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Big Book Study - Post #12

Good Morning all!

I'll be posting the book studies while Jim is away on vacation.

Paragraph 2 - Page 35: *"Jim the car salesman"* is example number 2 of
alcoholic insanity. Reading through paragraph 3 on this page: "We told him
what we knew of alcoholism and the answer we had found. He made a
beginning."

"Making a beginning" means he had completed the first three steps. "His
family was re-assembled, and he began to work as a salesman for the business
he had lost through drinking."

There is a situation ripe for a resentment. "All went well for a time, but
he failed to enlarge on his spiritual life." He didn't continue on with the
rest of the program - Steps 4-12. He got drunk again, and here's how, as
recorded on Page 36 paragraph 1:

"I remember I felt irritated (resentful) that I had to be a salesman for a
concern I once owned. I had a few words with the boss..." (expressing his
resentment no doubt!) He continues in this paragraph to be sane, but watch
out!

Next paragraph - all italics. The insane thought: "SUDDENLY THE THOUGHT
CROSSED MY MIND THAT IF I WERE TO PUT AN OUNCE OF WHISKEY IN MY MILK IT
COULDN'T HURT ME ON A FULL STOMACH."

The insane idea was followed by action. Paragraph 4: "Thus started one more
journey to the asylum (treatment center) for Jim... HE HAD MUCH KNOWLEDGE
ABOUT HIMSELF AS AN ALCOHOLIC (which did him no good whatsoever). YET ALL
REASONS FOR NOT DRINKING WERE EASILY PUSHED ASIDE IN FAVOR OF THE
FOOLISH(insane) IDEA
THAT HE COULD TAKE WHISKEY IF ONLY HE MIXED IT WITH MILK!"

Page 37: "Whatever the precise definition of the word may be, we call this
plain insanity. How can such a lack of proportion, of the ability to think
straight, be called anything else?"

This is where the Big Book defines the "insanity" of Step 2 as the *state of
mind that precedes the first drink.
*
Our next example starts at the bottom of page 37, paragraph 4: *"The
Jaywalker."* Read it through to the end of the second paragraph on the
following page. Although it seems ridiculous it is a fine example of our
state of mind.

Our last example is *"Fred the Accountant".* Go to page 39, paragraph 2. At
the bottom of the page: "Fred would not believe himself an alcoholic, (Step
1) much less accept a spiritual remedy (Step 2) for his problem."

Reading through to the end of this paragraph at the top of page 40 it is
clear that he also believes in self-knowledge. He tells what happened
beginning at paragraph 3 on page 40. Almost immediately he is wrestling with
the mental obsession.

Page 41, paragraph 1 - Here is the insane idea: "I went to my hotel room and
leisurely dressed for dinner. AS I CROSSED THE THRESHOLD OF THE DINING ROOM,
THE THOUGHT CAME TO MIND THAT IT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE A COUPLE OF COCKTAILS
WITH DINNER (and return to the mental hospital). THAT WAS ALL. NOTHING
MORE."

Next paragraph "...I HAD MADE NO FIGHT WHATEVER AGAINST THE FIRST DRINK." Self
knowledge fails again. He clearly demonstrates that we have no effective
mental defense against the first drink.

Bill's summary, last paragraph on page 43: "Once more: The alcoholic at
certain times has no effective mental defense against the first drink.
Except in rare cases, neither he nor any other human being can provide such
a defense. His defense must come from a Higher Power."

This is a very important point. This means that we can have all the self
knowledge we can get but still drink. It also means that human power, our
own or others (i.e., the fellowship), will not help us. Finding God will.

With our next post we start my favorite chapter in the Big Book: Chapter
4, "We Agnostics" on page 44.

Have a great day!

Karen H.