Comments on: Confessions of a Blue Boy in a Red State http://thelastchancetexaco.com/living-in-recovery/blue-boy-red-state/ Tales of Recovery from Crystal Meth Addiction Sat, 21 Jan 2012 08:36:59 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Chris http://thelastchancetexaco.com/living-in-recovery/blue-boy-red-state/comment-page-1/#comment-1732 Chris Thu, 15 Jan 2009 06:49:37 +0000 http://thelastchancetexaco.com/?p=435#comment-1732 Bless you, too, Dick, and thank you for stopping by. My sponsor, Joe K. of Boise, Idaho, is quite a fan of yours and I have gained much understanding from reading your work. My own experience is that "God does not make too hard terms" when I have sought a relationship with Him. And I'm glad of that. I'm one of the ones that entered the rooms pretty angry with Him and with those who claimed Him. I found that my anger didn't matter. The tiniest bit of open-mindedness was enough to make a beginning. My "conception" of God is as irrelevant as anyone else's. My "conception" didn't get me sober. I left Michael's comments up because I really believe that God can make good out of anything. Thanks again to you and to Ken for stopping by and for adding some (sober) perspective. Bless you, too, Dick, and thank you for stopping by. My sponsor, Joe K. of Boise, Idaho, is quite a fan of yours and I have gained much understanding from reading your work.

My own experience is that “God does not make too hard terms” when I have sought a relationship with Him. And I’m glad of that. I’m one of the ones that entered the rooms pretty angry with Him and with those who claimed Him. I found that my anger didn’t matter.

The tiniest bit of open-mindedness was enough to make a beginning. My “conception” of God is as irrelevant as anyone else’s. My “conception” didn’t get me sober.

I left Michael’s comments up because I really believe that God can make good out of anything. Thanks again to you and to Ken for stopping by and for adding some (sober) perspective.

]]> By: Dick B. http://thelastchancetexaco.com/living-in-recovery/blue-boy-red-state/comment-page-1/#comment-1731 Dick B. Thu, 15 Jan 2009 05:33:39 +0000 http://thelastchancetexaco.com/?p=435#comment-1731 One would have to rent out half a dozen websites to keep up with the current flood of anti-A.A. diatributes. First it was that A.A. is not Christian. It isn't but it was. Second, it was that Dr. Bob and Bill Wilsons were not Christians, but those who say so just don't know the history of Dr. Bob's youth in St. Johnsbury and Bill Wilson's youth in East Dorset and Manchester, or his decision for Christ at the altar at Calvary Rescue Mission. Third, it was that I'm not a Christian--I don't know how these folk would know; but they're wrong. Fourth, it was that Wilson was involved in spiritualism and even Dr. Bob was for a time. Yes they were. And what has that to do with whether or not they were Christians. If they were sealed with that holy spirit of promise, only one unforgivable sin exists; and it has nothing to do with Bill Wilson's conduct, adultery, depression, LSD, or psychic experiments. Were they wrong? Yes. Does that paste all of A.A. with the wrongs of a Christian member? If it did, lots would be in a pickle; but Jesus Christ made it possible for those who confess and believe (Romans 10:9) to be saved and have their past sins remitted and their present sins forgiven if they asked forgiveness (1 John 1). Now there's a new one: Dr. Bob was a Mason. Yes he was. Does that mean that no Mason is a Christian? Interestingly his own church was confronted with that question in the 1850's. There was a strong anti-masonic bias in much of Vermont. But Dr. Bob's own Christian church took a very simple look at the two Masons who applied for membership, inquired about their beliefs and conduct, present and past, concluded they were good Christian gentlemen and admitted them. In conclusion, if I were going to criticize "A.A." I would be wasting my time today. If the charge is against one or more AAs, that's none of my business. If the charge is against the Alcoholics Anonymous World Services and GSO, that's noneof my business. If the charge is against the founders, it's the business of the prosecutor to get his facts straight, to distinguish between walking in the flesh and walking in the spirit, and get his Christianity straight so his readers will know the meaning of John 3:16. God Bless, Dick B. One would have to rent out half a dozen websites to keep up with the current flood of anti-A.A. diatributes. First it was that A.A. is not Christian. It isn’t but it was. Second, it was that Dr. Bob and Bill Wilsons were not Christians, but those who say so just don’t know the history of Dr. Bob’s youth in St. Johnsbury and Bill Wilson’s youth in East Dorset and Manchester, or his decision for Christ at the altar at Calvary Rescue Mission. Third, it was that I’m not a Christian–I don’t know how these folk would know; but they’re wrong. Fourth, it was that Wilson was involved in spiritualism and even Dr. Bob was for a time. Yes they were. And what has that to do with whether or not they were Christians. If they were sealed with that holy spirit of promise, only one unforgivable sin exists; and it has nothing to do with Bill Wilson’s conduct, adultery, depression, LSD, or psychic experiments. Were they wrong? Yes. Does that paste all of A.A. with the wrongs of a Christian member? If it did, lots would be in a pickle; but Jesus Christ made it possible for those who confess and believe (Romans 10:9) to be saved and have their past sins remitted and their present sins forgiven if they asked forgiveness (1 John 1). Now there’s a new one: Dr. Bob was a Mason. Yes he was. Does that mean that no Mason is a Christian? Interestingly his own church was confronted with that question in the 1850′s. There was a strong anti-masonic bias in much of Vermont. But Dr. Bob’s own Christian church took a very simple look at the two Masons who applied for membership, inquired about their beliefs and conduct, present and past, concluded they were good Christian gentlemen and admitted them. In conclusion, if I were going to criticize “A.A.” I would be wasting my time today. If the charge is against one or more AAs, that’s none of my business. If the charge is against the Alcoholics Anonymous World Services and GSO, that’s noneof my business. If the charge is against the founders, it’s the business of the prosecutor to get his facts straight, to distinguish between walking in the flesh and walking in the spirit, and get his Christianity straight so his readers will know the meaning of John 3:16. God Bless, Dick B.

]]> By: Ken Burns http://thelastchancetexaco.com/living-in-recovery/blue-boy-red-state/comment-page-1/#comment-1193 Ken Burns Fri, 01 Aug 2008 09:30:21 +0000 http://thelastchancetexaco.com/?p=435#comment-1193 John, Thank you for mentioning Dick B. and three of the more than 30 titles he has written--Anne Smith's Journal, 1933-1939, The Oxford Group and Alcoholics Anonymous, and The Conversion of Bill W.--in conjunction with his 18 years of research and writing about the role of the CREATOR of the heavens and the earth, of His Son Jesus Christ, and of the Bible in early Alcoholics Anonymous. The Son of GOD, Jesus Christ, stated in John 3:16, 17: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved." (KJV) Rom 10:9, 10 states: "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." (KJV) And Eph 1:13, 14 states: "In whom ye also [trusted], after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory." (KJV) It would appear that among the logical claims you are making in your article are the following: (1a) Emmet Fox's book, The Sermon on the Mount, played a role in early A.A.; (1b) some of Emmet Fox's views were non-Christian and/or heretical; (1c) if non-Christian and/or heretical views influence a person or organization, that person or organization must not be "Christian"; and therefore (1d) early A.A. could not have been "Christian." (2a) a child of GOD would not sin--e.g., by being involved with spiritualism; (2b) Bill and Bob were involved in spiritualism; and therefore (2c) Neither Bill nor Bob could have been children of GOD. The book of Romans is addressed to "all that be in Rome . . . called [to be] saints" (Rom 1:7a, KJV) Rom 12:2 states: "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." (KJV) When a human being chooses to become a child of GOD via the new birth (salvation, conversion, receiving eternal life--cp. John 3:16, 17; Rom 10:9, 10), that person must then choose to renew their mind, thought-by-thought (cp. Rom 12:2). Holy Spirit sealed within a child of GOD (cp. Eph 1:13, 14) does not force that person to never sin again. Dick B.'s title, The Conversion of Bill W., presents extensive documentation indicating that Bill became a child of GOD between the time he went to Calvary Rescue Mission and the time he completed his most eventful stay in Towns Hospital. Have you read that book? By the way, Dick B.'s most recent title is actually Dr. Bob of Alcoholics Anonymous: His Excellent Training in the Good Book As a Youngster in Vermont. It presents, in more than 350 pages the evidence for Dr. Bob's having become a child of GOD in his youth. Your readers may get more information about the evidence that Bill W. and Dr. Bob were children of GOD on Dick B.'s web site. In GOD's love, Ken Burns John, Thank you for mentioning Dick B. and three of the more than 30 titles he has written–Anne Smith’s Journal, 1933-1939, The Oxford Group and Alcoholics Anonymous, and The Conversion of Bill W.–in conjunction with his 18 years of research and writing about the role of the CREATOR of the heavens and the earth, of His Son Jesus Christ, and of the Bible in early Alcoholics Anonymous. The Son of GOD, Jesus Christ, stated in John 3:16, 17: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” (KJV) Rom 10:9, 10 states: “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (KJV) And Eph 1:13, 14 states: “In whom ye also [trusted], after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.” (KJV) It would appear that among the logical claims you are making in your article are the following: (1a) Emmet Fox’s book, The Sermon on the Mount, played a role in early A.A.; (1b) some of Emmet Fox’s views were non-Christian and/or heretical; (1c) if non-Christian and/or heretical views influence a person or organization, that person or organization must not be “Christian”; and therefore (1d) early A.A. could not have been “Christian.” (2a) a child of GOD would not sin–e.g., by being involved with spiritualism; (2b) Bill and Bob were involved in spiritualism; and therefore (2c) Neither Bill nor Bob could have been children of GOD. The book of Romans is addressed to “all that be in Rome . . . called [to be] saints” (Rom 1:7a, KJV) Rom 12:2 states: “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” (KJV) When a human being chooses to become a child of GOD via the new birth (salvation, conversion, receiving eternal life–cp. John 3:16, 17; Rom 10:9, 10), that person must then choose to renew their mind, thought-by-thought (cp. Rom 12:2). Holy Spirit sealed within a child of GOD (cp. Eph 1:13, 14) does not force that person to never sin again. Dick B.’s title, The Conversion of Bill W., presents extensive documentation indicating that Bill became a child of GOD between the time he went to Calvary Rescue Mission and the time he completed his most eventful stay in Towns Hospital. Have you read that book? By the way, Dick B.’s most recent title is actually Dr. Bob of Alcoholics Anonymous: His Excellent Training in the Good Book As a Youngster in Vermont. It presents, in more than 350 pages the evidence for Dr. Bob’s having become a child of GOD in his youth. Your readers may get more information about the evidence that Bill W. and Dr. Bob were children of GOD on Dick B.’s web site. In GOD’s love, Ken Burns

]]> By: Stephanie http://thelastchancetexaco.com/living-in-recovery/blue-boy-red-state/comment-page-1/#comment-1102 Stephanie Fri, 20 Jun 2008 03:35:29 +0000 http://thelastchancetexaco.com/?p=435#comment-1102 Chris, Melanie and I will be in Boise next week and we hope to see your new pad! And you of course... Your loving sis..Stephanie Chris, Melanie and I will be in Boise next week and we hope to see your new pad! And you of course… Your loving sis..Stephanie

]]> By: pea http://thelastchancetexaco.com/living-in-recovery/blue-boy-red-state/comment-page-1/#comment-1101 pea Wed, 18 Jun 2008 01:58:49 +0000 http://thelastchancetexaco.com/?p=435#comment-1101 i miss you. (tremendously.) i miss you.

(tremendously.)

]]> By: Java http://thelastchancetexaco.com/living-in-recovery/blue-boy-red-state/comment-page-1/#comment-1100 Java Tue, 17 Jun 2008 04:51:14 +0000 http://thelastchancetexaco.com/?p=435#comment-1100 I was wondering about your computer. I hope it's better now. Or, if not, that it gets fixed very very soon. I know. I HATE being without my computer. Good luck! I was wondering about your computer. I hope it’s better now. Or, if not, that it gets fixed very very soon. I know. I HATE being without my computer. Good luck!

]]> By: Chris http://thelastchancetexaco.com/living-in-recovery/blue-boy-red-state/comment-page-1/#comment-1099 Chris Mon, 16 Jun 2008 18:56:50 +0000 http://thelastchancetexaco.com/?p=435#comment-1099 having my cmputer dead is MAKING me CRAZY! hopefully that will be solved later today. having my cmputer dead is MAKING me CRAZY! hopefully that will be solved later today.

]]> By: Chris http://thelastchancetexaco.com/living-in-recovery/blue-boy-red-state/comment-page-1/#comment-1097 Chris Sat, 14 Jun 2008 22:06:51 +0000 http://thelastchancetexaco.com/?p=435#comment-1097 I truey wish that I didn't have to reply using my cell phone so that I could respond to Patrick properly, other than to say thank you for your thoughtful and passionate comment which I will leave up. While I would, as Patrick Henry would, defend to the death your right to practice the religion of your conscience, it is not the religion of mine. You are welcome to place comments on my blog as you choose, so long as you limit it to sharing your personal experience of recovery 'in ag eneral way' rather than attacking the experience of others. If you are unable to do that I will block your IP from being able to access my site. I hope you talk about your own recovery. I feel sure youh ave something valuable to add to the conversation. And thank you Java. Thank you so much. I truey wish that I didn’t have to reply using my cell phone so that I could respond to Patrick properly, other than to say thank you for your thoughtful and passionate comment which I will leave up. While I would, as Patrick Henry would, defend to the death your right to practice the religion of your conscience, it is not the religion of mine. You are welcome to place comments on my blog as you choose, so long as you limit it to sharing your personal experience of recovery ‘in ag eneral way’ rather than attacking the experience of others. If you are unable to do that I will block your IP from being able to access my site. I hope you talk about your own recovery. I feel sure youh ave something valuable to add to the conversation. And thank you Java. Thank you so much.

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