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richlind33: What's more important, your atheism, or your sobriety?
He already did what worked for him. That's a bit of a moot point.
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Emob78: I'm not comparing you to anyone. I'm suggesting that your stress levels have increased to unhealthy highs, and it would probably benefit your long term health and state of mind if you took a short vacation. You're literally unraveling before our very eyes on this forum. Don't get me wrong, to me it's entertaining as shit. I love a good train wreck. But as a friend and fellow traveler, I have to try and discourage you from your current path.
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tinyE: That's what this thread was for. :P I guess you missed the point.
That's funny, 'cause it looks an awful lot like you're still here. o.O
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tinyE: That's what this thread was for. :P I guess you missed the point.
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richlind33: That's funny, 'cause it looks an awful lot like you're still here. o.O
He made the thread as a public apology and an encouragement to others to not act like him.
That's no reason for him to leave the forum.
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richlind33: What's more important, your atheism, or your sobriety?
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zeogold: He already did what worked for him. That's a bit of a moot point.
Only for someone who doesn't understand addiction. For those of us who do, it's one day at a time, and it's up to us to live life fully enough that we continue to want to stay sober.
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tinyE: Fair enough, and I do absolutely do need to get out of here, but where?

I don't have a life and given where I live and with the current political situation I sure as hell don't want to go out and spend time with any of the locals. Or my mother. Or my father.
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Emob78: Please repeat this in your head over and over again. Works wonders... especially if you're weak willed enough to need therapy groups and catchy slogans.

"God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
Courage to change the things I can,
and the Wisdom to know the difference."
I'm bad, and that's good.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-Op7Jcg1dU
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Tauto: <snip>
Expect nothing better from you:)
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foxworks: Let's keep it CIVIL. ;-)
This is hilarious! XD
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almabrds: .
I like the new rebellious you, Alma.
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foxworks: Let's keep it CIVIL. ;-)
What's so civil about war, anyway?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O1fHxPY3TJo
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richlind33: What's more important, your atheism, or your sobriety?
Let's pretend that I had an alcohol problem (I actually don't drink alcohol, so I don't see this as being a problem for me ever, but let's pretend for the sake of this post).

From the 12 steps:

2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
To me, I have a belief that there isn't any true power hierarchy, therefore the phrase "Power greater than ourselves" refers to something that doesn't exist, and is in fact incompatible with how I perceive the world; therefore, this step would be a problem.

3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
Refers to something called "God" (which one?), which is something that doesn't fit into my model of the world. There's also the problem that this power is presumed to be male; for me, even if I did believe in a higher power (but I don't), it would have to be female.

Steps 5, 6, 7, and 11 are also problems, especially 6:

6. Were [sic] entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
Aside from the missing apostrophe (how did that mistake make it into the document?), I personally believe that removing those defects of character is something you have to do yourself, not something that some deity can just magically do. Hence, I am of the opinion that this particular step has the wrong idea.

Step 12 is also a problem, as it basically tells the person to proselytize, which is not something I consider to be moral when it comes to religion.

This leaves steps 4, 8, 9, and 10 as the only part left. Add in a replacement for number 6 (work out those defects of character on your own (perhaps with the help of a therapist)), and you have a decent 5 step process, but as is, AA is not going to work for an atheist like me.

Link to the 12 steps (pdf warning):
http://www.aa.org/assets/en_US/smf-121_en.pdf
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richlind33: What's more important, your atheism, or your sobriety?
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dtgreene: Let's pretend that I had an alcohol problem (I actually don't drink alcohol, so I don't see this as being a problem for me ever, but let's pretend for the sake of this post).

From the 12 steps:

2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
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dtgreene: To me, I have a belief that there isn't any true power hierarchy, therefore the phrase "Power greater than ourselves" refers to something that doesn't exist, and is in fact incompatible with how I perceive the world; therefore, this step would be a problem.

3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
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dtgreene: Refers to something called "God" (which one?), which is something that doesn't fit into my model of the world. There's also the problem that this power is presumed to be male; for me, even if I did believe in a higher power (but I don't), it would have to be female.

Steps 5, 6, 7, and 11 are also problems, especially 6:

6. Were [sic] entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
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dtgreene: Aside from the missing apostrophe (how did that mistake make it into the document?), I personally believe that removing those defects of character is something you have to do yourself, not something that some deity can just magically do. Hence, I am of the opinion that this particular step has the wrong idea.

Step 12 is also a problem, as it basically tells the person to proselytize, which is not something I consider to be moral when it comes to religion.

This leaves steps 4, 8, 9, and 10 as the only part left. Add in a replacement for number 6 (work out those defects of character on your own (perhaps with the help of a therapist)), and you have a decent 5 step process, but as is, AA is not going to work for an atheist like me.

Link to the 12 steps (pdf warning):
http://www.aa.org/assets/en_US/smf-121_en.pdf
OK, what if it turned out that "God" is an "inside job", akin to happiness -- would that make a difference? And again, the G-word is optional. It's perfectly OK to flesh out "higher power" with metaphysics, Zen, or whatever.

For myself, God is something I visualize as cosmic singularity.
Post edited November 12, 2016 by richlind33
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almabrds: .
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Kleetus: I like the new rebellious you, Alma.
https://clyp.it/d3lvenm0
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PaterAlf: Good idea. I just fear that certain people won't stop to open more threads about politics or post their bullshit in the existing ones.
You know what would be novel? If people made threads about games they thought were fun as shit and then people only talked about games they thought were fun as shit. And they say there are no new ideas left to be thought.
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PaterAlf: Good idea. I just fear that certain people won't stop to open more threads about politics or post their bullshit in the existing ones.
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EBToriginal: You know what would be novel? If people made threads about games they thought were fun as shit and then people only talked about games they thought were fun as shit. And they say there are no new ideas left to be thought.
HEY! What an original idea,it may catch on:)
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EBToriginal: You know what would be novel? If people made threads about games they thought were fun as shit and then people only talked about games they thought were fun as shit. And they say there are no new ideas left to be thought.
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Tauto: HEY! What an original idea,it may catch on:)
Axiom Verge is fun as shit, everyone who likes metroidvanias should take a gander.
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Tauto: HEY! What an original idea,it may catch on:)
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EBToriginal: Axiom Verge is fun as shit, everyone who likes metroidvanias should take a gander.
Have you tried Ori and the Blind Forest? It's an absolutely gorgeous (and super difficult, at least for me) platformer.

GOG has it: https://www.gog.com/game/ori_and_the_blind_forest_definitive_edition

This sequence was the most difficult. It look me about a hundred tries to beat it. When I finally did, I felt as if I had accomplished something truly great! =) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q066WFtOSaw