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distracted
Guest
Yeah, maybe its just as low as blasting someone for trying to tell others about Christ.
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Jerusha
Guest
I agree with you 100% Too many people enter AA, get a “salvation” experience, and walk out the back door into a church, and end up worse off than before, because they don’t have the 12 steps and nonjudgmental support from people who are dealing with the same problems.
For God’s sake, get to an AA group that is compatible with your cultural heritage. If you can’t find one, then start your own.
There is such a thing as “group conscience” where a person can be banned from closed meetings if he/she is obviously attending meetings just to evangelize.
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contramundum7
Guest
Since i’ve gotten strong with Jesus, i don’t need the kinds of 12 step meetings i was attending. When i went there anyway, to do some 12-stepping (as its called), i usually went away feeling worse than before… had to stop and analyze WHY… there were myriad reasons…
But the bottom line, for me is: “Do not be unequally yoked wtih unbelievers.”
and “How can two walk together w hen they disagree?” (that’s somewhere in the Bible
)
And “What fellowship hath light with darkness.” (ditto…)
But the bottom line, for me is: “Do not be unequally yoked wtih unbelievers.”
and “How can two walk together w hen they disagree?” (that’s somewhere in the Bible
)And “What fellowship hath light with darkness.” (ditto…)
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Bennie_P
Guest
If you have overcome any addiction then live out your faith and that will be the best witness toward those in need. It is best to stay away from 12 step groups altogether if you are strong in your faith, there are studies out that point to 12 step attendance to higher rights of relapse for those in recovery then those involved in other recovery programs. If you attend any 12 step program to give support to those in early recovery give the person time to get through the initual point of withdrawal and gently and slowly get them invovled in doing service work with others period. Show them Christ by living as Christ shows us.
Alcoholics Anonymous Is Not an Effective Treatment for Alcoholism
Myself I’m involved in a Christ Centered 12-step program, but my attendance is now mainly to give support to other Catholics that attend and try to keep them focused on the sacraments of the Church and encourage Church involvement, that is - Catholic Church involvement. I saw very early on that the Church Sacraments of Reconciliation and doing a General Confession covered the first 10 steps, if you get a solid understanding of the sacrament and use it - why would you waste your time reliving the past over and over several times a week. I could go on and on about how the Church has all what one needs.- For a long time I thought of trying to start a Catholic Program of Recovery, but I saw how that was making me focus on my past and not my present and future.(I just recently am letting that idea past). The Church already has a recovery program that is the sacraments. That is Jesus Christ -
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Jerusha
Guest
Since alcoholism, by its very nature, distances the person from God, at its core, AA is a program designed to re-establish the relationship of the individual with God. Many alcoholics trace the origins of the disease in themselves to some experience, such as abuse of religion, which originally alienated them from God. See my thread-starter here : forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=158266
Because of these scars, it is not advisable for others to evangelize at AA, because of the risks involved in unintentionally ripping open old wounds. Let the healing happen in God’s time, not yours.
Many AA’s Catholic and non-Catholic alike, recommend working the fifth step with a priest, cause that is what the Sacrament of Reconciliation is all about. Some priests are not recommended for such major soul-cleaning.
Because of these scars, it is not advisable for others to evangelize at AA, because of the risks involved in unintentionally ripping open old wounds. Let the healing happen in God’s time, not yours.
Many AA’s Catholic and non-Catholic alike, recommend working the fifth step with a priest, cause that is what the Sacrament of Reconciliation is all about. Some priests are not recommended for such major soul-cleaning.
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Nordar
Guest
Yes I have a huge problem with that, since you ask, I would also say that if you were in a meeting in the NY area and started to evangelize you would run the risk of being asked to leave. AA is for Drunks trying to get sober and for staying sober. NOT for Evangelizing about Jesus. There are other places and times to do that.
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Nordar
Guest
Who is blasting anyone for telling others about Christ?
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Jerusha
Guest
Distracted, I repeat:
Nordar, never mind him, he is just sicker than most.
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mahleh
Guest
Evangelization at 12-step is strictly prohibited. The belief in a higher power (whom I would call Jesus), notice how that was clarified, is part and parcel of the recovery process. May I recomend that you speak to your priest to find out where you may feel more comfortable. Some church’s sponsor twelve step programs in the larger cities, just for this purpose. It never hurts to ask and you may have to start the group yourself, provided you have enough sobriety time and the priest feels you can handle it. Sorry to sound like a soap box, but truth is a better pill to swallow than a disappointing lie.
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contramundum7
Guest
Who is sicker than most?
Also: Where did you get your psychology degress, out of a cracker jack box?
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contramundum7
Guest
Hmmm… The LOWEST thing??
Ok…
So maybe the Church should be substituted by AA… ?? Seems u are implying that AA is better than the Church for healing…
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contramundum7
Guest
You are.
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contramundum7
Guest
What are you talking about? I have gone to hundreds of 12-step meetings, mostly AA, and have never been told by anyone that evangelization is “strictly prohibited”.
And if it was, that would be a sure sign to me that I - and many, many others - do not belong there!
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Mirdath
Guest
I’m implying nothing about the efficacy of a twelve-step program as compared to that of getting religion to turn one’s life around. Quite honestly, I don’t give a rip about that.
What I’m saying is that using an AA/NA meeting as a platform to make converts is inappropriate, uncouth, contrary to the goals of the group, and otherwise generally dastardly. People do not go to those meetings to have preachers tell them to come to Jesus: they go to support each other in recovering from addiction. Again I say, proselytizing at a meeting is taking advantage of damaged people.
In the past, people here were shocked and horrified to learn that some Jehovah’s Witnesses scanned obituaries and targeted the families of the deceased for missionarying. This is no different: taking advantage of people at low points in their lives, whether due to addiction or bereavement.
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Nordar
Guest
You need to get your facts straight before you go accusing people of things! Where exactly was I blasting others for telling people about Christ?
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Nordar
Guest
You don’t belong there if all you are there for is to evangelize, that is quite simply a fact. AA is for Drunks trying to get and stay sober it is NOT for people to evangelize! You don’t want to hear that too bad! I have seen what has happened to some people who have been evangelized to at AA meetings and not been sober/mentaly heathly enough to handle it. It is not pretty, so I repeat you do NOT belong at AA meetings to evangelize.What are you talking about? I have gone to hundreds of 12-step meetings, mostly AA, and have never been told by anyone that evangelization is “strictly prohibited”.
And if it was, that would be a sure sign to me that I - and many, many others - do not belong there!
Let me add here I am sober 35 yrs, I am also a daily Mass attendant and love my Faith deeply. However AA and my Catholicism are two seperate issues when I am at an AA meeting. By that I mean I do not hide the fact I am Catholic everyone who knows me knows I am I do not however Evangelize there it is NOT the place for it!
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Jerusha
Guest
Quincy College (Quincy Illinois), University of Northern Iowa, and AA (24 years), and a failed marriage, we met in AA, he got “saved” and "“healed” and left the program (and Church) to become a raving Baptist nut-case. I divorced him, and the Church even granted an annullment. :console:
Is that enough?
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Bennie_P
Guest
Is he still sober?
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Bennie_P
Guest
I think you are right and I also think some people here may have a perverted or misguidied idea what envanelizing is…:ehh: Just by living out your faith and giving credit to your higher power, “Jesus Chirst” isn’t forbidden. What is forbidden is the “group” pushing one religion over another, that is forbidden - that is as a “group”. Of course just the mention of Christ in some meetings, I’ve seen people go balistic, for they seem think it is in the 12 and 12 that it is OK to talk about thier door knob god but Christianity is totally prohibited.- As Christians we are obilgated to share our faith, not just for the one hour at Mass on Sunday, but 24/7.What are you talking about? I have gone to hundreds of 12-step meetings, mostly AA, and have never been told by anyone that evangelization is “strictly prohibited”.
And if it was, that would be a sure sign to me that I - and many, many others - do not belong there!
We shouldn’t push Christinity down people’s throat, but we cannot deny Christ either. Contramundum7, what do you think?
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Jerusha
Guest
According to what I hear, no. Still unstable.
My fault in the marriage was not telling him about my Native heritage, and he fell to the racist American heresy of “assimilation through conversion”, once he began understanding our cultural differences.
I often talk about my relationship with God, and the influence that the Church has had in my development, both good and bad.
My fault in the marriage was not telling him about my Native heritage, and he fell to the racist American heresy of “assimilation through conversion”, once he began understanding our cultural differences.
I often talk about my relationship with God, and the influence that the Church has had in my development, both good and bad.
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