Carrying the NA message?

[Great 2 B Alive]

I so many times go to meetings and hear people talk about what other people say with out looking up the information themselves. I see it here too. Narcotics Anonymous is not a barrowed Fellowship, It is not a Brother Fellowship, IT IS A GOD GIVEN FELLOWSHIP. We stand on our own two feet and carry a Clean message , "That an addict, any addict, can stop using drugs and find a new way to live." That is our message. it's all we have to give.

How Great our sponsorship "Family Tree" is an outside issue when carrying this message. Statements like: "I have the best sponsor in the world", is saying my sponsor is greater that God. My sponsor is a guide through the 12 steps, 12 traditions and 12 concepts of service. I really believe as long as I have a guide in this Fellowship, Some who believes in me and wants to help me in my Program, I have what I need, all the other stuff comes with time.

It is important to get a Basic Text, It Works How and Why, Step Working Guide and keep applying Spiritual Principles to our everyday life. Sharing Like Shakephere is not as important as living the Program of NA. It is easy to match our insides with others outsides and think we don't have enough. And when we get our outsides matched up to the flashy garbage can, and we are still left with that hole in the gut that we all have. We work the steps, do service work, go to meetings on a REGULAR basis and DON"T USE.

This is all I have for now.

Peace,
Todd J.

[SaTiT]

If you live it , I guess it wouldn't be too much of a load to carry.
It would just be inside of you.
Action speaks louder than words.

It is also a program of suggestions. Freedom..babi !!!
You know....the top of the pyramid with the four sides representing balance
and the base as goodwill.
There are no rules in NA.

If everybody agree, thinks,act,and express all the same...Then how the heck
would you expect us to learn about love, patients, tolerance, acceptence ?.LOL
You can pray for willingness thou.lmaf

Some refer Unconditional love as GOD.
Somewhere it is also mentioned that we strive to aline our will with god's.

Do whatever works for ya.
It's better to be bragging about your sponsor than having a crack pipe
in your mouth any day.

Come to think of it....
My sponsor dose think his bigger than god at times.lmaf

[Great 2 B Alive]

Originally Posted by SaTiT

If you live it , I guess it wouldn't be too much of a load to carry.
It would just be inside of you.
Action speaks louder than words.

It is also a program of suggestions. Freedom..babi !!!
You know....the top of the pyramid with the four sides representing balance
and the base as goodwill.
There are no rules in NA.

If everybody agree, thinks,act,and express all the same...Then how the heck
would you expect us to learn about love, patients, tolerance, acceptence ?.LOL
You can pray for willingness thou.lmaf

Some refer Unconditional love as GOD.
Somewhere it is also mentioned that we strive to aline our will with god's.

Do whatever works for ya.
It's better to be bragging about your sponsor than having a crack pipe
in your mouth any day.

Come to think of it....
My sponsor dose think his bigger than god at times.lmaf

OK If that works, I have never heard of God as unconditional Love, I believe Unconditional Loves comes from having God, and the Spiritual Principles won't work without God.

Suggestion is a suttle comand, and there are must in NA. Each has there own right to live as they choose. our Primary Purpose is to stay clean each day, and to carry the message to the addict who still suffers. NO RULES is an excuse to do the wrong thing and rationalize the outcome.

It also says The last to be lost to freedom is the stigma of being an addict.

Peace,
Todd J.

[yippeeciayay]

Originally Posted by Great 2 B Alive

Spiritual Principles won't work without God.

wow, its sure nice to be back for a bit and read all you peoples posts.. it helps me to level out after a hectick weekend around the house and with the constant frustrations my kids seem to impose upon me lol
...grant me the serenity to accept the things we cannot change, kinda stuff.

this did catch my eye and i thought how it worked for me in my life
and i thought in contrast to you GB2A ...

only by practicing these principles was i able to really find God.

i really had know idea about God or "A" God until i seen the results
of using spiritual principles in my life.
they created the, (what i can only call miracles), happenings in my life
and especially how i came to really believe there is for sure someting out there.

i have come to look at the spiritual principles as being the cosmic equation
that allows God to look after us all, all at once.

for doubters, try practicing the principles to the letter, and watch your life change before your very eyes.

thanks for your posts, they got me remembering what got me this far,
and reminds me not not rely on myself.

God bless

[SaTiT]

Originally Posted by Great 2 B Alive

OK If that works, I have never heard of God as unconditional Love, I believe Unconditional Loves comes from having God, and the Spiritual Principles won't work without God.

Suggestion is a suttle comand, and there are must in NA. Each has there own right to live as they choose. our Primary Purpose is to stay clean each day, and to carry the message to the addict who still suffers. NO RULES is an excuse to do the wrong thing and rationalize the outcome.

It also says The last to be lost to freedom is the stigma of being an addict.

Peace,
Todd J.

It say what its say, i didn't make it up.

A suggestion came out BW's buddy's mouth after Bill had a hard time
dealing with step #3.

No rules works for me and lots of peaple.
Peaple that had grown up in a very, very strick enviornment.
I'm a rebel with a million reason not to be good enough and
too much is never enough. To the contrary of the stima of an addict.
But addicts comes in all shape , forms and sizes.
I'm ex-malitary with lots and lots of rules, discipline, regulations.
I tried everything but nothing got me clean.

NA...the first freaken place that told me there's no rules.
I hung around,lmaf.

Imagine that.....nobody telling me to do this or that
or riding my arss all the damn.
Holy sheit....that would mean I would have to do it becuase
I wanted it. It would also mean I would be responsiable for
my recovery.

There'a rules if you live in a half way home or a recovery center,
or if your P.O. make you do certain things.
NA has no opinions on outside issues.

One dosen't even have to be clean or sober to be a member.
The only requirement is a desire to stop using.
And whom may know the desires of my heart.

[Gmoney]

Wow!! This is a hot one, and I don't know how I missed it when it was originally posted. I know it's old now, but I'd love to add my two cents to the discussion:

Todd made a few valid statements and followed them up with some personal opinions (from my observation). I agree that NA is a separate and distinct Fellowship in its own right and isn't connected or affiliated with any "outside" organizations, but I don't agree that because someone believes their sponsor is "the best" and says it in a post or at a meeting it's the same thing as equating their sponsor to God (or greater than). Our literature specifically states, "...everything affecting a recovering addict's life is material for sharing." And since sharing our beliefs, feelings and ideas are a part of how we interact with one another in recovery, it's not uncommon for members to expound in this manner. If I were to share that my home group is the "best home group in NA" it shouldn't be concluded that I'm saying my home group is greater than God because my comparison isn't with God...it's against other home groups I've attended. And above all...it's just my opinion and opinions aren't always rooted in fact.

When it comes to God and/or "spiritual principles"...it is important to understand that NA doesn't define what God (or Higher Power) is for any of us. The guideline offered is that it be loving, caring and Greater than self. Very often, many of our members will intertwine their own personal and religious beliefs with their understanding and attempt to impose those beliefs on others. I contend that this isn't the NA way. Our 3rd step tells us, "Our concept of God comes not from dogma, but from what we believe and from what works for us. Many of us (not all) understand God to be whatever force keeps us clean. The right to a God of your understanding is total and without any catches." (It may help to look up "dogma") So when it is mentioned that we have a "God given program" it is important to remember that it is given by whatever we as individuals conclude God to be - not what someone else decides. The term "spirituality" or "spiritual" is also viewed the same by NA - broad, undefined and left up to the individual to come to an understanding for themselves. Let's not forget that the last story in the BT is written by an atheist!! (LOL!!)

When I was new I also recall a few oldtimers ranting about how the word "suggestion" meant "a subtle command." This is another example of misinformation spread by misinformed people. There are no commands, demands or orders given by anyone because there is no authority figures in NA. We are members of equal status freely helping one another to recover. The literature tells us that there are no members superior or inferior to one another, and when we take the suggestion of looking things up for ourselves (as opposed to passing on what we heard that sounded jazzy) we find that the word "suggest" means to put a thought, plan or desire into a person's mind. Basically, offering an idea (i.e., a new idea cannot be grafted on a closed mind). And the word "suggestion" is the ACT of suggesting. No commands or demands...subtle or overt.

Oh yeah...I'm well aware of the "48 Musts", but what has to be considered is that willingness to follow the path and desire for what is offered hinges on these requirements. "If you want what we have to offer...." remember? The choice is always left up to the individual and choice is a freedom we all enjoy once we get clean. The program is for those who want it, but not always for those who need it. We lead by example and our recovery speaks for itself. That's the attraction.

Finally, the stigma of "once an addict, always an addict." Although NA does say that this stigma is the last to be lost to freedom, it also tells us:

"Now we know that the time has come when that tired old lie, 'Once an addict, always an addict', will no longer be tolerated by either society or the addict himself. We do recover." (Basic Text, page 86)

I have to alway remember that diversity is the beauty of NA and being able to practice the spiritual principles of tolerance and open-mindedness allows me to entertain views that aren't my own without getting bent out of shape. My way isn't the only way to see things and we do recover.

GarryW

(I guess that was 45 cents, huh? LOL!!)