Well said Simcha.

I am thoroughly convinced that life is NOT necessarily more enjoyable for someone who isn't jewish and can do whatever they want, etc.
For 1, look at how many jews who were secular leave it all behind and come to torah and mitzvos etc.
Both my parents are BT, and i heard over the years how nothing is as appealing as the truth. 

In the holy books it is said that all which is wrong is inherently dark, lifeless and devoid of life,  hence it must leech onto holiness and harvest that energy for its own designs. 
(As sometimes we experience that after particularly holy times (ie shabbas, learning) we can find ourselves in the midst of very difficult challenges) In the same vein, this is also why the jew can outdo his peers in perversion of mind and heart,  when that potent energy goes awry, it goes awry.

So in essence all of the lusting and passion and pleasure are twisted manifestations of holy energy stolen and expressed out of whack. 

Were one to throw away these sources of energy by living apart from torah and mitzvod,  there wouldnt be much supply of energy sustenance for our enjoyment of sin. 
It would quickly descend into empty and lifeless activities,  a frantic pursuit of an elusive thrill that once captivated us. 






(Man i had better snap back to reality, this post is a bit "out there".................................  need a morning coffee)

Great piece - good points and well written -
However, Hashem who is all knowing decided to create us Jewish with our own respective nature and environment(nurture)
Therefore -Any and all challenges we face is for our betterment.
Let's just take the cards that the Almighty dealt us and play the game as best we can. Overthinking here won't enable us to develop where we ultimately want to be.
 

Workingguy wrote on 19 May 2016 23:19:

Yeah, we'll see when you get the call,.......
"Sooooooooo mr working guy,  your last name is actually Rockefeller. ..., wanna come home? "
Working guy response 

"Noooooo!!!, chas vchalila, feh, and besides can't you see I'm gratteh in the middle of asher yotsar from a siddur, leave me alone!, oh no, i talked in the middle,  oh no,  oh no,  someone give me malkus, please, ok gotta go bye, thanks anyways for calling",  click

Yeahhhh, riiiiiiight

quiet wrote on 04 May 2016 21:07:

If numbers are so great a motivation, then why the need for so many restarts? It must not be working that well, no?

I think counting the days is very often the very worst way to stay clean. My sponsor helped me get over the whole counting-thing, and it worked for many clean years so far, one day at a time because (among other great things) it enabled me to start getting out of Hashem's way. And i mean exactly that: one day at a time. A concept little used by WOH people. They are picking the hard way, and it is is sad to see the suffering of my good friends here.

And the restarts.

As I have heard Rav Twerski admit, no one normal will be motivated to actually work these steps as simply and as honestly as they need to be worked in order for them to actually work. Without a broken addict's humble admissions of Unmanageability and of Powerlessness, there is no Program, no real personal need for G-d. 12 steps is not religion, of course, where one's 'need' for G-d is religious and mandated from Sinai. Recovery is a whole other ball game, b"H. That's why it works when you work it.