Do Character Defects Suggest A Moral Failing? Critics of the Twelve Steps often bemoan the topic of character defects. Particularly pop psychologists who cringe at the thought of anything being intrinsically wrong with people. “Addiction is a brain disease!” they shout from the damn rooftops. Addicts are not responsible for their disease but for their … Read More
AA Hopelessness…a startling contradiction? Flip through the first few chapters of Alcoholics Anonymous and you’ll notice some contradictory material. On one page is the repeated refrain of alcoholic “hopelessness” and on the other the bold declaration that an alcoholic can be totally “recovered “ You read that right, not perpetually in recovery, nor recovering, but … Read More
(Before the Big Book) AA’s First Five Years As Luis Remembers Lois W., wife of AA’s co-founder, Bill W., recalls the time in AA when there were few members and no Big Book. In fact, she recounts the first five years before the Big Book! Copyright © AA Grapevine, Inc, January 1967 ==> Read more … Read More
Is AA A Cult? Let’s Start With A Definition of Alcoholics Anonymous Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a fellowship of men and women who share a common purpose of helping one another stay sober from alcohol. Other fellowships exist that have borrowed the major tenets of the program but wanted to broaden its scope to other … Read More
AA Symbol…AA History Some AAs rave about it. Others give it little thought. But the truth is the AA Symbol of Recovery has been the subject of controversy, celebration, and dismissal since its advent. Bill Wilson, the co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous, was somewhat of a mystic. He loved symbolic means of communicating seemingly ineffable experiences. … Read More
AA Slogans…just superficial sobriety blabber? Pardon the awful alcoholic alliteration…damn I did it again! Slogans, cigarettes, and coffee – that’s what Alcoholics Anonymous does! The newcomer is bombarded with a bunch of steps, traditions, and concepts not to mention all the names of people they meet. Then, upon breaking from their shameful navel-gazing they look … Read More