Well, geniuses Matt and Trey have solved the problem of alcoholism! It's not a disease, it's just a lack of willpower. All an alcoholic has to do is use willpower (or was it wirpowa?) and they will be able to control their drinking!
I am hearing a thunderous cheer from alcoholics and addicts from all over the world right now. This is SO HUGE!
It was "dishiprine," and I think the episode was meant as more of a critique on AA's quasi-religious theories that are designed to break people down and feel sorry for themselves. At no point in the show did they say that getting piss drunk all the time can't be destructive, and the whole scene with Stan's dad driving drunk showed just how fucking stupid that can be.
I do kinda wonder if Trey or Matt has had a run-in with AA, though.
Jeremy
Jeremy Arnold wrote...
I wonder if anyone has successfully challenged a court order to attend AA meetings on the grounds it violates their religious beliefs. It is true AA requires members to profess a belief in God, so an atheist convicted of DUI could reasonably challenge a requirement to attend AA meetings to get probation.
I'm sure there are some non-religious rehab programs available, but they might not be available everywhere and they might cost a lot of money compared to AA which is free. But it is not fair to give a religious person a slap on the wrist by making him attend AA which doesn't violate his personal beliefs, while essentially giving an atheist a choice of jail (because he can't afford non-cult rehab) or violating his personal beliefs.
AA only requires a belief in a higher power which does not have to be a god.
The "choice" issue, jail or AA would probably make for a long and expensive court case and you might be in jail while waiting to win it.
I suspect the success rate of any mandated program like that is low in any event.
"Mike Painter" wrote in message news:3WRmf.34278$[email]...
BS. The Blue Book is full of scripture. At most AA meetings, there is talk of "God", not "your higher power", with the caveat that "God" is just easier to say.
Recently, it has been challenged successfully in court, most notably in Minnesota. Other suits are pending. Even in my backwards ass city in Northern Indiana they offer non-AA programs as an option.
turk
The last time I saw the numbers, AA's success rate was only like 12% after a year, which is roughly equal to the success rate that alcoholics who don't get treatment have on their own.
Jeremy
Jeremy Arnold wrote:
Well, isn't that to be expected from a 12 step program?
All I can say is I just wanna play 'Lambs'.
On Tue, 13 Dec 2005 09:53:02 -0500, Sparky Spartacus wrote:
Who's going to be the first to make the joke about requiring "proof"?
Actually, they don't even "require" that. The AA preamble, which many/most meets read at the beginning says: "The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking."
[email] wrote:
Right. Here's the 12-step program form the very site:
1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol - that our lives had become unmanageable.
2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
5. Admitted to God, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics and to practice these principles in all our affairs.
=================
Golly, they really don't "require" the belief in a "higher power". What's six out of twelve steps babbling about gods... Idiot.
Charles & Mambo Duckman wrote:
Wow, quite the list! Anyone want to go out for a beer?
On Sun, 11 Dec 2005 08:39:22 GMT, Mexicana Aeron�utica y Spacia Administraci�n wrote:
I don't know...
As a rabid atheist, I would truly relish the opportunity to play 'bible games' with the indoctrinated staff. It's kind-o-fun to watch them go into melt-down mode when you force an undeniable logical contradiction into their two neuron brains.
Having fun toying with a theist's tiny mind, sure beats prison... In fact, I'd do it for free, on my day off, let alone if ordered by a magistrate.
On Sun, 11 Dec 2005 20:53:26 +1030, Michael Gray wrote:
You would not play that game unless you were willing to have your probation revoked. They would have you tied up very nicely.
Thomas P.
"Life must be lived forwards but understood backwards"
(Kierkegaard)
Mexicana Aeron�utica y Spacia Administraci�n wrote:
Apparently, the law doesn't understand the "anonymous" part. You go to AA of your own free will, you can't be sentenced to it. Otherwise, the concept is pointless. The exception of course, is if you live in a Fascist country.
Only about 12 percent of people with drinking problems are actually medically alcoholic.
Michael
Michael wrote:
<snip>
"medically alcoholic"? Haven't seen that term before - can you explain?
On Sun, 25 Dec 2005 10:47:25 -0500, Sparky Spartacus wrote:
It's when Doctors become addicted to alcohol.
yes, I might add, why look to the American Medical Association or the American Psychiatric Association to determine whether alcoholism is a disease?
Everyone knows cartoonists are far more qualified to define and diagnose disease than doctors! <<<that was sarcasm for those with impaired sarcasm radar