Thursday, November 30, 2023

Jeebus, the Dee Lama, and Will W.

 Bill W on spirituality and Alcoholics Anonymous: "Let us not pressure anyone with our individual or even our collective views.  In our meeting people from all walks of life come together with a common purpose.  Some members return to their religious roots, others find different spiritual paths.  And many find this 'God of their understanding,' yet never become involved with organized religion.  Still others make the group their higher power."

Ahhh, the God Problem or the God Thing, problematic for many, fatal for some, a great salvation for most.  It's nice to have a working God; you know - a God who can get shit done, who comes through in a pinch, not being someone who sounds good but helps not at all.  Free reign, here, to do whatever feels right to you.

And the Dee Lama chimes in again: "Avoid mentally neglecting the welfare of even one being.  Treat all beings with respect.  In essence, think again and again, 'May I become able to help all beings.' "

Apparently very few of us - alcoholic or not -  pay attention to this Other People thing because the Dee Ell is quite persistent in saying the same thing over and over again, repeating himself, making the exact same point multiple times, reminding us now and later and then a little later still and once more right at the very end.

And straight out of the Bible here's Jeebus himself: "Don't act out of selfish ambition or be conceited.  Instead humbly think of others as being better than yourselves.  Don't be concerned only about your own interests, but also be concerned about the interests of others."

C'mon: Jeebus, the Dee Lama, and Willy W., all in one post?  That's a fearsome threesome right there, all saying the same thing.

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