^^^^^^^^
Our program seems to be the pathway to peace, not the end in and of itself..........

I worry that following my urge to read a lot of other spiritual/self-help type books will lead me astray from the only one I really need--the big book. Well that and one or two Hazelton daily readers. I like "In God's Care" and "Keep it Simple".

I keep thinking that to grow spiritually, I need to read other spiritual books but I do fear that will take me further away from AA/the big book. I wish I knew what it was exactly that I am searching for to grow spiritually.

LIP,
i see there being tons of room and in fact encouragement to "grow spiritually" in any way you choose.
step eleven, for example, speaks of prayer and meditation. not prescribing how to do this.
same for step three.
same as in "as we understand him"...wide open for you to pursue in your own way.
same with what's called service.
anyway, maybe i'm not understanding your concern, so i'll ask: how do you see reading other books if you feel that's what you need to do as taking you away from AA instead of enlarging your experience? adding to the understanding of "how"?

AA has rekindled a flame that had been left smoldering in me. The Big Big Book fans that flame and draws me towards the light............AA is not the light but a beacon leading to the light - is how I view our fellowship and program.

As fini posted, grow any way one chooses........

If you feel a need to limit your reading and thought in order to protect your program....maybe you need to look at your program.

The point of recovery should be to free us, not restrict us.

SR is not AA approved and the AA Gestapo have not raided my house yet but I lock the door at night :)

AA approved literature I believe is a great thing for AA meetings because it keeps religion out while maintaining the core beliefs of AA and teachings.

The Twenty four hour book is not conference approved because it crosses the line into Christianity in my opinion but I'm a rebel because I also the believe the Lord's prayer has no place in AA meetings.

I find God's able to use a multitude of venues to reach me. "Truth" is always the truth and should the BB be the one and only way to God and contain the only methodology to achieve a spiritual awakening (which obviously sounds absurd), time would bear that reality and I'd drop the other stuff. Contempt prior to investigation comes to mind......

Given the lifestyle most of us lived prior to finding AA, that same lifestyle that God was able to reach into and pluck us from, I suspect I could easily be saved from honest and sincere investigation in other areas in an attempt to strengthen that relationship.

I'd be far more concerned about not "seeking" (as step 11 encourages us to do) enough vs seeking in the wrong areas.

M I R .
Some say I am a bit of a rebel to but I am not I simply point out, and I do not beat about the bush that Christianity and Lords prayer( like you say ) has no place in Alcoholics Anonymous . I expand on that by telling them its ''their personal preference '' and when it comes down to it it is a ''Matter of Self Will Run Riot '' Dr Silkworth said 'Bill stop preaching to them '' (oxford message ).

When it comes down to it the Lords Prayer has some wisdom but is better left outside with other outside issues . Funnily enough the Lords prayer ''Is Not Even Christian'' it is Hebrew or Jewish ( Christianity did not exist back then ) and funnily the two main Faiths in Western world cant even agree with the end of the prayer they both have different endings , this is not a criticism I have absolutely nothing against Christianity .

Said to I am blue in the face if anyone wants to open a Christian based meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous then go through the proper AA procedure and open a meeting , and at least new members would know what to expect ,whereas today new members are being faced with things '' they didn't expect'' take care Merry Xmas .

Regards.
Stevie .
Sobriety 12 03 2006 . words are easy music is much harder .

Just a point of information here...

The Lord's Prayer isn't Jewish. I haven't been a practicing Jew in decades, but was raised in a Jewish family; went to hebrew school, had a bar mitzvah, visited our cousins in Israel, basically the whole New York Jew enchilada. I never heard the LP anywhere until I came to AA. It isn't in out prayer books - I looked, I've never heard it used when I go to a wedding, bar/bat mitzvah or funeral. It ain't ours.

Anyway, I hope you'er having a wonderful New Years Day. All my best to you and your's.

-allan

Thanks Cousin .

Didn't know that I was going with the New Testament , and Jesus being a Jew ? yet again nothing can be taking for granted can it .

One thing for sure is it certainly isn't Christian by its inclusion in the NT as Christianity didn't exist then , very interesting take care . Best wishes to you Allan and your family .

Regards .
Stevie

Agreed!!

It's been said, "I'm not a human being on a spiritual journey, I'm a spiritual being on a human journey." Being a creation of my Higher Power, being cared for by my Higher Power, even when I didn't believe in Him, and having been given the gift, the grace of the desire to get sober by my Higher Power are things I can't deny. Anything I do whether I read, meditate, pray or talk to another about my Higher Power and the gift of the desire to get sober, which I didn't plan on or count on or even deserve, is a good thing. Don't forget, sobriety IS NOT the gift! The gift is the DESIRE to be sober, and the willingness to do whatever it takes to achieve that end. "We sought through prayer and meditation" means we search and continue to search. It doesn't mean we FIND! Whatever tool I use in my search for spirituality is a good tool.:herewego

I'd follow that urge to read other material. Some of it will resonate and some of it will not. Bill wrote nearly all of the first 164 pages and HE was the one who referred to AA as a "spiritual kindergarten". Bill himself read a host of spiritually oriented books on his journey (the first of which was "The Varieties of Religious Experience" by William James).

My spiritual experience took place as I was working the steps AND reading the sacred texts of the worlds religions. I attribute that awakening to my own willingness to search and to do so with an open mind. I like what Dr. Bob said in that regard.

"Tolerance furnishes, as a by-product, a greater freedom from the tendency to cling to preconceived ideas and stubbornly adhered-to opinions. In other words, it often promotes an open-mindedness that is vastly important - is, in fact, a prerequisite to the successful termination of any line of search, whether it be scientific or spiritual." AA Grapevine 1944

I discovered a bit of interesting AA history on the 24th hrs a day debate.

We have heard various reasons why A.A. never
published the 24 Hour a Day Book, that is
currently published by Hazelden but, here is
the real story. This is from the Final Report:
Fourth General Service Conference of A.A. 1954,
page 20:

"The Conference was asked to consider the offer
of the publisher who wished to give to A.A.
Publishing, Inc. publication rights to the
booklet, 'Twenty-Four Hours a Day.'

A two-page letter from the publisher, favoring
this proposal and answering certain objections
to the proposal, was read to the Conference.
The letter noted that current net profit from
sales of the booklet is about $5,300 annually.**
Requests that A.A. Publishing, Inc. undertake
publication of the booklet have been received
from many areas, largely as a result of
suggestions by the present publisher, it was
reported.

Comment by the Delegates indicated they felt
it unwise to set a precedent in the case of
this booklet and expressed fear that A.A.
Publishing 'would be flooded with similar
requests' if it did so. The Delegate from the
State in which the booklet is published said
it was the consensus of his group and of his
area that the proposal not be approved.

Following full discussion of the proposal,
the Conference adopted a resolution that
publication rights to 'Twenty-Four Hours a Day'
not be accepted and further asked that the
publisher be thanked for his offer."