Customer Reviews

Impossible Joy--The Good News for Lust and Sex Addicts and Other Sinners

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Having recently finished reading Impossible Joy, I feel compelled to respond to some of the statements made in the previous review.

First, Ron's premise that we addicts are "sinners" is completely consistent with the 12 step movement. Our illness compels us to perpetrate moral crimes. The fact that it is truly an illness explains why we can't stop on our own, but does not absolve us of the responsibility for, or consequence of our "sins". Ron's analysis of scripture clearly articulates how Jesus, the true "higher power," not only saved us from the ultimate consequence of our sins, but can also provide ongoing victory over all of our temptations, one temptation at a time.

The previous reviewer's assertion that the original 12 steps formulated by Alcoholics Anonymous doesn't have Jesus in it, is laughable. Bill Wilson based the steps on the spiritual principles of the Oxford Group, a nondenominational Christian movement founded by Frank Buchman, a Lutheran minister. It is true that Bill and Dr. Bob removed references to Christ, sin, the Holy Spirit, etc, from the 12 steps in order not to alienate alcoholics of other faiths, or no faith, because AA's primary goal was sobriety, not salvation. However, the Road of Happy Destiny, mapped out in these steps, leads directly to our savior. In Impossible Joy, Ron describes how Jesus, walking with us, can bear our temptations and help us live - not free from temptation, but free from the obsession of our particular weakness and the compulsion to act on our temptation.

Certainly people who reject God's laws and his son are forced to reject this book. Recovery from addiction requires admission of our powerlessness to do right, repentance, and absolute surrender to God (Steps 1 - 3). Impossible Joy is advanced recovery, a valuable resource for us addicts who want to move beyond sobriety to true recovery.

In fairness, since this book forces us to look at our powerlessness and our desperate need for God, it will not appeal to those who can't face the truth. In fact, it could cause them to resort to politically-correct-sounding attacks and name calling.

"No God, no peace. Know God, know peace."

Hi, my name is Brian. I am a grateful recovering sexaholic. I am so unspeakable grateful for what I am reading in this book, that words fail me. Despite having been involved in 12-Step of several years, having worked the Steps diligently, I knew I was missing something. There was, for some reason, still a spiritual misconnection. Now, through this book, I am learning why. More importantly, I am discovering the Complete Solution. Thank you SO MUCH Ron, for having the courage to write this book, and the perseverance to get it published.

Hi, my name is Brian. I am a grateful recovering sexaholic. I am so unspeakable grateful for what I am reading in this book, that words fail me. Despite having been involved in 12-Step of several years, having worked the Steps diligently, I knew I was missing something. There was, for some reason, still a spiritual misconnection. Now, through this book, I am learning why. More importantly, I am discovering the Complete Solution. Thank you SO MUCH Ron, for having the courage to write this book, and the perseverance to get it published.

There really are not adequate words to describe this book. I am a recovering Sexaholic and have been active in 12-Step fellowships, and this book has brought me to a new level of recovery. It has helped to point me to a new level of connection with my Savior, and has given me real hope for a life of joy. I could continue to gush for paragraphs, but I won't. Get the book, read it and learn for yourself. It is ADVANCED recovery, for an ADVANCED form of addiction, sexaholism. I know guys who have been able to maintain 15+ years of sobriety from alcohol who can't maintain a year of sobriety from lust because they can't, or won't apply this book to their lives. The solution to addiction, "slavery to sin," is simple in its description, a mere 270 some odd pages. It is however not simple to do, it takes diligence and the help of someone greater than yourself, a Savior. Until you find God, the real God, there is no hope for salvation from your powerlessness over the disease that will ultimately kill you, SIN.

I searched for help from religion, even Christianity, but Religion couldn't save me. I tried to do it on my own, I couldn't save me. I tried to get help from others, others couldn't save me. Only God, as described in this book, only Jesus could save me. This has been my experience, and whatever you believe, you can't disprove my experience, nor can you disprove the experience of Ron J.. He lays out not some theoretical formula for recovery, but rather what was "forced on him by the crucible" of his recovery. Whatever you believe, this works, and it works completely. Those who attempt to make 12-Step programs some secular attempt at hope consider this, some goverment agencies won't refer to 12-steps because they consider it a breech of seperation between church and state. And, Yes, the original name of AA was going to be "The James Gang," based on the book of James in the Bible, "The Big Big Book," but they wanted people to discover God from experience, not preaching. Discover him, I have, and you can too, and the saving power of his life, death, and resurection. Read with an open mind, try it and see if it doesn't work for you too.

If anyone is seriously desiring sobriety in any 12 Step program and isn't making significant progress, then this heartfelt book is a must read. The challenging aspects of life are brought into focus by asking the tough questions. IS GOD really in your life or are you purely religious?? Religon doesn't work for the recovery that I long for and facing the question about GOD in my daily life is the only answer. That means I can't call upon him just in my morning and evening prayer time, but have God as a prsence in every moment.

For those who don't know, Ron J is a pseudonym for the actual author, Roy K. He is the founder of Sexaholics Anonymous (SA), a 12-step program of recovery for people addicted to lust. Roy wrote this book in 1999 when he had 23 years of SA sobriety. The book is heavily oriented for Christians/Catholics and is not really appropriate for the generic, 12-step, "God as we understand Him" crowd.

Where do you turn when addiction causes your life to spiral out of control; when misconnections impair healthy connections; when self-gratification leads to dehumanizing other people? Don't look for psychological theories, cultural excuses, or self-focused victimhood. Ron J's uncompromising answer only makes sense for those who acknowledge Christ: "If you are a believer, have you invited Christ into your temptation and why not?"

That being said, the book begs for a rewrite. This is the only non-technical work I've ever purchased that comes with an insert--a chapter so altered that the author/publisher felt it necessary to include a revision. "Impossible Joy" begins as a Christ-centered challenge to all addicts to bring God into the middle of their addiction--redemptively. It ends with an analytical affirmation of twelve-step recovery. Somewhere along the way it changes its emphasis and diffuses its focus. That may be a flaw, but it doesn't negate the book's value. Buy it. Read it. And let it challenge you.

I heard about this devotional through some friends and would really like to purchase this book. Unfortunately, I am having a very difficult time understanding why this book is $250+. Are the pages printed with 24k gold ink? Are there expensive secrets within that will cure my sex addiction? Please help me understand or price this book in a way so that more guys like me can benefit from it!

Ron starts with the premise that sex addicts are "sinners". Sinners are generally defined as "wrong-doers". The 12 step movement in general is responsible for the now common view that addicts (of any type) are people with an illness rather than perpetrators of moral crimes.

The Impossible Joy takes a step backwards by talking about sinners. Ron also confuses religious spirituality with the spirituality of the 12 steps. Jesus isn't in the original 12 steps formulated by Alcoholics Anonymous and with good reason - it alienates people from other faiths.

The book is also essentially homophobic and bigotted, viewing homosexuality not as a valid sexuality but rather as a form of sexual addiction that can be cured.

This book will appeal to people in the bible belt with small minds, extreme right wing religious views, low intellect and high levels of emotional insecurity.