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What’s the problem? What’s the solution?
If, when you honestly want to, you find you cannot quit entirely, or if when drinking, you have little control over the amount you take, you are probably alcoholic. If that be the case, you may be suffering from an illness which only a spiritual experience will conquer. (Page 44, Big Book)
What’s the condition for the spiritual experience?
Next, we decided that hereafter in this drama of life, God was going to be our Director. He is the Principal; we are His agents. He is the Father, and we are His children.
What’s the result of the spiritual experience?
We have not even sworn off. Instead, the problem has been removed. It does not exist for us. We are neither cocky nor are we afraid. That is our experience. That is how we react so long as we keep in fit spiritual condition. (Page 85, Big Book)
Why is this a problem for some? What is an atheist, an agnostic?
To one who feels he is an atheist or agnostic such an experience seems impossible (Page 44, Big Book)
Notes on the position of atheism or agnosticism
- Atheism and agnosticism are positions based on observation and inference
- But is the evidence complete?
- Have I completed the background reading?
- Am I looking in the right place (evidence for the metaphysical in the physical)
- Are the inferences sound?
- The difference between cause and ground: causes interfere with reasoning
- The inherent advantage of the theist: the impossibility of proving a negative
Let’s replace the word ‘God’ with ‘Power greater than ...’
The specific problem to be solved
... he has already lost the power to choose whether he will drink or not ... (Page 34, Big Book)
... the needed power wasn’t there. Our human resources, as marshalled by the will, were not sufficient; they failed utterly. Lack of power, that was our dilemma. (Page 45, Big Book)
Question 1: Does such a power exist?
We needed to ask ourselves but one short question. “Do I now believe, or am I even willing to believe, that there is a Power greater than myself?” (Page 47, Big Book)
Answer 1: It exists for others!
On one proposition, however, these men and women are strikingly agreed. Every one of them has gained access to, and believes in, a Power greater than himself. This Power has in each case accomplished the miraculous, the humanly impossible. (Page 50, Big Book)
Seemingly he could not drink even if he would. (Page 57, Big Book)
Is this open to all?
They flatly declare that since they have come to believe in a Power greater than themselves, to take a certain attitude toward that Power, and to do certain simple things, there has been a revolutionary change in their way of living and thinking. (Page 50, Big Book)
Rarely have we seen a person fail who has thoroughly followed our path. (Page 58, Big Book)
Practical success, not theory, as evidence
Is not our age characterized by the ease with which we discard old ideas for new, by the complete readiness with which we throw away the theory or gadget which does not work for something new which does? ... Our ideas did not work. But the God idea did. (Page 52, Big Book)
Question 2: Might such a power be available to me?
God either is, or He isn’t. What was our choice to be? (Page 53, Big Book)
Answer 2: Evidence supplemented by reasonable supposition (= faith): ‘could God ...?’ depends on supposition about the future
Some of us had already walked far over the Bridge of Reason toward the desired shore of faith. ... Perhaps we had been leaning too heavily on Reason that last mile and we did not like to lose our support. (Page 53, Big Book)
The proven ability to trust a path with an uncertain outcome: self-reliance even despite contrary evidence
Did we not have confidence in our ability to think? What was that but a sort of faith? Yes, we had been faithful, abjectly faithful to the God of Reason. So, in one way or another, we discovered that faith had been involved all the time! (Page 54, Big Book)
The proven ability to worship and love
Had we not variously worshipped people, sentiment, things, money, and ourselves? And then, with a better motive, had we not worshipfully beheld the sunset, the sea, or a flower? Who of us had not loved something or somebody? (Page 54, Big Book)
Reason: necessary but insufficient; the intrinsic nature and vital significance of non-biological and non-rational faculties
How much did these feelings, these loves, these worships, have to do with pure reason? Little or nothing, we saw at last. Were not these things the tissue out of which our lives were constructed? Did not these feelings, after all, determine the course of our existence? (Page 54, Big Book)
The flaw in nihilism (it is depressing: because one senses that order, purpose, and value are what reality should have; from whence the ‘should’?); the sincere nihilist should be thrilled
Could we still say the whole thing was nothing but a mass of electrons, created out of nothing, meaning nothing, whirling on to a destiny of nothingness? (Page 54, Big Book)
The innate belief in metaphysical faculties and values not originating in biology (consider the faculty of reason, fairness, morality, love, self-sacrifice, purpose)
Actually we were fooling ourselves, for deep down in every man, woman, and child, is the fundamental idea of God. (Page 55)
The ultimate need to go and look
Where does this leave us?
(a) That we were alcoholic and could not manage our own lives.
(b) That probably no human power could have relieved our alcoholism.
(c) That God could and would if He were sought.