DayTrader

What podcast? The only one I've found is one over at AA Speaker Tapes : Listen To Alcoholics Anonymous Speakers (<--- that's a good one... 311 open talks so far).

I also frequent XA-Speakers - The lights are on! but you have to know who you're looking for there (I haven't found a podcast).



** I haven't searched yet but is anyone aware of a thread with good sources for AA talks, spirituality talks, step-working workshops, etc available online or for download to a mp3 player/iPod??

Taking5

Sleepie,

I am also not very fond of the Christian influence in AA. I don't care if you are Christian or not but I am totally against using the lords prayer. The serenity prayer is cool because it or something very like it is found in multiple religions and cultures all over the world.

When we have a group conscience meeting I have brought up a couple of times that we should not close with the lords prayer to be more inclusive to Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Atheists/Agnostics etc. but being in the deep south bible belt I get shot down every time.

Having said all that, I have fully embraced AA and I am not going to let a 30 second prayer at the end of the meeting, or if someone shares about how Jesus or their church, keep me away from AA or allow it to threaten my sobriety.

If someone before or after the meeting ever tried to "convert" me I don't know what I would do - it hasn't happened to me yet in 4 years.

Toronto68

Sleepie, I think there is something good going on in your second post. The things you mention remind me of resentments that we carry with us.

I have had a dual damnation feeling a lot of times. I had "outcast" feelings associated with my education pursuits as well as my religious or spiritual path too. (I was somewhat religious a long time ago. Someone told me I was "devout" while reminiscing about the 1980s, ha ha.)

I don't have any clear leanings now on the greater-than-us front. Atheism did make sense but it is a fact that I leaned toward it as a result of Being Let Down. I also told myself that my questioning of God's existence when I was 10 was significant enough a reason to maintain atheism as an adult. I tried a few times to get into something else, because I thought I was spritually starving. I never had the patience to go very far in search of anything, and I just got a "Blah, blah" feeling eventually each time. I don't know if "indifferent" is the word, but I am more relaxed about the topic now.

It sounds like you want to make the best of AA, and I agree with that.

Chops

My sponsor is spiritual but no religious. I have recently moved to a muslim former Soviet Republic in Asia. We talked about me staying sober here in a new culture, he brought up living in rural Arkansas (we are from Massachusetts) when he was 6 or 7 years sober. He said if he could stay sober in the bible belt then I better stay sober here.

I am a Christian and when people lay the religion on thick or push it on people it irks me to no end.... I feel for my fellow members who have different beliefs or are agnostic. Please keep coming though, I need you.

mcginr31

Although I am an alcoholic I attend NA meetings (alcohol is still a drug). The crowd is younger and the group I go to is more spiritual than religious...at first I thought the NA crowd would look at me funny but a bunch of alcholics go to it.

sleepie

I went to a women's meeting tonight and it was pretty good. A little bit of a downer, but still pretty good. It was full! And all ages. I'll probably make it my home meeting It has been challenging to find a women's group that's at a closer location (I have to take into consideration coming home at night- I live in a very dangerous neighborhood) and at a reasonable hour- I have discussed it with other women. The AA site for my city actually could use some serious updating, there are scores of groups not listed!

TheSunAlsoRises

Well I am glad you found a womens meeting. Get with a couple people and start talking to them about what your going through. As for being buddhist. I practice insight meditation very seriously. As I go deeper and deeper I feel less inclined to identify as a buddhist... which I take to mean that its working... haha It does things AA can't do for me in terms of gaining wisdom through experience, probing the deep parts of my mind, and becoming less reactive in situations. But AA (well the steps and a few close friends) are responsible for keeping me sober. Without my sobriety my mediation is a joke (I know I tried it for years). Sorry everyone seems to be pushy and christian. The important thing to remember is its still early days... Nothing is going to go that smoothly for a while (sorry but its just the truth)... If you have specific questions about AA and Buddhism PM me and i'll try to answer them...

Much Love,

Clayton