Are Clancy I's Seven Questions part of doing a 4th Step Sexual Inventory in AA? - "Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves."
Here are the Seven Questions:
1. In looking back over your life – what memories are still painful, guilty, dirty?
2. In what ways do you consider yourself an inadequate person?
3. Who do you resent – and why? Be specific.
4. What do you conceive to be your defects of character – as you see them today?
5. What is the nature of the ongoing problems you have with people close to you – in human relations – what seems to always happen when you have these things that blow up?
6. In what way do you believe that A.A. can help you with any of these problems?
7. In what way do you believe that A.A. can begin to change things?
I never give the newcomer the questions without also setting a time for them to complete their writing. Normally, I’ll give them the questions and expect them to be finished with their writing by the next day, and I’ll have them call me so that we can get together and discuss their answers and apply the solution to their problems.
If the newcomer procrastinates and doesn’t meet the deadline for the questions I usually consider that they are not yet serious enough to approach their problem and I move on to help someone else.
I pass them on to you with the hope that they will help you in helping others as much as they have helped me.
~ Dallas B.
P.S. Thank you Clancy for all of your help, and for the structure, responsible behavior and discipline that you've taught me, and for all that you do for Alcoholics Anonymous! My life would not be so good without you!
- JR Harris's blog
- Log in or register to post comments
Comments
BB Kate
Sun, 05/20/2012 - 21:03
Permalink
gurus
i think part of the problem is the "gurus" who make up their own stuff and teach it to sponsees as if it were AA. The big book does not ask anyone to write down answers to questions or do tasks for homework. Do they think the Big Book is insufficient on its own?
Ripping the Big Book a new one, One Day at a Time
BB Kate
Sun, 05/20/2012 - 21:05
Permalink
oh, and the intent was that
oh, and the intent was that they be used in the 4th step for resentment, fear and sexual inventories.
Ripping the Big Book a new one, One Day at a Time
massive
Sun, 05/20/2012 - 21:08
Permalink
Clancy thinks he is a guru
Clancy thinks he is a guru and I was shocked a few years back when I went there and saw him in action when a friend of mine took a cake.
I hate him. He is a sick sick man.
Massive
Jesus-is-Fraud
Mon, 05/21/2012 - 01:16
Permalink
Guru means "teacher".
It's Italian.
justme
Sun, 05/20/2012 - 21:43
Permalink
wow ... what questions
I wrote a silly poem in reply to the questions but decided to remove it because the writing was terrible. (No delete button, sorry)
avogadno
Sun, 05/20/2012 - 23:43
Permalink
How many steppers has Clancy
How many steppers has Clancy been exposed to directly and indirectly? Meaning, those that followed his instructions and answered those questions about themselves. He has gotten into the mind of thousands of people. And many of them sponsored others along the same lines. It gives me the freak-outs
Pro Empowerment!
Truth about AA: http://orange-papers.org/menu1.html
Expose AA: http://www.expaa.org/
Clara
Mon, 05/21/2012 - 08:10
Permalink
Are those questions in an of
Are those questions in an of themselves necessarily bad? I had things in my life that I felt bad and dirty about that had nothing to do with sex. What did I expect of AA is an excellent question because people somehow think it is the cure all when it isn't. Clancy's questions are famous in AA. I think every sponsor should be asking them, if not for some level of discussion but for personal introspection.
Remember Christopher Stevens when you vote.
Clara
Mon, 05/21/2012 - 08:12
Permalink
.
.
Remember Christopher Stevens when you vote.
JR Harris
Mon, 05/21/2012 - 08:18
Permalink
Explain how you can answer them without a sexual inventory
You can't, they are mutually inclusive and can not be separated the way the questions are asked. Anyone that tries to say they can answer them without listing their actions with "significant others" (aka sexual inventory) is in deep denial. The usual "take what you want and leave the rest" and/or "these are only suggestions" ploy of dodging the question does not apply here.
"Tradition 10 - Alcoholics Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the AA name ought never be drawn into public controversy." Please follow orders from the Interchurch Center if you are an AA member and don't comment.
becket
Mon, 05/21/2012 - 14:43
Permalink
" The usual "take what you
" The usual "take what you want and leave the rest" and/or "these are only suggestions" ploy of dodging the question does not apply here."
It most certainly does apply here. Anyone can bag AA at any time. If one thinks the inventory is too personal they are free to seeks assistance elsewhere. If one is in treatment where a fourth and fifth step are required, and one feels the questions are too personal, one can implement any number of tactics to not participate. It's a matter of creativity. At that point the "patient" likely has no further interest in AA as a treatment or support system, so what is the point in continuing? I am guessing (and I know Ironic or someone else will set me on fire if this is wrong, but ~ ) that under lockdown it is unimaginable that anyone would be required to do a fourth and fifth. Wouldn't stabilization be more the order of the day than jumping ahead several steps?
“The essence of the independent mind lies not in what it thinks, but in how it thinks.”
― Christopher Hitchens, Letters to a Young Contrarian
Clara
Mon, 05/21/2012 - 08:12
Permalink
.
.
Remember Christopher Stevens when you vote.
Jesus-is-Fraud
Mon, 05/21/2012 - 01:18
Permalink
It's actually NOT that bad...
After all I taught Clancy everything he knows.
Where he fucks up is in not covering all the really healthy aspects of our relationships.
He was always insolent.