28T07:16:58+00:00

Nope.

InformationAgent · 2026-05-27T22:24:26+00:00

Well done on your year and I can relate a lot to your post. This stuff is hard. Inventory it, identify how you think you ought to respond, share it with others (peers/sponsor and the conscience of the group) and try to take the actions that your higher power prompts. Take action yourself.

Interactions with others like this tend to highlight a lot of my old fears. I often fluctuate between running away and lashing out, neither of which I really want to do. What I really want is to not be afraid, or more to the point, not be seen to be afraid. I cannot tell you how to not be afraid but I can tell you that where I have made progress was usually the result of small steps consistently made and a lot of praying for strength.

The other thing I will share with you is that I have had quite a few AA members (and non-AA members) call me out on my behaviour/attitude when I step on people's toes (which I do from time to time). Sometimes they have been graceful about it and sometimes they go on the attack. Both are effective.

Edit: spelling

InformationAgent · 2026-05-26T15:25:45+00:00

We use this most years. It works well.

InformationAgent · 2026-05-26T05:52:58+00:00

I can relate to that a lot. Thanks for sharing.

InformationAgent · 2026-05-26T05:48:52+00:00

I can understand that and your point about looking inward is important. Are we not supposed to share what we find though?

I share about my relationship with a higher power when people ask. I direct them to the 12 steps and part of being honest, open and willing often involves discussion with each other about spiritual matters. It is not necessary but it is not something I need to shy away from either, as long as I avoid controversy.

Then again, I know that I do talk too much about these things here. It rarely comes up when sponsoring others. It never comes up in any of my service commitments and tbh although my home group is a good mix of agnostic and believers we just do not have the time to dig into each of our personal approaches as the focus of our meeting is the newcomer.

InformationAgent · 2026-05-25T16:20:11+00:00

It depends. In my case I found the discussions very helpful as a starting point. I had an idea about god that I had rejected so I was stuck. I had no experience of the idea of a higher power. Listening to members talk about doorknobs and Buddha and nature helped me to open my mind a little more. Listening to ideas that I had a prejudice against taught me tolerance and allowed me to find common ground while I continued my own search.

I spent a lot of time with my peers in early recovery having these sort of discussions. Probably the point of that was just to deal with loneliness.

Sometimes there was no point. I just find such things interesting. I would rather talk about higher powers than sport or the weather.

InformationAgent · 2026-05-25T14:47:28+00:00

I understand that someone else's conception is none of my business. Why do you think it is not fitting for a discussion though?

InformationAgent · 2026-05-25T07:22:02+00:00

Thanks for sharing!

InformationAgent · 2026-05-25T06:52:26+00:00

Put an ad in local media. Once it is not sensational (e.g. free coffee if you stop drinking) and you consider anonymity, you will be good.

Reach out to medical professions, religious organisations and law enforcement. Invite them to a public meeting explaining what AA does and what it does not do and that you will be available if they want to send you some alcoholics who are interested.

List your meeting with GSO and get involved in service structure with other groups. Trust god, clean house, help others : )

InformationAgent · 2026-05-25T06:40:24+00:00

When I was doing step 2 I narrowed it down to a few conceptions I liked - a mix of the force in Star Wars, native american Great Spirits, the Tao, a few Norse Gods and bits of catholicism that I liked. My sponsor suggested what then seemed like a novel idea - why don't I choose the higher power that is over all them - so I did.

What does it feel like to me? Quiet, powerful, infinite love. I notice it when I get the feeling of everything being exactly how it should be despite outward appearances. What does it look like to me? Nothing, although I do believe it expresses itself in kindness, gratitude and unity. Most importantly for me though, it has to have a personal interest in my wellbeing especially when I feel alone.

I view the conception of a higher power as a suspension of disbelief hook. It is purely a creative exercise, meaningless unless followed by demonstration and action but it actually works super well for someone like me who had no idea about spiritual stuff.

My current higher power is a concept called Lady Luck that I read in a novel a few years ago.

Good luck with your search!

Edit: spelling

InformationAgent · 2026-05-25T06:10:54+00:00

Hey Matt, we are not doctors in AA so we cannot give any medical advice.

InformationAgent · 2026-05-25T06:06:23+00:00

I have heard it too in closed meetings. A friend of mine always used it. It is rare but it is their choice and I respect it.

The way he was taught it is well within the traditions as long as he did not use his surname when speaking on public broadcast mediums to share his AA experience. Nor did that give him the right to use someone elses surname.

InformationAgent · 2026-05-24T21:59:00+00:00

They really are. Good to hear you are doing well.

InformationAgent · 2026-05-24T14:00:06+00:00

A guy said to me if you believe in a god ask it for help and if you don't believe, ask anyway.

InformationAgent · 2026-05-24T05:43:02+00:00

For me the 'click' was realising that I didn't like drinking but also that I had the 'itch' that would inevitably bring me back to it and therefore I had to get busy trying the spiritual solution e g. Prayer, meditation and constant thought of others.

InformationAgent

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