Alcoholics Anonymous and Christianity: Alas, like a few anti-AA Chritians who are peppering the internet with erroneous information about Alcoholics Anonymous and Christianity, the writer illustrates a lack of homework on some vital aspects of Alcoholics Annoymous. Worse, that writer fails to cite a single source for his contentions. So let’s look at a few of the typical gaps in his presentation: (1) The first three AAs were believers in God, born again Christians, and students of the Bible. They got well before there were any Steps, Traditions, Big Books, personal stories, or meetings. (2) The two co-founders were born and raised Christians in their respective families, their respective Congregational churches, the relevant creeds and confessions, and frequent Bible study. (3) Knowledgeable researchers would take the time to look into the Congregationally founded and administered Academies and seminaries attended by Bill W. and Dr. Bob. (4) If they did this, they would discover that each academy had required Bible study, daily chapel–with reading of Scripture, sermons, prayers, and hymns. Each academy had vigorous Young Men’s Christian Association activity–Bill W. was president of the YMCA at Burr and Burton Seminary in Manchester, Vermont; and Dr. Bob’s father (Judge Walter Smith) was president of the Young Men’s Christian Associat ion in St. Johnsbury, Vermont. And now it’s time to pause and see the factual sources overlooked by the priest: (a) Dick B. and Ken B., “Dr. Bob of Alcoholics Anonymous: His Excellent Training in the Good Book as a Youngster in Vermont.” (b) Dick B.,, “The Conversion of Bill W.: More on the Creator’s Role in Early A.A..” (c) Dick B. and Ken B., “Stick with the Winners!: http://mcaf.ee/s50mq. (d) “Pioneer Stories in Alcoholics Anonymous” http://mcaf.ee/gj7iw. (e) Dick B., “Anne Smith’s Journal 1933-1939″ http://www.dickb.com/annesm.shtml. (5) The early A.A. program made no mention of the odious term “higher power.” See the facts on DR . BOB and the Good Oldtmers, page 131. (6) Every participant in ealy A.A. was required to profess a belief in God–not “a” god, not a nonsense god, not an higher power. God–Creator, Maker, Father, Heavenly Father, and Father of Lights. (7) Every early A.A. was required to follow the precepts of Romans 10:9 and accept Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. Dick B., “The Golden Text of Early A.A.” http://www.dickb.com/titles.shtml. (8) Almost every observer of early Alcoholics Anonymous commented to the effect that it was “First Century Christianity” in action–following the daily principles and practices laid down in the Book of Acts–daily fellowship together, daily prayers together, daily hearing of the Word of God together, daily breaking of bread together, daily meetings in the homes or temple, daily witnessing and conversion, and frequent healings–doing the same things that Jesus did and said they would be able to do. (8) Dr. Bob specifically described early A.A. as a “Christian Fellowship.” And there is much much more, the writer above failed to mention, to cite, or even to report–correctly or otherwise. Today, there is a vast and growing International Christian Recovery Coalition whose participants seek to find and report and disseminate the role that God, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Bible played in recovery and can play today. See http://www.ChristianRecoveryCoalition.com. The participants in this coalition can now be found listed in all 50 states and many other countries. There is much more about the early A.A. Christian Felllowship program. And readers should be pointed to those facts before being exposed to Bill Wilson’s “new version of the program, the Twelve Steps” which was not published until April 1939 and was altered to mollify atheists and agnostics. Today there are tens and tens of thousands of Christians in A.A., in Twelve Step programs, in Christian counseling and Christian Fellowhips. For an example of the roots, see Dick B., “The Good Book and The Big Book: A.A.’s Roots in the Bible” http://www.dickb.com/goodbook.shtml; and “The Akron Genesis of Alcoholics Anonymous” http://www.dickb.com/Akron.shtml. As for the self-made religion, absurd names for “a” god, half-baked prayers, new thought “spirituality” that are competing in the rooms and confusion Christian newcomers, it is not surprising to learn what the Adversary’s role is and has been for centuries. See James 4:7, See the titles by the Rev. Dr. Samuel M. Shoemaker, Jr., listed in detail in Dick B., “New Light on Alcoholism: God, Sam Shoemaker, and A.A.” http://www.dickb.com/newlight.shtml.
Readers are welcome to visit my main website http://www.dickb.com or contact me at dickb@dickb.com for further factual materials.
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