Gmoney

That's exactly the kind of "old-school" misinformation I was referring to. When I got clean, there were a lot of members sharing basically the same thing: that a character defect was one thing (mental) and a shortcoming was another (an action). This view insists that a defect of character creates or causes a shortcoming. Our literature makes no such distinction.

The Just For Today reading on the subject of Step 6 is on page 136, and shortcomings and defects are mentioned. It states, “As we let go of our shortcomings and find their influence waning, we’ll notice that a loving God replaces those defects with quality attributes.”

Take note that the book says, “…those defects”, leaving you an answer in the same sentence, “our shortcomings” that we let go. As throughout our literature – two words, same meaning. And if you noticed, the reading talks about letting go of shortcomings, whereas the Basic Text uses the term “defect” in regard to something that should be let go. Basic Text, page 33 states, “Letting go of character defects should be done decisively.”

One of the most important statements in our literature to illustrate that defects and shortcomings are the same (causative) is the first line of Step 7 in the Basic Text:

“Character defects or shortcomings are those things that cause pain and misery all of our lives”

I could go on...but I found it important for me to know why I "act out" and when I pray, I pray to have the cause removed...thus addressing any action that results.

:ghug