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The 12 Steps To Debt Salvation.
Taken from a seemingly serious American debtors anonymous website, a 12 step programme to debt salvation. The message is clear. Repent to God for your evil and insane ways and everything will by fine.
- We admitted we were powerless over debt, that our lives had become unmanageable.
- Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
- Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
- Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
- Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
- Be entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
- Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
- Made a list of all persons we had harmed and became willing to make amends to them all.
- Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
- Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.
- Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
- Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to compulsive debtors, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.
Only in America eh?
The above is take from debtorsanonymous.org
My local Priest was recently telling me of the debt problems he was facing due to falling revenue and the rising running costs of running the Parish. I guess he therefore is also insane and in need of direction to the path of righteousness.
On a more serious note, this type of attitude is totally out of touch with reality.
They idea of equation debt to sin insulting.
Very insulting.
And Incorrect.
In our experience of debt counseling over the past 7 years, it is clear that most peoples debt problems are not a result of recklessness (or sinfulness), but a change in personal circumstance beyond their control. Most often this is a loss of income or the breakup of a relationship.
There is nothing wrong with a little soul searching, but what most debtors want is forgiveness from their crediors. Any forgiveness from God comes as a bonus.
One Response to “The 12 Steps To Debt Salvation.”
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October 4th, 2007 at 2:35 pm
First of all I wanted to thank you for mentioning Debtors Anonymous. I have to agree with you, that there are many people who, while they have taken on debt, are not what we would term a compulsive debtor. I am glad that they have caring people, like yourself, who can help them. However, our experience makes it clear, that for some, much as with alcoholics, it is a progressive disease that requires treatment. Statistics in this county indicate that 48% of Americans spend 20% more than they earn every month. That is not a reversal of circumstances. That is a lifestyle choice. One which, in our experience can be helped by working our 12 step program. In our program some sometimes lose relationships, lose income and still don’t debt and in fact continue to live prosperous, joyful debt-free lives. Something else, we consider it part of making amends to take responsibilty for our actions and pay our debts. Something which we find creditors are very happy to hear. And, we do have a growing DA community in the UK.