August 10th, 2012
http://www.sobercatholic.com/2012/08/10/religious-solutions-to-alcoholism/
"Many 12 Steppers usually scoff at “religious” solutions to addiction, and perhaps rightly so due to the low success rate (forgetting that AA has a very low success rate, too.) Maybe they also think that religious observance is pointless and is also an “easier, softer, way.” HA!
I think the main reason that religious solutions do not work is that they fail to directly address the root cause of the addiction: that within each alcoholic and addict there is something wrong with how the world and environment is perceived or related to and how to properly react or cope with that. Alcohol addressees that, although in a bad way.
In AA’s Big Book there is a line towards the end about how AA taught the writer how to “handle sobriety.” In AA meetings I have heard quite often how the Steps teach us how to alter or change they way we react to things. I believe that is the same thing as “handling sobriety.”
I don’t think all the Masses and Rosaries and Divine Mercy Chaplets in the world will work for anyone UNLESS they also believe in the healing power of Jesus and the sacraments AND also believe that prayer is a union with God. This also pretty much mandates Scripture reading. Pondering the Gospels, the NT Letters, the Psalms and the Wisdom Books (Psalms, Wisdom, Proverbs, Sirach, Song of Songs and Ecclesiastes) can help in changing how we react to things.
Scripture contains lessons for life and living. AA has their slogans, but the Bible has more
potent “sayings” in Wisdom, Proverbs, Sirach and the rest. Add in reading the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and you have another powerful tool in conversion (for that is what “handling sobriety” and “changing how you think” amounts to).
This post was inspired by a recent discussion on the Matt Talbot Way of Recovery."
Note: One link, among many, that might be informative on this topic can be found at http://www.religion-online.org/showchapter.asp?title=576&C=727. The complete book can be found at http://www.religion-online.org/showbook.asp?title=576
As noted in our banner at the top of this page, the placing of information on this site from external linked sources does not necessarily imply agreement with that information.
http://www.sobercatholic.com/2012/08/10/religious-solutions-to-alcoholism/
"Many 12 Steppers usually scoff at “religious” solutions to addiction, and perhaps rightly so due to the low success rate (forgetting that AA has a very low success rate, too.) Maybe they also think that religious observance is pointless and is also an “easier, softer, way.” HA!
I think the main reason that religious solutions do not work is that they fail to directly address the root cause of the addiction: that within each alcoholic and addict there is something wrong with how the world and environment is perceived or related to and how to properly react or cope with that. Alcohol addressees that, although in a bad way.
In AA’s Big Book there is a line towards the end about how AA taught the writer how to “handle sobriety.” In AA meetings I have heard quite often how the Steps teach us how to alter or change they way we react to things. I believe that is the same thing as “handling sobriety.”
I don’t think all the Masses and Rosaries and Divine Mercy Chaplets in the world will work for anyone UNLESS they also believe in the healing power of Jesus and the sacraments AND also believe that prayer is a union with God. This also pretty much mandates Scripture reading. Pondering the Gospels, the NT Letters, the Psalms and the Wisdom Books (Psalms, Wisdom, Proverbs, Sirach, Song of Songs and Ecclesiastes) can help in changing how we react to things.
Scripture contains lessons for life and living. AA has their slogans, but the Bible has more
potent “sayings” in Wisdom, Proverbs, Sirach and the rest. Add in reading the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and you have another powerful tool in conversion (for that is what “handling sobriety” and “changing how you think” amounts to).
This post was inspired by a recent discussion on the Matt Talbot Way of Recovery."
Note: One link, among many, that might be informative on this topic can be found at http://www.religion-online.org/showchapter.asp?title=576&C=727. The complete book can be found at http://www.religion-online.org/showbook.asp?title=576
As noted in our banner at the top of this page, the placing of information on this site from external linked sources does not necessarily imply agreement with that information.