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From the books ... Alcoholics Anonymous (Big Book) and Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions (12 & 12)
Click the page number or the book cover icon
to view that page in the literature.1.
2.
3.
And why?
4.
5.
6.
7.
If he means to right his past wrongs, why all this concern for everyone in the world but his
family?
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
Of course, it is reasonable and understandable that the question is often asked: "Why can't we take a specific and troubling dilemma straight to God, and in prayer secure from Him sure and definite answers to our requests?"
13.
14.
15.
Why did we dare to say, contrary to the experience of society and
government everywhere, that we would neither punish nor deprive any A.A. of membership, that we must never compel anyone to pay anything, believe anything, or conform to anything?
16.
Why did we leave it to each newcomer to decide himself whether he was an alcoholic
and whether he should join
us?
17.
Or, if my disturbance was seemingly caused by the behavior of others, why do I lack the ability to accept conditions I cannot change?
18.
19.
20.
Why does he?
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
Why don't you try some more controlled drinking, bearing in mind meanwhile what we have told you about alcoholism?"
29.
Why, he argued, should he lose the remainder of his business, only to bring still more suffering to his family by
foolishly admitting
his plight to people from
whom he made his livelihood?
30.
31.
32.
33.
If you ask him why he started on that last bender, the chances are he will offer you any one of a hundred alibis.
34.
And the truth, strange to say, is usually that he has no more idea
why he took that first drink than you have.
35.
But he will be curious to learn why his own convictions have not worked and why yours seem to work so well.
36.
Doubtless you are curious to discover how and
why, in the face of expert opinion to the contrary, we have recovered from a hopeless
condition of mind and body.
37.
If hundreds of experiences have shown him
that one drink means another debacle with all its attendant suffering and
humiliation, why is it he
takes that one drink?
38.
Why is it, they ask, that in A.A. no member
can be set in personal authority over another, that nothing like a central government can anywhere
be seen?
39.
40.
41.
42.
43.
44.
But why not?
45.
If an A.A. member acting as a citizen can become a better researcher, educator, personnel officer, then
why not?
46.
47.
48.
Why not I?
49.
Of course he couldn't drink,
but why not sit hopefully at a table, a bottle of ginger ale before him?
50.
This is the how and why of it.
51.
52.
When many hundreds of people are able to say that the consciousness
of the Presence of God is today the most important fact of their lives, they present a powerful reason why one should have faith.
53.
Relieved of responsibility, every alcoholic would shrug and say, "Oh, the Foundation is wealthy --
why should I bother?"
54.
Why should we be bothered
with theological abstractions and religious duties, or with
the state of our souls here or hereafter?
55.
Why shouldn't I do as well as
they?
56.
Provided they were willing -- and many were --
why shouldn't their membership be publicized, thereby encouraging others to join us?
57.
But why shouldn't we laugh?
58.
59.
If we are now about to ask forgiveness for ourselves, why shouldn't we start out by forgiving them, one and all?
60.
61.
Why -- that is perfection!"
62.
63.
That is why the first edition of the book "Alcoholics Anonymous,"
published when our membership was small, dealt with low-bottom cases only.
64.
65.
Having been granted a perfect release from alcoholism, why then
shouldn't we be able to achieve by the same means a perfect release from every other difficulty or defect?
66.
67.
68.
69.
70.
Once confused and baffled by the seeming futility of existence,
they show the underlying
reasons why they were making heavy going of life.
71.
72.
73.
Why was it, when these dangers were pointed out that they agreed, and then got drunk again immediately?
74.
Why was this?
75.
76.
That is why we are anxious
that you understand, and that you avoid these unnecessary difficulties.(*)
77.
78.
79.
80.
81.
Hence we are at pains to tell why we think our present faith is reasonable, why we think it more sane and logical to believe than not
to believe, why we say our former thinking was soft and mushy when we threw up our hands in doubt and said, "We don't know."
82.
We will be more reconciled to discussing ourselves
with another person when we
see good reasons why we should do so.
83.
We had to ask ourselves
why we shouldn't apply to our
human problems this same readiness to change our point of view.
84.
Hence we are at pains to tell why we think our present faith is reasonable, why we think it more sane and logical to believe than not
to believe, why we say our former thinking was soft and mushy when we threw up our hands in doubt and said, "We don't know."
85.
Hence we are at pains to tell why we think our present faith is reasonable, why we think it more sane and logical to believe than not
to believe, why we say our former thinking was soft and mushy when we threw up our hands in doubt and said, "We don't know."
86.
Why, we thought, our Society of Alcoholics Anonymous might prove to be
the spearhead of a new spiritual advance!
87.
When you add to this the habitual supposition
that people ought to give money to alcoholics trying to stay sober, it can be understood why we thought we deserved a pile of folding money.
88.
89.
Else why would we consume such great amounts of time wishing for what we have
not, rather than working
for it, or angrily looking
for attributes we shall
never have, instead of adjusting to the fact, and accepting it?
90.
91.
Outline the program of action, explaining how you
made a self-appraisal, how you straightened out your past and why you are now endeavoring to be helpful to him.
92.
93.
Some day this bunch of ex-drunks of yours will fill Madison Square Garden, and I don't see why you should starve meanwhile.
94.
But he will be curious to learn why his own convictions have not worked and why yours seem to work so well.
The 164 and More™ Book, eBook, and Web Site
are all CONCORDANCES which display passages from the Big Book
Alcoholics Anonymous, the
Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions,
and the A.A. Grapevine (A.A. Preamble only).
Sorting and rendering passages in the proprietary format of the
164 and More concordance does not in any way imply
affiliation with or endorsement by either Alcoholics Anonymous World Services
Inc., or the A.A. Grapevine, Inc. Further A.A.W.S. Inc. and the A.A.
Grapevine Inc. have no objection to the use of this material in the
164 and More concordance.
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