Two bad questions and one good

Bad question #1:

'Here's a bunch of feelings and some unanalysed thoughts. What should I do?'

How to respond as a sponsor:

In general, don't answer such questions. If someone is super new in recovery, you might need to give them a helping hand, but if there is no attempt to marshal the relevant facts, sift sense from irrationality, critically analyse the situation, and apply a bunch of the most obvious spiritual solutions from the literature: push back and suggest that the individual apply the programme first and then see if there is a question.

Bad question #2:

'Here's a plan of action. What do you think?'

How to respond as a sponsor:

Plans of action are usually responses to problems. Most problems are not problems but spiritual maladjustments and require a spiritual solution. Once the spiritual solution has been applied, action is rarely necessary. In addition, once the plan has been formulated clearly enough to form the substance of a question, it's gone too far: you're being asked either to co-sign or to adopt the position of the enemy. Don't even enter into a debate here. Get them to go back to the 'problem' the plan of action is an apparent solution to and start over.

Good question:

'Here's a situation. Here's how I'm applying the spiritual programme so far. Having done that, I have a specific question, namely ...'

This, you can answer.