By
Dr. Bob Smith, July 1944, AA Grapevine©
"During
nine years in AA, I have observed that those who follow the
Alcoholics Anonymous program with the greatest earnestness and zeal
not only maintain sobriety but often acquire finer characteristics
and attitudes as well. One of these is tolerance. Tolerance expresses
itself in a variety of ways: in kindness and consideration toward the
man or woman who is just beginning the march along the spiritual
path; in the understanding of those who perhaps have been less
fortunate in education advantages; and in sympathy toward those whose
religious ideas may seem to be at great variance with our own.
I
am reminded in this connection of the picture of a hub with its
radiating spokes. We all start at the outer circumference and
approach our destination by one of many routes. To say that one spoke
is much better than all the other spokes is true only in the sense of
its being best suited to you as an individual. Human nature is such
that without some degree of tolerance, each one of us might be
inclined to believe that we have found the best or perhaps the
shortest spoke.
Without
some tolerance, we might tend to become a bit smug or superior -
which, of course, is not helpful to the person we are trying to help
and may be quite painful or obnoxious to others. No one of us wishes
to do anything that might act as a deterrent to the advancement of
another - and a patronizing attitude can readily slow up this
process.
Tolerance
furnishes, as a by-product, a greater freedom from the tendency to
cling to preconceived ideas and stubbornly adhered-to opinions. In
other words, it often promotes an open-mindedness that is vastly
important - is, in fact, a prerequisite to the successful termination
of any line of search, whether it be scientific or spiritual.
These,
then, are a few of the reasons why an attempt to acquire tolerance
should be made by each one of us.
Dr Bob of Akron"
(our emphases)
Dr Bob of Akron"
(our emphases)
Comment: Cult members might like to consider the above rather carefully
Cheerio
The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)
Cheerio
The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)
