A
wildly imaginative dianoetic rambling concerning the the “basic
text” of Alcoholics Anonymous (viz. the Big Book) (our comments in
red print)
Foreword to Third Edition (p. xxii)
“FOREWORD
TO THIRD EDITION
By
March 1976, when this edition went to the printer, the total
worldwide membership of Alcoholics Anonymous was conservatively
estimated at more than 1,000,000, with almost 28,000 groups meeting
in over 90 countries.
Surveys
of groups in the United States and Canada indicate that A.A. is
reaching out, not only to more and more people, but to a wider and
wider range. Women now make up more than one-fourth of the
membership; among newer members, the proportion is nearly one-third.
Seven percent of the A.A.’s surveyed are less than 30 years of
age—among them, many in their teens.
The
basic principles of the A.A. program, it appears, hold good for
individuals with many different lifestyles, just as the program has
brought recovery to those of many different nationalities. The Twelve
Steps that summarize the program may be called los Doce Pasos in one
country, les Douze Etapes in another, but they trace exactly the same
path to recovery that was blazed by the earliest members of
Alcoholics Anonymous.
In
spite of the great increase in the size and the span of this
Fellowship, at its core it remains simple and personal. [ie
not standardised or 'cloned'] Each day, somewhere in the
world, recovery begins when one alcoholic talks with [Note:
not 'directs', 'issues commands to', 'manipulates', 'threatens',
'dictates', 'requires', 'coerces', 'sets conditions for' etc]
another alcoholic, sharing experience, strength, and hope.”
[We've still not come to that bit in the Big Book about alcoholics
ordering one another about. Maybe it's in the next chapter! We'll
keep our eyes peeled! And still no mention of sponsor or sponsorship
or even sponsee!]
(our
emphases)(our comments in red print)
Coming
next –
Foreword to Fourth Edition
Cheerio
The
Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)
Caution:
This curse (sorry!!) COURSE is not to be taken as AUTHORITATIVE nor
is it to be regarded as DEFINITIVE in any way. Anyone found to be
according it any undue status will be reported to the appropriate
authorities (ie. GSO York or whoever) who will then do ….
ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! (quite rightly too we say!). Moreover any person
discovered to be quoting from the aforementioned course will be
TERMINATED with extreme prejudice!
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