Musicmystery
Posts: 30259
Joined: 3/14/2005
Status: offline
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quote:
I'm of two minds here.
That's because you're lumping together multiple situations and treating them as all the same. [This "debate" reminds me of the people who drop by here briefly and then post to complain CM is nothing by scammers, fakes, and wannabes. You know--the clueless people we laugh at for their hasty ignorance?]
*There's a world of difference between the habit of downing a few too many beers and someone with a serious drinking problem.
*There's a world of difference between addressing a bad habit and overcoming an addiction.
*There's a wealth of medical science on alcoholism that you're ignoring completely.
*You're also ignoring that not everyone with a drinking problem is an alcoholic necessarily.
*You're ignoring that an alcoholic faces a different situation than someone merely drinking too much, that, in fact, chemical and biological physiology is different, and calls for different measures and different cautions.
*There's a lot of reference here to statistical claims but without any presented evidence.
In some ways, it's unfortunate that courts mandate AA attendance---someone recently busted for DUI, given the choice of jail or AA, is not going to merrily waltz off to the nearest meeting and come back a changed person with a rosy account. Hardly. It's a recipe for a negative and harsh assessment born of resentment. Duh.
Bottomline, your "cult" take is born of ignorance, misinformation, and mischaracterization. Only one participant in this discussion has any real experience over time with the group, and that person is not the one displaying any of this nonsense.
If you want to drink, then drink. If you need to cut down, then cut down. If you find you need a substitute, check 'em out (I like fruit juice and seltzer personally--fruit juice at first to replace the missed sugars from the alcohol, and seltzer because I like the fizz without the sweetness or sodium of sodas). If you need help cutting down, that's suspect, but sure, bad habits can be overcome by any number of means. And if you're unable to stop, and are ready to recognize that this is a problem, help is available for this as well.
And for those who want it, a group of people who have been there done that get together to hang out and hash out life, including levity and laughter, with people they've grown to like and call friends.
If that's a "cult" to you, then so is the Elks Club. Or if it bothers anyone that yes, an alcoholic is going to have to lay off the booze, both from medical science and the long list of alcoholics who picked up right where they left off after forgetting this, maybe take a look at why other people not drinking poses such a challenge to you. There are worse practices.
If it's not for you, that's not surprising--it's not for many people, including alcoholics who could seriously use the help and instead drink themselves to death. And others will stop drinking by other means, because they are able to do so. Still others will enjoy a lifetime of drinking responsibly. But if others joining together to overcome their addictions is a problem for anyone, really, you should ask yourself why. Just what is the problem? Because the problem there is yours.
Live and let live. Some do it sober. It's OK.
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RE: Beer substitute ? - 
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