(October 23, 2014 at 8:02 am)Aractus Wrote: @smithers - the issue is that the 12-step program is not critically evaluated for improvement. If it was, it'd be expected to achieve better success than it presently does.
Telling all alcoholics that they have a "disease" in my view is not right. As noted by Dorian there might be underlying psychological issues and those are best dealt with directly with a qualified therapist or physician.
I do not disagree with that. I am simply saying that atheist or theist, many people HAVE found some merit in AA. It seems to have some merit to me. With that being said I agree that it is a deeply flawed program. Really the only parts of AA I agree with are the 'fellowship,' aka building a support group, and helping other addicts, doing the right thing, etc. Having people who share the same problem with you to talk about that problem is therapeutic and doing the right thing or helping other people will make you feel better about yourself which may possibly keep you from wanting to destroy yourself further.
Other than that I feel confident making the generalization that mostly everything else they claim is complete bullshit.
“Love is the only bow on Life’s dark cloud. It is the morning and the evening star. It shines upon the babe, and sheds its radiance on the quiet tomb. It is the mother of art, inspirer of poet, patriot and philosopher.
It is the air and light of every heart – builder of every home, kindler of every fire on every hearth. It was the first to dream of immortality. It fills the world with melody – for music is the voice of love.
Love is the magician, the enchanter, that changes worthless things to Joy, and makes royal kings and queens of common clay. It is the perfume of that wondrous flower, the heart, and without that sacred passion, that divine swoon, we are less than beasts; but with it, earth is heaven, and we are gods.” - Robert. G. Ingersoll
It is the air and light of every heart – builder of every home, kindler of every fire on every hearth. It was the first to dream of immortality. It fills the world with melody – for music is the voice of love.
Love is the magician, the enchanter, that changes worthless things to Joy, and makes royal kings and queens of common clay. It is the perfume of that wondrous flower, the heart, and without that sacred passion, that divine swoon, we are less than beasts; but with it, earth is heaven, and we are gods.” - Robert. G. Ingersoll
