Secular and Agnostic AA Groups.

 

I've come across some long time AA members who claim to be agnostic or atheist.  I've also seen so called "Secular AA" or "Agnostic AA" group meetings advertised on the Intergroup website. I, being an AA literature enthusiast, had become interested in this phenomenon and like so much misinformation that tends to infiltrate the AA fellowship misunderstanding seems to have actually motivated some members who consider themselves atheist or agnostic to create a separate type of AA. Officially AA is just AA, there is no other type or kind of AA program or fellowship. I believe organizations using the AA name like "Secular AA" may be going against AA tradition and misusing the AA name in an effort to promote what they think to be some alternative to the original AA 12 step program. These groups are fringe and fortunately not numerous.

Regarding some things I've read about members, one individual had shared that "because AA says you have to believe in God I've needed to adjust the program to suit myself." I feel bad for this man. He's somehow never got the message that AA doesn't insist any members believe in God. Only an open mindedness or willingness is suggested in the AA book chapter "We Agnostics" This chapter was specifically written to help atheists and agnostics get passed their prejudices and be willing to "try God". 

No where in the AA 12 step program outlined in both the Big Book and the 12 and 12 does it say you have to believe in God. It never says you have to. All that is required to complete step 2 is to be open minded to a spiritual awakening and experience the presence of a Higher Power by doing the rest of the steps. This spiritual experience amounts to contact with or access to a Higher Power, Power Greater, Spirit of the Universe etc, personal to the individual. Simply put, a Power Greater of ones own understanding.

It is discouraging to me that "agnostic" or "secular" groups start up when they really don't need to. All they needed to do is actually study the Big Book Chapter "We Agnostics" and notice a couple of simple directions. I believe some jump to conclusions when they see the word God, keeping their minds shut and cling to prejudice. They conclude AA encourages a conventional idea of God. On careful study AA does not attempt to describe God. It is merely a term of convenience. In AA the word God is very open ended and it is up to the individual to experience their own idea of God through practicing spirituality.

This is from my blog post extracting the specific instructions found in the program portion of the Big Book (first 164pgs)

Step 2: Information/Directions: Chapters: "There is a Solution" (from page 25 on) and "We Agnostics" 

Direction 1: Pg 46: We found that as soon as we were able to lay aside prejudice and express even a willingness to believe in a Power greater than ourselves, we commenced to get results, even though it was impossible for any of us to fully define or comprehend that Power, which is God.

Direction 2 Page 47: We needed to ask ourselves but one short question.“Do I now believe, or am I even willing to believe,that there is a Power greater than myself?’’ 

  Nowhere does it say anyone has to believe. Even a willingness to believe is enough to do step 2. If someone isn't even willing to believe then that means they are remaining close minded to the possible existence of a Power Greater. To do step 2 it's important to be open minded.

At the beginning of the "How it Works" chapter there is what most AA big book enthusiasts consider a warning.

At some of these we balked. We thought we could find an easier, softer way. But we could not. With all the earnestness at our command, we beg of you to be fearless and thorough from the very start. Some of us have tried to hold on to our old ideas and the result was nil until we let go absolutely.

It seems most of the staunch agnostics and atheists that hang around the fellowship claiming long term sobriety have held on to their old ideas. The have not let go absolutely. They have simply not studied the AA Book and relied on themselves to comprehend it and made incorrect conclusions. 

 The AA fellowship is quite open so of course atheists and agnostics are allowed to and never discouraged from attending meetings according to AA tradition but I find it a sad fact that these people have not ever discovered the true AA 12 step program and insist on holding on to their misunderstanding. Some, at times, proudly announce themselves as atheists with long term sobriety. This is a form of disunity that, I fear, just muddies the true message of AA and can confuse people new to AA. Fortunately these fringe individuals are an exception and not the rule in in AA meetings. They are a scant few compared to the majority who except and practice the program as designed and laid out in the AA basic text books.

They appear to rely on themselves to try to understand the AA program and seem to rely on themselves to stay sober instead of surrendering to the simple program. Id be curious, since these secular or agnostic AA groups are around how much success they actually have in producing recovered alcoholics . How many actual members attend these fringe sects of AA and manage to achieve recovery from alcoholism.

The difference between being a sober member of AA and being recovered.

 

I've been recently engaged in an online discussion of alcoholism in an attempt to help new comers on a forum. This question was asked of me by a member of AA.

"When I say sober in AA, what does that mean to you? "

What it means to me is what it means in English. Twisting the English language and making up our own definitions of words makes communication difficult at best. If we are talking about a method of recovery from alcoholism then "what words mean to me" is dangerous. We are talking about saving peoples lives in AA.

 

We are using the English language so let's look at a definition.

 

SOBER: adjective

1. Not intoxicated or affected by the use of alcohol or drugs.
2. Abstaining from or habitually abstemious in the use of alcoholic drink or other intoxicants.
3. Straightforward and serious; not exaggerated, emotional, or silly.

 

Not drinking does not necessarily mean one is recovered from alcoholism. Being recovered from alcoholism is the great promise as described in the Big Book. So sober time in AA does not necessarily mean a person is recovered from alcoholism. Especially if that person is not a real alcoholic as described in The Doctors Opinion, There is a Solution and More about Alcoholism chapters in the Big Book.

 

It is a sad reality in the modern day AA fellowship. A good many people, some sober awhile in the fellowship have not taken some time to STUDY then two basic texts of AA society. The Big Book and Twelve and Twelve. They've been going to meetings for years and never studied even the first 164 pages of the Big Book. Why? Perhaps laziness? Resting on our laurels? Just going to meetings is easier?

 My group is a literature group. We make sure anybody new knows exactly what the AA program is as laid out in the literature. This is so they at least have the opportunity to know what's available and the promises of hope and recovery available if they are willing to do that work.

This is the great hope of AA.

RECOVER

• intransitive verb To regain the use of (a faculty) or be restored to (a normal or usual condition).
• intransitive verb To regain a normal or usual condition, as of health.
• intransitive verb To cause to be restored to a normal or usual condition.

 

Through doing the 12step program of AA I've regained my life and been restored to what most people would say is a normal existence. Nobody would guess I'm alcoholic if they looked at a day or week in my life. (except if they observed me going to meetings)

The "How it Works" reading and it's meaning explained.

From time to time there is confusion about the "How it Works" reading. May new AA's do not know where it comes from. My home group specifically makes sure everyone knows the reading is from the AA societies text book entitled Alcoholics Anonymous or more fondly referred to as "The Big Book".

 The start of Chapter 5 first paragraph reads:

Rarely have we seen a person fail who has thoroughly followed our path.

( Meaning simply that working ALL the steps will almost guarantee recovery from alcoholism)

Those who do not recover are people who cannot or will not completely give themselves to this simple program.

( This is a reiteration of the fact that half measures or more plainly NOT WORKING ALL THE STEPS will not bring about recovery from alcoholism ) 

 The steps are the program. The path they are referring is nothing more or less than the 12 step program of recovery.  It is written in plain English. 

The half measures sentence in the first part of the chapter "How it Works" refers to the ENTIRE 12 step program. 

Half measures availed us nothing. We stood at the turning point. We asked His protection and care with complete abandon. Here are the steps we took, which are suggested as a program of recovery:

 The steps are then listed. -- The 12 steps are the program

Can the Big Book and other AA literature be "interpreted"

 

My opinion is that the mistake of many uninformed AA's is to think that the Big Book and Twelve and Twelve can be "interpreted". Why would Bill W. write a book with the goal of saving peoples lives from alcoholism that would need interpretation? It's not written in code. It's written in English. There are many people in the fellowship of AA who never take time to actually study the book closely. I was one of those people at 7 years a dry drunk in AA.

 

Once carefully studied one finds the literature is not meant to be interpreted. It's meant as a precise guide concerning how to apply the practical 12 step program of action in ones life to recover from alcoholism. Once someone really studies the AA book and Twelve and Twelve with a qualified and reputable sponsor (or some very famous Big Book teachers like Joe and Charlie or Bob D and Scott L) they find that in several parts of the first 164 that it states just how "precise" Bill and the first 100 alcoholics have attempted to make the text. Here are a couple of excerpts.

 

Big Book Page 28/29:

In the following chapter, there appears an explanation of alcoholism, as we understand it, then a chapter addressed to the agnostic. Many who once were in this class are now among our members. Surprisingly enough, we find such convictions no great obstacle to a spiritual experience.

Further on, clear-cut directions are given showing how we recovered. These are followed by forty-three personal experiences.

 

Forward to the first edition:

We of Alcoholics Anonymous, are more than one hundred men and women who have re-
covered from a seemingly hopeless state of mind and body. To show other alcoholics precisely how we have recovered is the main purpose of this book.

 

Sometimes I get labeled a Big Book thumper with the added comment that I have some sort of strict "interpretation" of the literature and everyone can have their own interpretation. The thing is that I don't have a personal interpretation. In fact all my AA friends who are literature enthusiasts and who consider themselves students of the Big Book and Twelve all agree with what it says. I attend literature study groups and we all find together exactly what the literature states. There is very little room for interpretation. Interpretation to suit ones own personal agenda can actually kill real alcoholics because they may never be offered the true program as designed.

 

Is AA a Religion? Can an athiest be "IN" the program. The "God Word" pamphet

 

Here is a response to a blog post I read in which the author claims to have an atheists interpretation to the 12 step program of AA. 

AA is not a religion. AA shuns affiliation with religious groups.

There is no being "IN" the program of AA. One is either doing it or you are not doing it. One can be "IN" meetings of the fellowship but people can only do or not do the program.

Being "In" AA is not the same as actually doing the program of AA. There are plenty of atheists and agnostics visiting the meetings of AA everyday all over the world. BUT, if they want recovery the AA way they will have to do the program which requires they be open minded and get past their prejudices toward spiritual terms and be even willing to believe a Higher Power might exist. This is required to do the 2nd step of the 12 step PROGRAM of recovery.

The God Word pamphlet has to do with acceptance of people from all beliefs and walks of life IN THE MEETINGS OF THE FELLOWSHIP. It has always been the case that people of all beliefs and walks of life are accepted in the fellowship. But, if they want to do the 12 step PROGRAM of AA they will have to get past their prejudices toward spiritual terms and toward the possible existence of a Higher Power, Spirit of the Universe, Universal Mind, or God.. whatever you want to call God. They will need to drop their old atheist or agnostic ideas and become open minded to the possible existence of a God of some sort. From there they do the 3rd step and through demonstration of the 3rd step decision they do the rest of the steps which brings about a personal experience of a Higher Power.