Sandy B. on Political Correctness, Ebby T., and Spiritual Survival — Part 3 of 4

About This Speaker Tape

Sandy B. Capital City Conference D. Moines IA 2010 05 01 - 1997

Sandy B. and Bob navigate the tension between modern 'political correctness' and the gritty, uncompromising truth of early recovery. Sandy dismantles the idea of watering down the program to accommodate the ego, arguing that adjusting to the world—rather than demanding the world adjust to us—is the core of spiritual survival. The conversation shifts to the tragic history of Ebby T., the man who sparked Bill W.'s sobriety but struggled to maintain his own, serving as a stark warning about the necessity of spiritual maintenance. In a devastating turn, Sandy shares the recent murder of his daughter, Barbie, and how he used the tools of immediate forgiveness and acceptance to bypass the crushing weight of hatred and resentment, choosing sorrow over the ego's demand for vengeance. He concludes by arguing that most 'problems' are merely mental constructs built from adjectives and faulty thinking.

Topics

Timestamps

• 0:00 Sandy discusses the resistance to the word 'Higher Power' among Harvard graduates and the necessity of the Higher Power in AA.
• 5:12 Discussion on the shift in the ratio of old-timers to newcomers in the fellowship.
• 9:45 Sandy argues against removing the Lord's Prayer from meetings to accommodate the self-centeredness of newcomers.
• 14:20 Bob and Sandy discuss the relationship between Bill W., Dr. Bob, and Ebby Thacher.
• 18:10 Analysis of Ebby Thacher's inability to maintain his spiritual awakening.
• 23:40 Sandy reflects on his 'gift for being a jerk' and the need for daily spiritual maintenance.
• 30:15 Sandy shares the heartbreaking news of his daughter's murder and his immediate process of forgiveness.
• 36:50 Discussion on the difference between sorrow and the ego-driven emotions of hatred and resentment.
• 42:10 Bob discusses the 'grace' of AA and the power of real, non-hypothetical relationships with a Higher Power.
• 48:20 Sandy dismantles the idea of 'problems,' arguing they are created by the mind's use of adjectives.
• 54:10 Laughter: Sandy and Bob joke about who is talking too much before transitioning to the topic of humility.