Good Orderly Direction
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: CA desert
Posts: 1,599
Good Orderly Direction
I've read this phrase here a couple times and am confused about what it means. I wanted to ask my sponsor today, but he's at work and unavailable, so I thought I'd ask here.
I've spoken with three people the last two days about developing a plan of action to follow and sticking to it. Is this what is meant by the phrase, having and sticking to a plan?
I've spoken with three people the last two days about developing a plan of action to follow and sticking to it. Is this what is meant by the phrase, having and sticking to a plan?
Forward we go...side by side-Rest In Peace
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Serene In Dixie
Posts: 36,740
Hmm....
I never use the the phrase, "Good Orderly Direction"
nor do I hear it in my AA meetings.
My best plan of action for recovery has been
using God and the 12 Steps of AA.
I never use the the phrase, "Good Orderly Direction"
nor do I hear it in my AA meetings.
My best plan of action for recovery has been
using God and the 12 Steps of AA.
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Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 4,682
Something i heard in rehab, was used for athiests along with the option of using gravity as your higher power, e.g. do you think gravity is a power greater than you...sounds silly but got results for a couple in there:-)
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Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Scottsdale, AZ, one big happy dysfunctional family!
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Good
Orderly
Direction
I've seen it used that way as an acronym, or "alconym".
To me it means doing the next indicated right thing, keeping my side of the street clean, cleaning house and working with others, and as Cap'n suggested, following a good spiritual path.
Orderly
Direction
I've seen it used that way as an acronym, or "alconym".
To me it means doing the next indicated right thing, keeping my side of the street clean, cleaning house and working with others, and as Cap'n suggested, following a good spiritual path.
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Some people have an aversion to 'God' as a higher power.
But even a devout athiest agrees we all can use Good Orderly Direction.
So instead of believing in God they can believe in G.O.D. (Good Orderly Direction).
What can be a higher power? Anything that leads us in a Good Orderly Direction, right?
I use the phrase a lot with newcomers to the program who are basically looking for a reason why they can't do the steps. They say, "I can't get a handle on all of this God talk, I'm out of here...", and I suggest to them that they think of the Good Orderly Direction phrase as 'God'. It helped me a lot when I came into the program.
But even a devout athiest agrees we all can use Good Orderly Direction.
So instead of believing in God they can believe in G.O.D. (Good Orderly Direction).
What can be a higher power? Anything that leads us in a Good Orderly Direction, right?
I use the phrase a lot with newcomers to the program who are basically looking for a reason why they can't do the steps. They say, "I can't get a handle on all of this God talk, I'm out of here...", and I suggest to them that they think of the Good Orderly Direction phrase as 'God'. It helped me a lot when I came into the program.
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Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: UK
Posts: 196
to me it is one of those therapy type acronym/slogans I find annoying because they contradict what I have learned through the Big Book, it contradicts powerlessness and the below passage debunks good orderly direction,
Page 44-45
If a mere code of morals or a better philosophy of life were sufficient to overcome alcoholism, many of us would have recovered long ago. But we found that such codes and philosophies did not save us, no matter how much we tried. We could wish to be moral, we could wish to be philosophically comforted, in fact, we could will these things with all our might, but the needed power wasn't there. Our human resources, as marshalled by the will, were not sufficient; they failed utterly.
but that is just my view
Quoted...BB...1st. Edition
Page 44-45
If a mere code of morals or a better philosophy of life were sufficient to overcome alcoholism, many of us would have recovered long ago. But we found that such codes and philosophies did not save us, no matter how much we tried. We could wish to be moral, we could wish to be philosophically comforted, in fact, we could will these things with all our might, but the needed power wasn't there. Our human resources, as marshalled by the will, were not sufficient; they failed utterly.
but that is just my view
Quoted...BB...1st. Edition
Last edited by CarolD; 06-11-2009 at 11:03 AM. Reason: Source added as per SR guidelines
Psalm 118:24
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: ILLINOIS
Posts: 15,203
I get kind of peeved at the oh, we can't disturb someone by mentioning God.
I don't get bothered by people not believing in God. I do however get annoyed at someone thinking we shouldn't use it at our meeting.
Hmm I've read the steps a few times now. I didn't admit to a higher power on any step it was to the God of my understanding.
I also wouldn't go to an athiest meeting and start saying God, H.P. etc.
Our meetings we do say, those who care to join us for the serenity prayer and the Lord's prayer please do so.
I don't get bothered by people not believing in God. I do however get annoyed at someone thinking we shouldn't use it at our meeting.
Hmm I've read the steps a few times now. I didn't admit to a higher power on any step it was to the God of my understanding.
I also wouldn't go to an athiest meeting and start saying God, H.P. etc.
Our meetings we do say, those who care to join us for the serenity prayer and the Lord's prayer please do so.
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I just like to include everyone in their quest for sobriety.
I'm not thinking of myself and my beliefs, I'm thinking of theirs.
If Good Orderly Direction helps even one person become successful in the program I like it.
I'm not thinking of myself and my beliefs, I'm thinking of theirs.
If Good Orderly Direction helps even one person become successful in the program I like it.
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Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Colorado Prairie
Posts: 1,417
That's the beauty of it, no one is going to force you to believe in God to attend AA.
Pertinant idea #3 "That God could and would if he were sought.
This has been replaced with the concept that we can use anything we want for our Higher Power. Therefore people have decided to use a Group of Drunks or Good Orderly Direction.
The book clearly mentions God as we understand him. This in no way was this intended to indicate that the God of your choice could be used.
The quote specifically mentions "Attend" AA! We should point out the difference between AA "Attenders" and AA "Members"
Tradition 3 says that any 2-3 alcoholics gathered for "Sobriety" may call themselves an AA Meeting.
AA defines sobriety as "The freedom from alcohol through the teaching and practice of the 12 steps".
These 12 steps specifically mention "God" several times.
In my opinion only, if someone has no desire to find God and rely upon God for their recovery from alcoholism, they should give up their seat in AA
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Originally Posted by keithj 
Just to clarify, can God be Bhudda? Allah? Spirit of the Universe? Great Reality Deep Within? Or does it need to be the Christian god in which the founding members believed?
Your prospect may belong to a religious denomination. His religious education and training may be far superior to yours. In that case he is going to wonder how you can add anything to what he already knows. But he well be curious to learn why his own convictions have not worked and why yours seem to work so well. He may be an example of the truth that faith alone is insufficient. To be vital, faith must be accompanied by self sacrifice and unselfish, constructive action. Let him see that you are not there to instruct him in religion. Admit that he probably knows more about it than you do, but call to his attention the fact that however deep his faith and knowledge, he could not have applied it or he would not drink, Perhaps your story will help him see where he has failed to practice the very precepts he knows so well. We represent no particular faith or denomination. We are dealing only with general principles common to most denominations.
Big Book quote from the First Edition of Alcoholics Anonymous
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