AOA, BOA, COA

Is there a need for an AOA, BOA, COA programs? That would be Atheist, Buddhist, Christian OA programs. As an essential atheist, dabbling in stoicism and buddhism, having been raised in a christian do as I say family, all this god stuff is a bit trying at times. It would be much easier to support a group that recognised that god is a concept, and as such, sort of exists, at least in the mind of the believers, yet has no corporeal existence. Existence may not be the proper word for this property, but it is the only one I have.

Consider time, it exist only in the present. The past and future do not exist, they did exist and likely will exist, but what word is there for future existence, or past existence, for a concept? On even to understand that existence is only in the Now?

As the objective of Christianity, Buddhism, and Stoicism as well as OA are to all foster personality change through changes in our beliefs and values, as is psychology. Philosophy, on the other had, actually looks at those individual beliefs, and allow us to shine the light on the belief, and pick what is more right for our needs. We then can adopt that which we think is best for us, at this time, and place.

The personality is malleable. Well, who would have though that? Logic and reason provide the basis of change. What we change into is the question. Living according to Nature is a nice statement, but not helpful, as nature either allows or permits anything we can do. Each religion provides a set of rules to believe in, but how is one to choose? It come do to "I think therefore I am." But what do I know?            

But, But...

http://www.laurassoapbox.net/2013/02/this-is-not-rumplestiltskin.html

But there is a different solution to all this. Move our thinking from emotional to rational, and thereby move from being influenced by others to sorting the signal from the noise, and, people, there is a lot of noise. Mostly noise, very little signal.

The concept of division of labour and social contract have allowed those of us who think, learn, and have desire to do so, to spend our lives in pursuit of knowledge and the use of knowledge. We are in the information age, but so much of the "information" is just noise, we need to be able to sort quickly, but that is a subject for another day.

Pursuit of reason, knowledge, and the like is the highest human purpose. Along with that is spreading bits of the knowledge to others, as they need it or want it. But reasoning is a skill that can be taught, and can displace emotion based thinking. Recovery includes displacement of emotion based thinking, or non thinking, impulse or instinct reactions.

Reasoning can provide a end to the problem for some of the people, some of the time. Stoicism provides the method of migrating from a emotion based personality toward a reason or logic based personality, for those who chose to undertake the like. This leaves the emotional issues behind.

Ellis 3 points

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rational_emotive_behavior_therapy

For newcomers

http://itsthewooo.blogspot.ca/2013/02/why-people-reject-ketogenic-diets-even.html

and read Fat Chance for more food information.

Why am I eating?

Why am I eating? What drives me to food?

• Hunger
• Cravings
• Stress... indecision... contemplation
• Boredom... indecision... contemplation
• Resentment... anger . . . not so much
• Relationships . social ...
• Social... change.... No, it is environment, it is those yetties, sugar pushing foodies... And temptation.

But I can let go of all these feelings now with Stoic, and try the low carb paleo and shanga la diet to get those last 10 kg off again.