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Twelve Warnings
The book
Alcoholics Anonymous contains a series of
propositions
and proposals, the successful outcome of these
depends upon the
actions of the reader.
The book directs
us as to what we must start doing, what we must
stop doing, what happens when we fulfill the
propositions and proposals and what will happen
if we fail to fulfill them.
These are the
Twelve Warnings as to what will happen if we
fail to
heed the directions.
1. For if an
alcoholic failed to perfect and enlarge his
spiritual life
through work and self-sacrifice for others, he
could not survive the
certain trials and low spots ahead. (p14)
2. The feeling
of having shared in a common peril is one
element in the powerful cement which binds us.
But that in itself would never have
held us together as we are now joined. (p17)
3. Above
everything, we alcoholics must be rid of this
selfishness,
we must, or it kills us! God makes that
possible. (p62)
4. Though our
decision (Step 3) was a vital and crucial Step,
it could
have little permanent effect unless at once
followed by a strenuous
effort to face and be rid of, the things in our
lives which had been
blocking us. (p64)
5. It is plain
that a life, which includes deep resentment,
leads only to futility and unhappiness. To the
precise extent that we permit these,
do we squander the hours that might have been
worth while. But with the alcoholic, whose hope
is the maintenance and growth of a spiritual
experience, this business of resentment is
infinitely grave. We found
that it is fatal. For when harboring such
feelings we shut ourselves off
from the sunlight of the spirit. The insanity of
alcohol returns and with
us to drink is to die. (p66)
6. Concerning
sex. Suppose we fall short of the chosen ideal
and
stumble? Does this mean we are going to get
drunk? Some people
tell us so. But this is only a half-truth. It
depends on us and our motives.
If we are sorry for what we have done, and have
the honest desire to let God take us to better
things, we believe we will be forgiven and will
have learned a lesson. If we are not sorry, and
our conduct continues to harm others, we are
quite sure to drink. We are not theorizing.
These are facts about our experience. (p70)
7. If we skip
this vital Step (5), we may not overcome
drinking. Time
after time newcomers have tried to keep to
themselves certain facts
about their lives. Trying to avoid this humbling
experience, they have turned to easier methods.
Almost invariably they got drunk. (p.72)
8. We must lose
our fear of creditors no matter how far we have
to go,
for we are liable to drink if we are afraid to
face them. (p78)
9. We feel that
a man is unthinking when he says that sobriety
is enough. (p.82)
10. It is easy
to let up on the spiritual program of action and
rest on our laurels. We are headed for trouble
if we do, for alcohol is a subtle foe. (p.85)
11. Our rule is
not to avoid a place where there is drinking, if
we have a legitimate reason for being there.
That includes bars, nightclubs, dances,
receptions, weddings, even plain ordinary
whoopee parties. To a person who has had
experience with an alcoholic, this may seem like
tempting Providence, but it isn't.
You will note that we made an important
qualification. Therefore, ask yourself on each
occasion, "Have I a good social, business, or
personal reason for going to this place? Or am I
expecting to steal a little vicarious pleasure
from the atmosphere of such places?" If you have
answered these questions satisfactorily, you
need have no apprehension. Go or stay away,
whichever seems best. But be sure you are on
solid spiritual ground before you start and that
your motive in going is thoroughly good. Do not
think of what you will get out of the occasion.
Think of what you can bring to it. But if you
are shaky, you had better work with another
alcoholic instead! (p.101)
12. The head of
the house ought to remember that he is mainly to
blame for what befell his home. He can scarcely
square the account in his lifetime. But he must
see the danger of over-concentration on
financial success. Although financial recovery
is on the way for many of us, we found we could
not place money first. For us, material
well-being always followed spiritual progress,
it never preceded. (p127)
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