AAawesomeness

Hey,

I am new to 12 steps and I have a couple questions. 12 steps says that we are to be humble and get humility and get away from holding resentments and being selfish and self-centered.

This brings me to a couple questions. The first question is: Can I still fight evil and call out evil when I see evil?

For example, if you take the Nazis in Germany. They were pretty much objectively evil. I'd like to be able to say that the Nazis were evil. It seems like AA would have me going around saying something like: "I am the least qualified person in the world to discuss the policies and practices of the Nazis, however if I absolutely had to give my opinion, I would have suggested that they reconsider some of their policies with regards to the way they treat other people ." The current me would say: "That evil regime had to be destroyed. " Is that too much judgement/ego/resentment?

The other concern I have. I like to show off and be the center of attention at times. Are there certain careers out there that an AA person cannot do? For, example can an AA person be a professional bodybuilder and get on stage with his shirt off and show off his body and throw even throw in some attitude? Can an AA person ever develop skills, attitude and suave and even be a bit of a cocky show-off provided that it is not done from a place of putting people down?

Is there room for the kick-ass action hero evil-annihilating personality traits in AA or do we have to live a life of being solemn and humble? The latter would depress me.

*Side note: Initially when I started praying to...turning over literally EVERYTHING, it felt humble and defeatist, but then I kept doing every day and then my ego (or me?) suddenly realized: Hell yeah, I am starting to align with serving the highest ideal in the universe!!

What are y'all's thoughts on that? Too much solemnity and humility is depressing. Is there ever a place in recovery to be pumped-up, ambitious, seize-the-day and kick ass?

Are all of these things okay as long as it is all about God and what God is doing for me?

August252015

Lots there in your post.....basic questions- how long have you been going to AA? Do you have a sponsor?

Some pretty intense thinking and complicated discussion here....yet also one bottom line statement is that my life in active AA recovery is anything but solemn, boring or depressing.

AAawesomeness

Yeah, I do have a sponsor. I have been going to AA for a week now. I tried AA once before, but didn't really work the steps (I had some bizarre Scientology ideas at the time...long story). This time, I am focusing on the steps.

Berrybean

I tend to find that keeping my own side of the street clean is often quite enough to keep me busy on the average day. I suppose once I've done that and if there were any hours left in the day then I could go into sassy, show-off superhero mode if I was so inclined. However, it seems that as I've worked the steps I feel less and less need for such antics. But hey, each to their own.

Dee74

I think you're massively overthinking it.

For me recovery was discovering the real me and then being the best me I could be.

But I couldn't really make those kind of meta judgements until I had some recovery time behind me.

I was a million different 'me's' in the first 90 days.

It's great to be enthusiastic and fired up, but it's ok to just *be*, too

D

tomsteve

I used to call myself the male Cybil early on.

tomsteve

" Too much solemnity and humility is depressing."

welp, beings how ya don't have much time(yet) sober, how do you know? have you tried it yet?

just keep goin back, keep reading the bb, keep working the steps WITH YOUR SPONSOR, keep praying, and keep on keepin on.

my brain was messed up from alcohol for a few months. it took T.I.M.E for my thinkin to even come remotely close to some semblance to normalcy.

Gottalife

Could you be a casualty of the fight against evil.? Maybe you need time to recover and convalesce before resuming the fight. That would be the usual thing when wounded in battle.

CAPTAINZING2000

I find that older people with long term sobriety don't necessarily come off as braggarts.
During the hour at an AA meeting, we aren't there to solve world problems.
That's best discussed before and after meetings drinking coffee

sg1970

I predict (using my super hero powers) that if you stay sober regardless of what system you decide to use you will be whipping more evil ass than ever before.

Berrybean

Maybe keep your superhero cape and vest on though, then it'll be easier to keep those wicked harlots at bay who keep trying to divert your attention away from saving the world.

hellrzr

Short answer, get a sponsor and work the steps while being of service to others.

Austin4Wyo

This. So much.

I'm unsure as to how one's view of National Socialism is germane to my drinking or not drinking today.

(THE GODDAMN GERMANS GOT NOTHIN' TO DO WITH IT!)

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Bekindalways

Hey AAawsomeness. I expect with time you will be calling out evil in an infinitely more meaningful way as you realize the line between good and evil runs right down the center of every single person.

Keep hitting those meetings.

Berrybean

Yep. Like a stick of rock!