WHY in Big Book Alcoholics Anonymous, 12 Steps and 12 Traditions

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From the books ... Alcoholics Anonymous (Big Book) and Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions (12 & 12)

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WHY occurs 94 times [60 in BB ... 34 in 12&12] Definition in Merriam-Webster Online

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... why. BB Into Action, p.87

You can easily see why.

... why. BB To Wives, p.110

He admits he cannot drink like other people, but does not see why.

... why? BB The Family Afterward, p.122

And why?

Why A.A. could not remain a secret ... 12&12 Contents (Tradition Twelve), p.13

Why A.A. could not remain a secret society.

... why A.A. functions as a society. 12&12 Foreword, p.16

Students of human relations are beginning to wonder how and why A.A. functions as a society.

... why alcohol disagrees with you. BB Working With Others, p.102

At a proper time and place explain to all your friends why alcohol disagrees with you.

... why all this concern for everyone in ... BB The Family Afterward, p.128

If he means to right his past wrongs, why all this concern for everyone in the world but his family?

Why all this insistence that every A.A. ... 12&12 Step One, p.24

Why all this insistence that every A.A. must hit bottom first?

... "Why can't 'God as we understand Him' ... 12&12 Step Five, p.59

We said, "Why can't 'God as we understand Him' tell us where we are astray?

10.

... Why can't he?" BB There Is A Solution, p.20

How many times people have said to us: "I can take it or leave it alone. Why can't he?"

11.

Why can't he stay on the water ... BB There Is A Solution, p.22

Why can't he stay on the water wagon?

12.

... "Why can't we take a specific and ... 12&12 Step Eleven, p.103

Of course, it is reasonable and understandable that the question is often asked: "Why can't we take a specific and troubling dilemma straight to God, and in prayer secure from Him sure and definite answers to our requests?"

13.

Why could they not see that drink ... BB To Wives, p.107

Why could they not see that drink meant ruin to them?

14.

Why did A.A. finally drop all its ... 12&12 Tradition Three, p.141

Why did A.A. finally drop all its membership regulations?

15.

Why did we dare to say, contrary ... 12&12 Tradition Three, p.141

Why did we dare to say, contrary to the experience of society and government everywhere, that we would neither punish nor deprive any A.A. of membership, that we must never compel anyone to pay anything, believe anything, or conform to anything?

16.

Why did we leave it to each ... 12&12 Tradition Three, p.141

Why did we leave it to each newcomer to decide himself whether he was an alcoholic and whether he should join us?

17.

... why do I lack the ability to ... 12&12 Step Four, p.52

Or, if my disturbance was seemingly caused by the behavior of others, why do I lack the ability to accept conditions I cannot change?

18.

Why do we have to think of ... 12&12 Step Eight, p.79

Why do we have to think of these people at all?

19.

Why do we need to bring anyone ... 12&12 Step Five, p.59

Why do we need to bring anyone else into this?"

20.

Why does he? BB More About Alcoholism, p.35

Why does he?

21.

Why does he behave like this? BB There Is A Solution, p.22

Why does he behave like this?

22.

Why don't we make our admissions to ... 12&12 Step Five, p.59

Why don't we make our admissions to Him directly?

23.

... "Why don't you choose your own conception ... BB Bill's Story, p.12

He said, "Why don't you choose your own conception of God?"

24.

"Why don't you drink like a gentleman ... BB There Is A Solution, p.20

"Why don't you drink like a gentleman or quit?"

25.

... why don't you have a go at ... 12&12 Tradition Five, p.152

But working with him may do something for you, so why don't you have a go at it?'

26.

... why don't you move your work in ... 12&12 Tradition Two, p.136

So why don't you move your work in here?

27.

"Why don't you try beer and wine?" BB There Is A Solution, p.20

"Why don't you try beer and wine?"

28.

Why don't you try some more controlled ... 12&12 Step One, p.23

Why don't you try some more controlled drinking, bearing in mind meanwhile what we have told you about alcoholism?"

29.

Why, he argued, should he lose the ... BB A Vision For You, p.155

Why, he argued, should he lose the remainder of his business, only to bring still more suffering to his family by foolishly admitting his plight to people from whom he made his livelihood?

30.

... why he could not recover. BB There Is A Solution, p.26

So he returned to this doctor, whom he admired, and asked him point-blank why he could not recover.

31.

... why he need not follow all of ... BB Working With Others, p.94

Your candidate may give reasons why he need not follow all of the program.

32.

... why he should believe in a Power ... BB We Agnostics, p.48

The reader may still ask why he should believe in a Power greater than himself.

33.

... why he started on that last bender, ... BB There Is A Solution, p.23

If you ask him why he started on that last bender, the chances are he will offer you any one of a hundred alibis.

34.

... why he took that first drink than ... BB There Is A Solution, p.23

And the truth, strange to say, is usually that he has no more idea why he took that first drink than you have.

35.

... why his own convictions have not worked ... BB Working With Others, p.93

But he will be curious to learn why his own convictions have not worked and why yours seem to work so well.

36.

... why, in the face of expert opinion ... BB There Is A Solution, p.20

Doubtless you are curious to discover how and why, in the face of expert opinion to the contrary, we have recovered from a hopeless condition of mind and body.

37.

... why is it he takes that one ... BB There Is A Solution, p.22

If hundreds of experiences have shown him that one drink means another debacle with all its attendant suffering and humiliation, why is it he takes that one drink?

38.

Why is it, they ask, that in ... 12&12 Foreword, p.16

Why is it, they ask, that in A.A. no member can be set in personal authority over another, that nothing like a central government can anywhere be seen?

39.

... why it is that all of us ... BB There Is A Solution, p.20

You may already have asked yourself why it is that all of us became so very ill from drinking.

40.

... why it should be to anyone else, ... BB To Employers, p.139

You cannot see why it should be to anyone else, save the spineless and stupid.

41.

Why lay ourselves open to being branded ... BB Into Action, p.77

Why lay ourselves open to being branded fanatics or religious bores?

42.

... why living was so unsatisfactory. BB We Agnostics, p.51

Leaving aside the drink question, they tell why living was so unsatisfactory.

43.

Why must every A.A. hit bottom? 12&12 Contents (Step One), p.5

Why must every A.A. hit bottom?

44.

... why not? BB To Employers, p.150

But why not?

45.

... why not? 12&12 Tradition Eight, p.171

If an A.A. member acting as a citizen can become a better researcher, educator, personnel officer, then why not?

46.

Why not at least afford him an ... BB To Employers, p.138

Why not at least afford him an opportunity to hear my story?

47.

Why not bring him into contact with ... BB To Employers, p.138

Why not bring him into contact with some of our alcoholic crowd?

48.

Why not I? BB Bill's Story, p.2

Why not I?

49.

... why not sit hopefully at a table, ... BB A Vision For You, p.154

Of course he couldn't drink, but why not sit hopefully at a table, a bottle of ginger ale before him?

50.

... why of it. BB How It Works, p.62

This is the how and why of it.

51.

... why, once a certain point is reached, ... BB There Is A Solution, p.22

We are not sure why, once a certain point is reached, little can be done for him.

52.

... why one should have faith. BB We Agnostics, p.51

When many hundreds of people are able to say that the consciousness of the Presence of God is today the most important fact of their lives, they present a powerful reason why one should have faith.

53.

... why should I bother?" 12&12 Tradition Seven, p.164

Relieved of responsibility, every alcoholic would shrug and say, "Oh, the Foundation is wealthy -- why should I bother?"

54.

Why should we be bothered with theological ... 12&12 Step Two, p.29

Why should we be bothered with theological abstractions and religious duties, or with the state of our souls here or hereafter?

55.

Why shouldn't I do as well as ... 12&12 Tradition Two, p.137

Why shouldn't I do as well as they?

56.

... why shouldn't their membership be publicized, thereby ... 12&12 Tradition Eleven, p.182

Provided they were willing -- and many were -- why shouldn't their membership be publicized, thereby encouraging others to join us?

57.

... why shouldn't we laugh? BB The Family Afterward, p.132

But why shouldn't we laugh?

58.

... why shouldn't we share our way of ... 12&12 Tradition Six, p.156

So why shouldn't we share our way of life with everyone?

59.

... why shouldn't we start out by forgiving ... 12&12 Step Eight, p.78

If we are now about to ask forgiveness for ourselves, why shouldn't we start out by forgiving them, one and all?

60.

Why sit with a long face in ... BB Working With Others, p.102

Why sit with a long face in places where there is drinking, sighing about the good old days.

61.

Why -- that is perfection!" 12&12 Step Six, p.68

Why -- that is perfection!"

62.

... why the alcoholic reacts differently from normal ... BB There Is A Solution, p.22

Opinions vary considerably as to why the alcoholic reacts differently from normal people.

63.

... why the first edition of the book ... 12&12 Step One, p.22

That is why the first edition of the book "Alcoholics Anonymous," published when our membership was small, dealt with low-bottom cases only.

64.

... why their love and devotion did not ... BB The Family Afterward, p.128

They may not see why their love and devotion did not straighten him out.

65.

... why then shouldn't we be able to ... 12&12 Step Six, p.64

Having been granted a perfect release from alcoholism, why then shouldn't we be able to achieve by the same means a perfect release from every other difficulty or defect?

66.

... why they commenced to drink again, they ... BB To Wives, p.107

Asked why they commenced to drink again, they would reply with some silly excuse, or none.

67.

... why they do it. BB There Is A Solution, p.23

But in their hearts they really do not know why they do it.

68.

... why they fell. BB Into Action, p.73

Having persevered with the rest of the program, they wondered why they fell.

69.

Why they should be subjected to the ... BB Doctor Bob's Nightmare, p.178

Why they should be subjected to the tortures we inflict upon them, I cannot explain.

70.

... why they were making heavy going of ... BB We Agnostics, pp.50-51

Once confused and baffled by the seeming futility of existence, they show the underlying reasons why they were making heavy going of life.

71.

... why this private room? BB A Vision For You, p.157

"Who are you fellows, and why this private room?

72.

Why this ready acceptance? BB We Agnostics, p.48

Why this ready acceptance?

73.

Why was it, when these dangers were ... BB To Wives, p.107

Why was it, when these dangers were pointed out that they agreed, and then got drunk again immediately?

74.

Why was this? BB There Is A Solution, p.26

Why was this?

75.

... why waste time with him? BB To Employers, p.142

If not, why waste time with him?

76.

... why we are anxious that you understand, ... BB To Wives, p.121

That is why we are anxious that you understand, and that you avoid these unnecessary difficulties.(*)

77.

Why, we cried, shouldn't bygones be bygones? 12&12 Step Eight, p.79

Why, we cried, shouldn't bygones be bygones?

78.

... why we had them. BB How It Works, p.68

We asked ourselves why we had them.

79.

... why we have to do it. BB Into Action, p.75

We explain to our partner what we are about to do and why we have to do it.

80.

Why we must keep trying. 12&12 Contents (Step Six), p.7

Why we must keep trying.

81.

... why we say our former thinking was ... BB We Agnostics, p.53

Hence we are at pains to tell why we think our present faith is reasonable, why we think it more sane and logical to believe than not to believe, why we say our former thinking was soft and mushy when we threw up our hands in doubt and said, "We don't know."

82.

... why we should do so. BB Into Action, p.72

We will be more reconciled to discussing ourselves with another person when we see good reasons why we should do so.

83.

... why we shouldn't apply to our human ... BB We Agnostics, p.52

We had to ask ourselves why we shouldn't apply to our human problems this same readiness to change our point of view.

84.

... why we think it more sane and ... BB We Agnostics, p.53

85.

... why we think our present faith is ... BB We Agnostics, p.53

86.

Why, we thought, our Society of Alcoholics ... 12&12 Tradition Six, p.156

Why, we thought, our Society of Alcoholics Anonymous might prove to be the spearhead of a new spiritual advance!

87.

... why we thought we deserved a pile ... 12&12 Tradition Seven, p.160

When you add to this the habitual supposition that people ought to give money to alcoholics trying to stay sober, it can be understood why we thought we deserved a pile of folding money.

88.

... why we were angry. BB How It Works, p.64

We asked ourselves why we were angry.

89.

... why would we consume such great amounts ... 12&12 Step Six, p.67

Else why would we consume such great amounts of time wishing for what we have not, rather than working for it, or angrily looking for attributes we shall never have, instead of adjusting to the fact, and accepting it?

90.

... why wouldn't he be ideal? 12&12 Tradition Six, p.157

If they could find a good public relations man in our ranks, why wouldn't he be ideal?

91.

... why you are now endeavoring to be ... BB Working With Others, p.94

Outline the program of action, explaining how you made a self-appraisal, how you straightened out your past and why you are now endeavoring to be helpful to him.

92.

... why you should neglect his family. BB Working With Others, p.97

Though an alcoholic does not respond, there is no reason why you should neglect his family.

93.

... why you should starve meanwhile. 12&12 Tradition Two, p.136

Some day this bunch of ex-drunks of yours will fill Madison Square Garden, and I don't see why you should starve meanwhile.

94.

... why yours seem to work so well. BB Working With Others, p.93

But he will be curious to learn why his own convictions have not worked and why yours seem to work so well.

The 164 and More™ Book, eBook, and Web Site are all CONCORDANCES which display passages from the Big Book Alcoholics Anonymous, the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, and the A.A. Grapevine (A.A. Preamble only). Sorting and rendering passages in the proprietary format of the 164 and More concordance does not in any way imply affiliation with or endorsement by either Alcoholics Anonymous World Services Inc., or the A.A. Grapevine, Inc. Further A.A.W.S. Inc. and the A.A. Grapevine Inc. have no objection to the use of this material in the 164 and More concordance.

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