Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Christians in A.A. and the Varieties of Beliefs and Unbelief - Let's Take a Look

[This comment refers to an article by a  persistent critic of A.A. and Christians who participate in it]

The article ignores the extensive record of Christians in A.A.--tens of thousands of them; the Christian organizations like YMCA, Salvation Army, evangelists like Moody and Meyer, Gospel Rescue Missions, and Christian Endeavor Society that were not pre-occupied with being AGAINST liquor and helping the derelicts and drunks, but FOR healing the alcoholic by the power of God. Any reputable discussion does not ignore these long documented and much discussed facts. See Dick B., When Early AAs Were Cured and Why. Moreover the continuing staccato snippets like those in this article ignore the intensive Christian upbringing in Congregational churches and academies, as well as the YMCA and Christian Endeavor, that were part  of the lives of A.A. Co-founders in their youth in Vermont.. Finally, it ws not until Bill Wilson sat down with three others (one a secretary) in 1939, just before the A.A. Big Book went to press, and introduced the idea that those who were atheists and agnostics might find something of use in A.A. But the dozens of continued references in t he Big Book to God, Creator, Maker, Heavenly Father, Father of Light, etc. demonstrate the continued influence of the Bible on every facet of early A.A. Contrast this with the fact that belief in God and coming to Him through Jesus Christ was a  requisite for membership in the A.A. Christian Fellowship founded in Akron in 1935. See The Dick B. Christian Recovery Guide, 4th ed, 2012. And perhaps it these facts are repeated and repeated and repeated, some of the "higher power" "new thought" "protestant liberalism" jargon will be seen for what it is--of no interest to the tens of thousands of believing and practicing Christians who are learning real A.A. history and forming hundreds of Christian Recovery Fellowships and programs in all   50 states and in other countries where a return to and practical application of the First Century Christianity principles and practices of early AAs are allowed out of the shadows by critics and unbelievers, and seen as the new great wind of present-day Christian Recovery Movement leaders, workers, newcomers, and concerned public. Today, the Christian Recovery Movement is on the move; and it certainly is not limited to Christians in NA, A.A., Al-Anon, Overcomers Outreach, Alcoholics for Christ, Alcoholics Victorious, Celebrate Recovery, Teen Challenge, and YWAM - to mention a few.

No comments:

Post a Comment