Honesty in the Big Book

That was the last honest manual labor on my part for many a day.

I honestly doubted whether, on balance, the religions of mankind had done any good.

Belief in the power of God, plus enough willingness, honesty and humility

That the man who is making the approach has had the same difficulty, that he obviously knows what he is talking about, that his whole deportment shouts at the new prospect that he is a man with a real answer, that he has no attitude of Holier Than Thou, nothing whatever except the sincere desire to be helpful; that there are no fees to pay, no axes to grind, no people to please, no lectures to be endured—these are the condi­

He is often perfectly sensible and well balanced concerning everything except liquor, but in that respect he is incredibly dishonest and selfish.

Once in a while he may tell the truth.

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

The tragic truth is that if the man be a real alcoholic, the happy day may not arrive.

we did because we honestly wanted to, and were willing to make the effort.

He begged the doctor to tell him the whole truth, and he got it.

If what we have learned and felt and seen means anything at all, it means that all of us, whatever our race, creed, or color are the children of a living Creator with whom we may form a relationship upon simple and understandable terms as soon as we are willing and honest enough to try.

It will not take long for you to decide, if you are honest with yourself about it.

We have seen the truth demonstrated again and again: “Once an alcoholic, always an alcoholic.’’ Commencing to drink after a period of sobriety, we are in a short time as bad as ever.

Next day we would ask ourselves, in all earnestness and sincerity, how it could have happened.

If, when you honestly want to, you find you cannot quit entirely, or if when drinking, you have little control over the amount you take, you are probably alcoholic.

We have shared his honest doubt and prejudice.

Do not let any prejudice you may have against spiritual terms deter you from honestly asking yourself what they mean to you.

If our testimony helps sweep away prejudice, enables you to think honestly, encourages you to search diligently within yourself, then, if you wish, you can join us on the Broad Highway.

But He has come to all who have honestly sought Him.

Those who do not recover are people who cannot or will not completely give themselves to this simple program, usually men and women who are constitutionally incapable of being honest with themselves.

They are naturally incapable of grasping and developing a manner of living which demands rigorous honesty.

There are those, too, who suffer from grave emotional and mental disorders, but many of them do recover if they have the capacity to be honest.

On the other hand, he may be mean, egotistical, selfish and dishonest.

When we sincerely took such a position, all sorts of remarkable things followed.

This was only a beginning, though if honestly and humbly made, an effect, sometimes a very great one, was felt at once.

It is an effort to discover the truth about the stock-intrade.

We took stock honestly.

Nothing counted but thoroughness and honesty.

Where had we been selfish, dishonest, self-seeking and frightened?

We admitted our wrongs honestly and were willing to set these matters straight.

Where had we been selfish, dishonest, or inconsiderate?

If we are sorry for what we have done, and have the honest desire to let God take us to better things, we believe we will be forgiven and will have learned our lesson.

That being so you have swallowed and digested some big chunks of truth about yourself.

But they had not learned enough of humility, fearlessness and honesty, in the sense we find it necessary, until they told someone else all their life story.

We have seldom told them the whole truth nor have we followed their advice.

Unwilling to be honest with these sympathetic men, we were honest with no one else.

We must be entirely honest with somebody if we

But our man is sure to be impressed with a sincere desire to set right the wrong.

If our manner is calm, frank, and open, we will be gratified with the result.

We don’t worry about them if we can honestly say to ourselves that we would right them if we could.

Some people cannot be seen—we send them an honest letter.

Continue to watch for selfishness, dishonesty, resentment, and fear.

Were we resentful, selfish, dishonest or afraid?

Before we begin, we ask God to direct our thinking, especially asking that it be divorced from self-pity, dishonest or self-seeking motives.

He may be an example of the truth that faith alone is insufficient.

If he is sincerely interested and wants to see you again, ask him to read this book in the interval.

Some of us have taken very hard knocks to learn this truth: Job or no job—wife or no wife—we simply do not stop drinking so long as we place dependence upon other people ahead of dependence on God.

We have told small tots that father was sick, which was much nearer the truth than we realized.

We wives found that, like everybody else, we were afflicted with pride, self-pity, vanity and all the things which go to make up the self-centered person; and we were not above selfishness or dishonesty.

The faith and sincerity of both you and your husband will be put to the test.

We do not mean that you have to agree with your husband whenever there is an honest difference of opinion.

When drinking, or getting over a bout, an alcoholic, sometimes the model of honesty when

This is not to say that all alcoholics are honest and upright when not drinking.

Whether your employee likes it or not, he will learn the grim truth about alcoholism.

We hope the doctor will tell the patient the truth about his condition, whatever that happens to be.

In fact, he may say almost anything if he has accepted our solution which, as you know, demands rigorous honesty.

For he knows he must be honest if he would live at all.

We, who have collectively seen a great deal of business life, at least from the alcoholic angle, had to smile at this gentleman’s sincere opinion.