sure
am glad that we are in an anonymous program. can't imagine the hate that could come our
way if we were in public view, due to this web page.
let
us establish several broad guidelines, for this topic. first, all
anonymous faith centers, whether small,
medium, or
large will have spaces
for smoking and non-smoking meetings. your choice, your
decision. anti-smokers will not be welcome.
the
motto "Live and Let Live," on page 135 in the bigbook, is very
important in the spiritual realm, because it eliminates judgment, that is
almost always faulty.
next,
it is important to understand that we wish no one to smoke, nor recommend
it. however, one of the stories, in the back of the bigbook states, "...smoke filled
rooms." they mention that in the context of a defect of
character. we also need to mention that it was written by a member
of the medical community, a doctor.
wonder
why jesus says, "physician, heal thy self?" from page one
thirty-three in the bigbook, we quote the following statement:
Now about health: A body badly burned by alcohol does not often recover overnight nor do twisted thinking and depression vanish in a twinkling.
We are convinced that a spiritual mode of living is a most powerful health restorative.
now
lets read what god's word says about how we were (past tense) healed:
"But
he was wounded and bruised for our sins. He was chastised that we
might have peace; he was lashed - and we were healed."
(Isaiah
53:5)
let
us also point out that the area known as the "holiest of holies" was a smoke
filled room, in the temple area. wonder if moses had defects of
character too? also, remember reading, many years ago, each year,
about the "medicine of the leaves," mentioned in
"revelations." am still wondering if that is about
tobacco, but god is closed mouth about that, thus far.
now,
tons of personal experience, since i am the selected scribe for this
effort; chosen.
we
have a section on this web site, for a design build team, that anonymous
recovering souls do not have access to. have spent years developing
that section, and that is why the recovery section has not received the
attention of needed editing etc., at times, for those that have editing
eyes and minds. let us quote from one of those web pages, from that
section:
"the length of
this process - over twenty-five years - has made me a doubting thomas. i
am assured, from the throne room, that i am the only one however.
congratulations to all believers that i am not aware of personally. but
as usual, had another visit that has
given me new confidence.
What is
faith? It is the confident assurance that something that we want is
going to happen. (Hebrew
11:1...) have
been like tonto at times, saying to the lone ranger, "what's this we shit white man?"
"anyway,
before the gulf war started, in january of 91, in my pitiful efficiency at what used to be called windy hill beach, now a part of north myrtle beach, received a visit. it was a most dominating and
very tight
oppressive clamping pressure, attached to the upper side of my face, that planted the thought in
my mind, without words, "you have a lot of important things to
do." sarcastically, i said out loud, "do you want me to go to my wallet and
count the money i have?" that too was also pitiful! received a
number of commands, achieved them, went to bed, got a good nights sleep, and
the next morning after earnest prayer on my knees with head bowed and eyes
closed, a publishing effort began, based on
the title of a book that i had been given the title of in a perfectly clear
vision, on a book jacket cover, nine years earlier; after my daily devotions,
meditations, and bible study. my only thought has been
that it might have been jehovah god.
"yesterday,
march 6, 07, a similar identical sensation returned, on the opposite side of
my face, but felt like the presence was now in christ; very soothing
and comforting. it repeated the thought of having a lot of important
things to do. the question and answer session started, which was quite
lengthy - most of which was very clear, concise, and definitive,
some of which is appropriate to be reported on this web page."
one
of the "commands" in that first visit was to stop smoking.
so, threw the cigs and lighter into the trash can, went to bed and slept
well. got up, started writing the first book, whose title changed
three times, before publication, and low and behold, received another
visit several hours into the minutia
that was being put on paper, from christ's spirit, which told me, "you can
smoke now."
there
are several things that i have had to question, and resolve in my own
mind, over the many decades that i have smoked. please keep in mind
however, in the eighties, i was really into electronic ministries; tv evangelism.
one said, "we do not smoke, curse, drink, or chew, nor do we
associate with those that do." my thought was, "where in hell
are those people?" another one, that is probably the most successful,
of the twentieth century said, "smoking is bad for you."
if you were a plebe, like i was, you would believe what that godly man had
to say too. several times, would give up smoking, when money was
low, but found out that i spent much more on veggies etc., for snacks,
than the actual cost of the cigs.
the
most memorable event came while watching a stadium full of people
listening to the most loved evangelical of the last century, and this one,
the rev. billy graham. was working on the couch, at the coast, for
an out of state project, redesigning over a hundred units in a high rise,
and it's parking lots along with relocating the pool, for a friend, when
rev. graham came on the tube, and just left it on that channel. when
he approached the podium, he raised both hands to heaven and looking up he
said, "Oh what a sinner I am." sat there and thought, oh
shit, there ain't no hope for me.
but
the following are several of my conclusions. i have never had any
real success with man made medicines. i am from a generation that
made us swallow a spoonful, rather than swallow a pill. if you had
tasted any of that shit, you wouldn't think too highly of any medicine
either. after over forty years of smoking, for the very first time
ever, upon returning to my apartment from a tortuous visit to the
dentist's office, and an over dose of their medications, since i was in
the dentist's chair for going on two hours, almost got sick to my stomach,
at the "stench" of tobacco smoke. it had been hours since
i had smoked in that apartment, so, came to the conclusion that something
was in the medicine that had made me allergic to the smell of
"stale" tar or nicotine. there is a thin film or residue
on every thing - walls, carpet, drapes, blinds, furniture, ad-infinitum,
in any place that smoking is allowed.
can't
think of any habit that requires more maintenance than smoking, indoors.
one good thing about smoking is that it does tend to separate the
smokers from the elites, pontificators, and pundits of this world, for
sure, especially professionals. if any of you out there in the
hinterland do not know what the oldest profession is, you need to ask
god. he will be glad to tell you.
this
is a biggie, but not a quarter pounder like chich and chong used; Chich
& Chong's "up in smoke." have had to absolutely forget and ignore what the
medical community says about what caused so and so's death. and
those that say that second hand smoke kills people are full of lies and
deceit. "the wages of sin is death," not second hand
smoke, nor the use of tobacco. but here is the biggest of all
clinkers, for this recovering soul. god grows
tobacco. money grows man made medicines. "you will either
love money and hate god, or you will love god and hate money."
don't see any gray area in that statement, do any of you all?
god
does not want me on any commercial airplanes. but the fulfilled
mansions will have a number of airplanes, in the next decade, because of developments
across this great land that was dedicated to god, when the pilgrims got
down on their knees on the beach at jamestown, and dedicated this land to
god, upon their arrival to the new land, the future united
states of america. and if the founder is on board, there will
be smoking allowed, unless god tells me different.
let us introduce
a prophecy, from the book of isaiah 42:1-9, which mentions "the
distant lands beyond the sea." looking across the mediterranean
sea and it's entrance at gibraltra, we come first to the united states of america, which is where the
twelve step program
was started, and contains the word him - actually, in the steps it
is Him, in a variety of the steps.
Isaiah
42:1-9 (NLT)
The Lord’s Chosen Servant
“Look at my servant, whom I strengthen.
He is my chosen one, who pleases me.
I have put my Spirit upon him.
He will bring justice to the nations.
He will not shout
or raise his voice in public.
He will not crush the weakest reed
or put out a flickering candle.
He will bring justice to all who have been wronged.
He will not falter or lose heart
until justice prevails throughout the earth.
Even distant lands beyond the sea will wait for his instruction.
God, the Lord, created the heavens and stretched them out.
He created the earth and everything in it.
He gives breath to everyone,
life to everyone who walks the earth.
And it is he who says,
“I, the Lord, have called you to demonstrate my righteousness.
I will take you by the hand and guard you,
and I will give you to my people, Israel,
as a symbol of my covenant with them.
And you will be a light to guide the nations.
You will open the eyes of the blind.
You will free the captives from prison,
releasing those who sit in dark dungeons.
“I am the Lord; that is my name!
I will not give my glory to anyone else,
nor share my praise with carved idols.
Everything I prophesied has come true,
and now I will prophesy again.
I will tell you the future before it happens.”
for
many years now, have been attending meetings to give, not to get. in
other words, i am there for the newcomer. probably ninety-five
percent, or higher, of all newcomers smoke, and a very high percentage of
those smoke menthol cigarettes. when i had enough money, like my
second sponsor, i would always have regular and menthol.
here
is the real kicker, for me. god does not want anyone that smokes to
feel inferior to those that do not now smoke, nor never did. but god
does not want me to feel superior to smokers either. he wants me
down in the gutter with them, the new comers, because he knows that i do
not want to return to the use of alcohol.
the
truth is that the best medicine for me is to be reminded of what i really
am, and where i am coming from. all praise, honor, and glory to a magnificent
god and heavenly father.
let
us close this web page topic with the following quote:
"For we are now on a
different basis of trusting and relying upon God. We trust infinite God
rather than our finite selves. We are in the world to play the role He
assigns. Just to the extent that we do as we think He would have us, and
humbly rely on Him, does He enable us to match calamity with serenity.
"We never apologize to
anyone for depending upon our Creator. We can laugh at those who think
spirituality the way of weakness. Paradoxically, it is the way of
strength. The verdict of the ages is that faith means courage. All men of
faith have courage. They trust their God. We never apologize for God.
Instead we let Him demonstrate, through us, what He can do. We ask Him to
remove our fear and direct our attention to what He would have us be. At
once, we commence to outgrow fear." (bigbook
page 68)
