Zencat

Oh great supreme human reason, give me the sense not to regurgitate all the insipid swill of those who beat their chests and claim that they alone know the truth through “divine” inspiration or via pages of their “HOLY” texts.

Give me the strength to defy the blindness, bigotry, hate, murder, bullying and rage that all said “HOLY” texts inspire within many of my human brethren.

Give me the tranquility not to lash out when I hear them preach violence and intolerance and call me a “FOOL” but grant me the courage to challenge them when they drag their religious baggage into our courtrooms and public schools.

Oh great supreme human reason, give me the wisdom to speak-out for and inspire all people who love liberty and abhor tyranny of both the body and the mind.

Give me the mental perseverance to overcome all efforts by my “God” fearing brothers and sisters to denigrate human intelligence and the importance of this world and this life.

Give me the good judgment required to rise above their divisive narrow-minded hateful ideologies, their sanctimonious ire and their condemning me to “Hell” fire.

But most of all dear reason, please give me the will and the words needed to convince my religious brethren to save their condescending pity and prayers for those who care and to love all their kin instead of preaching original sin.

AMEN!!!

Author: Anonymous

mrjive55

I do not understand why the group recited a prayer at the end of the meeting. In the literature it says we have a right to a higher power of our own understanding. If we have different higher powers why would we pray together? When I first came to NA I would not stand in the circle to pray. Being of the Jewish faith I did not think it was appropriate. Now, I stand in the circle but do not pray. It doesn't bother me as much as it used to, it's just something I choose not to participate in.

johnclavin

Here are two that I came up with.

We long for the serenity
to accept the things we cannot change;
courage to change the things we can;
and wisdom to know the difference.


We look for enlightenment
to know that we cannot change the direction of the wind;
but that we can adjust our sails.

Steven69

I strive for…

the serenity to accept the things I cannot change;
the courage to change the things I can;
and the wisdom to know the difference.

To live one day at a time;
Enjoy one moment at a time;
Accept the hardships as natural balance;
Taking this beautiful world as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting in the balance;
That I may be able to see myself as happy in this life.

Serenity.

Zencat

Serenity Now.
Serenity Now.
Serenity Now.
Serenity Now...etc.

Boleo

I struggle - I surrender - The Truth Unfolds.

CousinA

I omit "god grant me".

Acceptance is the beginning of serenity.

-allan

Johnston

I have nothing against prayer of any sort, but tend to think it all comes down to positive reinforcement through self reflection.

Threshold

The pause that refreshes....

I was talking to mys sponsee yesterday about prayer, and offered one understanding of it being a pause to consider other perspectives so we can act rather than react. Whether the insight is coming from inside, outside or the great beyond what matters is it works.

Jbfoggy

I was once stuck on the mountain side after my best friend had just fallen past me to his death.

I do not now and did not then believe in a god at that point when it seemed unlikely I would be able to get down alive from that mountain without assistance. This was the time before mobile phones and the likelihood of anyone coming across me before I died of hyperthermia was slim.

However, I remember that I called out to my wife (the hundreds of miles away) and I sort of called out to god. As I was doing so, I knew that neither my wife nor god, if there were one, was going to help me and I knew that I would have to do my best to get down on my own with only a 50 metre length of rope.

Serenity and courage were what I needed in order to get down in one piece. Wisdom was what allowed me to moderate the risk-taking and keep sufficiently calm so that I neither stretched too far nor simply gave up and huddled in a knoll to die of cold.

Was I praying? I don't know; but the very act of mentally chatting to myself seemed to help me to do the best job I could of saving my own life so that I could get down to see if my friend was dead. He was. I wasn't. I do not believe my life was saved by any external effects of my prayers, just as I don't think my friend's life was lost because of any lack of prayers.

Boleo

John Muir had a spiritual awakening as the result of being hopelessly trapped on the side of a mountain.

Jbfoggy

Interesting. I didn't know that; it makes sense though being that he is known as the Father of the National Parks. As it happens, we have a wooden cabin high in the mountains of Southern Spain adjacent to the Parque Nacionál and we are just starting to think about using it as a retreat for alcoholics to come and enjoy the beauty and peace of that place. HP at work? Not sure what that means, but quite willing to go with it since it is seeming to work to trust some "thing" outside of myself.

jdooner

I completely agree with your perspective. I too have been in some tricky situations, none as difficult as yours. But in each case, even as a non believer, when faced with death, I would part to God to help me out. Twice this happened to me and twice I was able to escape death.

I feel blessed and I pray daily...I don't think the words of prayer are the point its the connection in my opinion and the process.