Page 13 - AA NEWS NOVEMBER 2019

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THINGS TO DO AND PLACES TO GO Third Weekenders Camping Potrero County Park
Where: 24800 Potrero Park Drive
When: December 13-15
Contact: Bill H: holmes.family.8925@gmail.com
79th Anniversary of AA in San Diego Pancake Breakfast
Where: Church, 2111 Camino del Rio S.
When: Saturday, November 9, 9:00 am - 12:00 pm Contact: Central Office 619-265-8762
Battery Chargers 19th Annual Thanksgiving Alcathon
Where: Church Hall, 8086 Broadway, Lemon Grove When: Thursday, November 28, 10:00 am - 9:00 pm Contact: John R at turkeythonbc@gmailc.om
34th Annual ROOTS Event Remember Our Old Timers' Stories
Where: Comm Ctr, 3096 Harding St, Carlsbad When: Saturday, November 30, 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm Contact: archives8@area8aa.org
2020 International Convention Where: Detroit, Michigan
When: July 2-5, 2020
Contact: Central Office 619-265-8762
Our Great Responsibility, 1955: Holding Us in Unity, page 188
"In other words, nobody may lead by force or coercion; no punishments can be meted out; nobody can be thrown out of this Society. A person is a member if he says so. The liberty in this Society is greater than the liberty that we have as citizens of this country. We can't compel the payment of any fees. I'm a member if I say so. What is this, then, but the benign anarchy of the old prince? But his anarchy never worked and ours does. Why is this? Well, that's because we have borrowed other forms of government and because we have certain natural advantages. To begin with, we have a double-headed dictatorship. We have over here John Barleycorn, and, over there, God. And God is saying 'I hope you to whom I have granted free will, are going to grow and are going to behave.' But over here, Mr. Barleycorn says, 'I'll go you one better: you had better behave or I will kill you.' Therefore, when the drunk gets caught in our drunk trap, boy oh boy. Barleycorn is behind him, pushing, and God in his Fellowship is drawing him on: it's a double-headed dictatorship."
Reprinted with permission from A.A.W.S.
Big Book page 181
"Doctor Bob's Nightmare"
"Unlike most of our crowd, I did not get over my craving for liquor much during the first two and one-half years of abstinence. It was almost always with me. But at no time have I been anywhere near yielding. I used to get terribly upset when I saw my friends drink and knew that I could not, but I schooled myself to believe that though I once had the same privilege, I had abused it so frightfully that it was withdrawn. So it doesn't behoove me to squawk about it for, after all, nobody ever had to throw me down and pour liquor down my throat."
Reprinted with permission from A.A.W.S.
Big Book Chapter 7
Working With Others, page 103
"We are careful never to show intolerance or hatred of drinking as an institution. Experience shows that such an attitude is not helpful to anyone. Every new alcoholic looks for this spirit among us and is immensely relieved when he finds we are not witch-burners. A spirit of intolerance might repel alcoholics whose lives could have been saved, had it not been for such stupidity. We would not even do the cause of temperate drinking any good, for not one drinker in a thousand likes to be told anything about alcohol by one who hates it.
Some day we hope that Alcoholic Anonymous will help the public to a better realization of the gravity of the alcoholic problem, but we shall be of little use if our attitude is one of bitterness or hostility. Drinkers will not stand for it.
After all, our problems were of our own making. Bottles were only a symbol. Besides, we have stopped fighting anybody or anything. We have to!"
Reprinted with permission from A.A.W.S.
Big Book page 25
"If you are as seriously alcoholic as we were, we believe there is no middle-of-the-road solution."
Reprinted with permission from A.A.W.S.
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