Something from Nothing - with Richard Dawkins and Lawrence Krauss

Busy... missing meetings

This has been an incredibly BUSY month.

I attended the Reason Rally in Washington D.C., then feasted on talent at the two day American Athesits convention, then happened upon the health care protests in front of the Supreme Court, and finally, traveled on to Fort Bragg for Rock Beyond Belief.

WOW. What a journey.

I finally met a phone-friend that I have become especially close to over the years. He doesn't have a drinking problem - or so he insists - but I had a problem with his drinking (if you know what I mean). I needed every Alanon trick in my tool box, but even then, I let a few caustic remarks slip my lips. They just slid out... passive-aggressive stingers, with a smile of course.

Upon returning home I worked with local groups to host Richard Dawkins for a lecture tour he is doing with Sean Faircloth and Elisabeth Cornwell. On Good Friday we had 2250 atheists in a grand ballroom (and into the balcony) to hear from the sages of disbelief. Wonderful. The best Good Friday (and First Night of Passover ever!).

 

What is militant atheism?

Militant atheism refers to words that make others angry or uncomfortable. The term "militant" is thrown around quite inappropriately to discrecdit atheists. I know of no atheists who have ever been convicted of a hate crime, or a truly "militant" act while expressing, communicating, or acting on their lack of belief in god(s).

People will do and say all sorts of things to shut you up. Don't let them do it! The truth is the truth. Your truth is your truth, regardless of how it is characterized by others.

When I was new in the program I was very sensitive to criticism. I didn't trust myself — which was a sign that I was dealing with reality at long last - so I was more easily influenced by the opinions of others. Fortunately I had been an atheist for about 15 years before I set foot in a room of Alcoholics Anonymous. Otherwise, I might have fled from the rooms and the bible thumpers. Another stroke of luck was meeting a few old timers who taught me how to connect to AA as a nonbeliever. "G - O - D" = Group of Dopers. Frankly, I was too F*'d up to argue about god. I needed to be anywhere, and with anyone who didn't want to use with me!

As time has passed since those early days when I was too easily swayed by the opinions of others, I've been better able to separate the wise from the verbose, and the helpful from the inappropriate. Still, it is occasionally difficult to take in thoughtful criticism without feeling shamed or guilty, or wihtout overreacting.

Your sponsor should be someone you trust to give you feedback, advice, and criticism. But, your sponsor is only human, and has his or her own point of view and experience. S/he can make a mistake. S/he can be wrong. You can disagree with people you love and respect. Which is WHY you need more than one or two AA friends and/or advisors.

Getting good advice at the opportune moment can often mean the difference between staying sober or getting drunk. So be a militant atheist. Also be "militant" about getting advice from "the winners"... people you respect, and who are living a sober life.  

watch your thoughts, they become words

Watch your thoughts, they become words.

Watch your words, they become actions.

Watch your actions, they become habits.

Watch your habits, they become your character.

Watch your character, it becomes your destiny.

Out of the mouths of babes

I'm often amazed by what comes out of the mouths of newcomers, or people relatively "young" in sobriety. My favorite cakes are 1 year cakes. At one year, when people have acutally made this seemingly impossible milestone, they are in the process of making it work, one day at a time. They haven't deluded themselves about how easy (or how hard) it is. They are in it! 

Here is a letter written by K that I found on the google group "atheist-AA".  I love that group.  Thanks K, for letting me post it.

Today I met my ex sponsor, Barbara, for a coffee. She's taking an
extended break from AA. She said she was tired of listening to all the
whining and that, since she left, she's been feeling really happy and
free and that her sobriety is still fantastic. I could see there was a
positive change in her. There was less heaviness there.
 
I, on the other hand, have become increasingly involved in AA over the
last ten months and have taken on a secretarial service position at a
monday night meeting that clashes with a poetry evening I used to
attend religiously. It was incredibly important to me in that I got to
mix with other poets and also because every night when I came home
from a reading, I wrote, which for me, in my new sober, happy state,
has been a rare occurrence. Above everything, I am a poet so
understand how crucial that was to me.
 
I have found myself increasingly mixing with more and more AA people
and less and less 'normals.' Tonight I had the opportunity to go to a
poetry event with some people I know from my Monday night poetry crowd
and we went to a cafe overlooking the harbour afterwards to talk until
late into the night. The reading was astonishing. It was by two South
African poetry legends who have an amazing history both politically
and poetically. They did a tribute to yet another South African poetry
legend who committed suicide in the 60s.
 
I had the most fantastic evening and realised that through my almost
obsessive involvement in AA and 'self improvement' I have forgotten
who I really am. I am more than an alcoholic and life is about more
than constant self improvement and sobriety. It needs to be, it must
be, it simply has to be. Now, as I look back on the day I think about
Barbara and about myself and realise that a change needs to happen. I
owe it to myself to take this improved person out into the world and
enjoy life, passions, friends who don't talk constantly about alcohol,
AA meetings and steps. AA needs to be something I retreat to, rely on,
seek strength from, but ultimately, my life needs to be primarily
about other things.
 
Perhaps it can all be summed up this way: I got my first pair of
glasses four months ago which improved my vision dramatically.
Tonight, when we reached the car to drive home, I looked up at the
night sky and realised that I was looking at the stars for the very
first time with my new glasses on. It seemed as if I could pluck them
right out of the sky. It was unbelievable. And equally unbelievable
that, for the last four months, I have not looked up at a night sky
once.

Enjoy those new glasses K!