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.