NOMOMERLOTMAMMA

Any South Park watchers? Did anyone see the show last night? It was about AA...well, partly. Mostly it was about religion.

I found myself laughing. This show always pushes the envelope on which group they can offend at any given time, that's why I like it. Anyway, I also found myself offended too. They focused on AA being a "cult" and a religious organization..which, of course it isn't. Apparently, the writers haven't ever been in recovery..

But, as I was watching and certain things made me offended (ie., nobody needs AA, it's all about willpower) I had to step back and put it in perspective.

I guess I'm wondering if the majority of folks think this way about AA? That we can stop our addiction through sheer willpower? Part of me thinks that this is somewhat true, and the other part of me is working the program to change MYSELF in a better way..to get at the reasons WHY I drank like I did and change them. This wasn't portrayed in the show...

Just thoughts...anyone have any others?

xo

Karen

Tazman53

I have watched South Park, it is hilarious in a sick kind of way. Nothing is sacred in South Park.

I am hoping that folks who watch South Park have a high enough IQ to realize that it is all a spoof on everything good or bad.

If they are portraying AA as religous or a cult they sure aren't!

Astro

Willpower?? I know where willpower and my best thinking got me! I'll stick with AA, it works if I work it. Al-Anon and CoDA work very well for me too. I think the number of members speaks for itself.

Signal30

King of the Hill and South Park have both done little jabs at AA. There have been movies, sitcoms, and the show Investigative Reports did a documentary on AA.

People who call it a cult, in my opinion, do it for two reasons...

A) Are people who are not alcoholics, and what they see in "press radio, and films", they figure that's what it's like. Any group that talks about God, and meets in basements of churches some assume they must be cults. You know, ignorance.

B) Someone who has a drinking problem, tried AA, and didn't like it because they heard the word God. Basically, they weren't ready to quit, and found there reason to not give it a chance. There are a lot of people who are scared to death of people who meet and talk about God.


I have been to a lot of meetings, and I have yet been told by the chair person to drink the poison coffee. lol.



Tom

CarolD

No I don't follow South Park
my TV is usually on the Food Network

Cult? I wonder who is the head honcho?
If anyone thinks we are mindless robots
blindly shuffling alng
they need to attend a Group Concious.

Hmmm....ya gotta admit we do "AA-Speak"
Do cults do that?
I've never been to a cult event.

The only movie/documentry/sit com that I think
is AA accurate....
"My Name is Bill W"

JMO

Anna

I do think there are many people who think that alcoholics can stop drinking if they just make up their minds to do it. I think many people are uninformed about addiction and that's why I always like to hear people who are in the public eye, speaking out about addiction.

Peter

From my own perspective, I tend to be skeptical where claims of "willpower over addiction" is concerned. I tend to feel such folk may have just had a problem with strong wine rather than a true addiction.

I can no more use "willpower" to control my drinking anymore than I can use willpower to control diarrhoea.

nan07

Aww, I love South Park. Didn't see last night's show, but there's always a dangerous amount of truth in the epiodes, unfortunately.