- co-dependency - sometimes the co-dependent is more unhealthy than the alcoholic. You see this most explicitly when the alcoholic begins recovery.
- “There is an early state “holiness” that looks like the real thing, but it isn’t. **This is sacrificial religion, on which the scribes and Pharisees in every group pride themselves... All zealots and ‘true believers’ tend to be immensely sacrificial on one highly visible level, and fool almost everybody.** ‘I sacrifice myself by obeying these laws and attending these services or even serving the poor.’ **And by being more heroic than you are, they might think. Often they do not love God or others in such heroic ‘obedience,’ they are merely seeking moral high ground for themselves and the social esteem that comes with it (See Luke 18:11-12).**
- Or as Paul puts it, ‘I can give my body to be burned, but without love, it is worth nothing’ (1 Corinthians 13:3:).
- **Most bogus religion, in my opinion, is highly sacrificial in one or another visible way, but not loving at all. Yet it fools most people**. I will not dare to name names here, but you can fill in the blanks.” Breathing Underwater - Richard Rohr - 23-24
- AA does not reward this kind of “worthiness" behavior and outs everyone on equal ground, “I am an alcoholic.” “Suddenly religion loses all capacity for elitism and is democratic to the bone.”
- Apostle Paul - "It is when I am weak that I am strong.” 2 Cor. 12:10.
- When reading this, I couldn't help but think about some of the issues surrounding Quaker supremacy. I am also challenged to consider how can I make sure I am not falling into this trap?