"either" in the Big Book

Show any longshoreman a Sunday supplement describing a proposal to explore the moon by means of a rocket and he will say, “I bet they do it—maybe not so long either.’’ Is not our age characterized by the ease with which we discard old ideas for new, by the complete readiness with which we throw away the theory or gadget which does not work for something new which does?

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.’’ When we became alcoholics, crushed by a selfimposed crisis we could not postpone or evade, we had to fearlessly face the proposition that either God is everything or else He is nothing.

God either is, or He isn’t.

It would have been impressive heroics if he had walked up to the Judge and said, “Here I am.’’ We thought he ought to be willing to do that if necessary, but if he were in jail he could provide nothing for either family.

Next time you and he have a heated discussion, no matter what the subject, it should be the privilege of either to smile and say, “This is getting serious.

God has either removed your husband’s liquor problem or He has not.

He may either plunge into a frantic attempt to get on his feet in business, or

In either case certain family problems will arise.

“Oh no,” said my friend, “this chap is either through with liquor, or he is minus a job.

Either you are dealing with a man who can and will get well or you are not.

Some day he will be unable to imagine life either with alcohol or without it.