This is what puts a lot of people at odds. Whether it's a disease or not. It's not. It's an illness which is different than a disease. A disease can be detected with a litmus test while an illness can not. Very seldom do you hear about a hospital for the mentally "Diseased". It's "Mentally Ill" folks.
Compare this illness to any other type of mental disorder. Is Anorexia BS? How bout Kleptomania? Some type of OCD? The list goes on. Those that are sitting on the outside can only speculate and accuse weak will of being the main catalyst in this self destructive behavior.
As long as we run around calling this a "Disease" we'll be creating skeptics that are dismissive of our condition.
It's an "Illness" and as the book says it centers in our mind and our drinking is but a symptom. Whether you're AA or not it's very difficult to contest that statement.