Continuing Series: Support for Old School A.A. in Present-Day A.A.

 

Part One: Four Powerful Reasons for Re-examining and Applying Old School A.A. Ideas Today

1.         So you can recover immediately—like the first three AAs did

2.         To prevent relapse—based on a standard of permanent abstinence, rather than accepting or excusing revolving-door recidivism approaches

3.         To guide speakers and sponsors—and instruct newcomers on the foregoing

4.         To enhance recovery itself—through belief in the Creator and His healing and forgiving power, fellowship with like-minded believers, avoiding temptation, effectively praying, receiving God’s guidance, and claiming real healing and cure of alcoholism.

Part Two: Four Major Barriers to Present-day Recovery Potential

1.         The “Higher Power” craze [“the fool hath said there is no god”; just select some nonsense god (See Psa 115) Use absurd names and call “it” a “higher power.” And return to emphasis on human help, treatment, and “therapeutic” approaches.

2.         Stopping short of turning to and relying upon God—the “power source” named as our “Heavenly Father” in Big Book page 181, and “the Lord” in Big Book page 191.

3.         The failure to know God and grow in knowledge of Him and denying the necessity for seeking and relying on God—See Hebrews 11:6.

4.         The day-in day-out swallowing of myths:

a.         Belief not required—But see Heb. 11:6.

b.         Declaring A.A. is “Spiritual, but not religious”—a meaningless detour.

c.         Saying Relapse is okay—a growing excuse for failing programs.

d.         Choosing your own conception of some unknown “power”—But see Psa 115.

e.         Denying that A.A. was ever Bible-based or Christian, and naming multiple irrelevant and unproven “sources” for its variety of phases and ideas—Buddhism, Roman Catholicism, Oxford Group, Emmet Fox, New Age, spiritualism, Free-Masonry, and the lack of importance of sin and the devil as causative factors.