The Program

[Rob B]

Our literature makes clear what the program of recovery is:

"TO SHOW OTHER ALCOHOLICS PRECISELY HOW WE RECOVERED IS THE MAIN PURPOSE OF THIS BOOK" BB 4th ed. Forward To First Edition.

" CLEAR CUT DIRECTIONS SHOWING HOW WE RECOVERED" BB 4th ed. pg 29

The 12 steps are the program, which if worked with a sponsor, with the pre-requisite willingness and honesty, WILL lead to a psychic change-spiritual awakening sufficient enough to recover from alcoholism. This is the great fact, not an opinion. If I am not actively working the steps, I DO NOT HAVE A PROGRAM, I have a WONDERFUL FELLOWSHIP.

[Sheryl85]

Rob, I want to thank you for writing this thread. Lately I seem to have been missing all the positive things that people have to say or write about the AA program. Perhaps it’s because the negative things have a way of grabbing my attention and make me feel like responding and defending the program. I’ve had to stop myself from doing that because, first, the program needs no defense, and second, I feel that in my doing so it brings some type of legitimacy or affirmation to the person’s statement in that there is a problem with the AA program. The facts are these: the program has worked for millions of people around the world for many years. It still works today and it really isn’t necessary for it to change to meet the expectations of its detractors.

I am speaking for myself when I say this and when I offer up this suggestion to those who feel there are things in the Big Book or in any of the literature that needs to be changed. Why don’t you use the AA program to create your own 12 (or however many steps you want to do) Step Program? Alter it in any way you see fit and you can call it anything you want (except Alcoholics Anonymous). It’s been done before. But leave the program of AA alone because it works just fine the way it is and it doesn’t need to be fixed. (If I go around messing with the program and changing things to read however I think it should read, then what makes that any different than what I was doing to wind up in the program in the first place? After all, my best thinking got me in the shape that I was when I landed here…it took the AA program, as it is, to help fix me!)

So, once again, thank you from the bottom of my heart.

[primarypurpose]

Thank you for clarifying the program of recovery. From where I am from Alcoholics Anonymous emits the message that the program entails consistently coming back and resolutely refusing to drink. I have attempted to illustrate to them that this may be their understanding, their tailored program, only the Big Book, which outlines the AA Program, comes into conflict with this particular creed:

'This is the baffling feature of alcoholism as we know it—this utter inability to leave it alone, no matter how great the necessity or the wish'

'Most alcoholics, for reasons most obscure, have lost the power of choice in drink'

'The alcoholic has at certain times no effective mental defence against the first drink'

These groups refuse to assume responsibility, offer sponsorship, and offer a viable alternative for anyone who has adhered to this creed and remains in anguish / can not get sober.

I reached a period in recovery where I could not continue and only then was I given clear cut direction, from a group that I had previously heard lambasted for being stringent and dictatorial. I established this was on account of their determination 'to show other alcoholics precisely how they recovered', recovered being the operative word.

This group was honest enough to convey to me that in order to recover from a ‘seemingly hopeless state’ of mind and body, at a bare minimum I would need to complete the Steps at a pace. This was so that I might experience a physic change, allowing me to begin to practice the principles outlined within the program throughout my affairs, which in turn would remove the obsession to drink, alongside the abhorrence I had of my existence.

Needless to say, as you stated, I encountered a spiritual awakening sufficient enough to recover from alcoholism. I solved my drinking problem. I solved my problems with life based on a simple reliance upon a Higher Power.

The content of this program is not disputable, only from witnessing those who have a minimal comprehension of the application of the Steps and / or candidly contest the Big Book advocating a program that they chose not to abide by and comprehend, I can grasp how the initial program you mentioned has been discarded.

[Bleeding Deacon]

Originally Posted by Sheryl85

Lately I seem to have been missing all the positive things that people have to say or write about the AA program. Perhaps it’s because the negative things have a way of grabbing my attention and make me feel like responding and defending the program. I’ve had to stop myself from doing that because, first, the program needs no defense, and second, I feel that in my doing so it brings some type of legitimacy or affirmation to the person’s statement in that there is a problem with the AA program. The facts are these: the program has worked for millions of people around the world for many years. It still works today and it really isn’t necessary for it to change to meet the expectations of its detractors.

There does seem to be a larger group of anti AA sentiment floating around this board than I'm used to experiencing. I'm with you. AA as it has been structured from the beginning has worked very well for me and I'm not interested in changing AA's core principles the 12 steps, 12 traditions, and concepts. I'm all for others who find it distasteful to create their own structure and content even if they steal from AA (as AA did from Oxford). I prefer that it not be called AA or try to affiliate with AA as it is outside the AA concept that so far has been the best long term solution to alcoholism yet. AA is based on attraction rather than promotion. It needs no defense. If you don't find it attractive find something you do.

Part of the issue really is organized treatment and law enforcement pushing people into AA as a consequence for the results of their alcoholism. Those people come to meetings without wanting to be there. There is no attraction in that, it's coercion. AA can do nothing to change others referral behaviour but it does create an undercurrent of discontent in AA that is bothersome for those who are attracted to it. If those institutions could find a variety of things that arrest alcoholism and give folks a choice that may be more useful and take some heat off of AA.

Perhaps we should stop signing treatment and court slips? It demonstrates passive acceptance of their coercion.

Sorry, way off topic....

[collinsmi]

I try not to read negative opinions about AA, I don't like what it does to me. The self righteous state of mind I tend to get in is a little like drinking; fun at first, and then I feel lousy. I'm glad the courts do coerce people in, I don't care to contemplate the depths I might have sunk to before coming in (if I ever made it in at all) if they did not do so.

[Bleeding Deacon]

Originally Posted by collinsmi

I'm glad the courts do coerce people in, I don't care to contemplate the depths I might have sunk to before coming in (if I ever made it in at all) if they did not do so.

Agreed.

[Sheryl85]

BD

I don’t think you are off the topic. In fact I think you’ve hit very close to the mark.
“Our literature makes clear what the program of recovery is:

"TO SHOW OTHER ALCOHOLICS PRECISELY HOW WE RECOVERED IS THE MAIN PURPOSE OF THIS BOOK" BB 4th ed. Forward To First Edition.

" CLEAR CUT DIRECTIONS SHOWING HOW WE RECOVERED" BB 4th ed. pg 29

The 12 steps are the program, which if worked with a sponsor, with the pre-requisite willingness and honesty, WILL lead to a psychic change-spiritual awakening sufficient enough to recover from alcoholism. This is the great fact, not an opinion. If I am not actively working the steps, I DO NOT HAVE A PROGRAM, I have a WONDERFUL FELLOWSHIP.”
When you look at Rob’s entire statement, aren’t your observations included in that?

I have always been skeptical of the benefit that the legal system is doing for people by sending them to the program…but I do know several people who said that by this manner was it that they found AA. I feel that if one person is saved the horrors of an alcoholic death, then it’s worth a little discomfort on my part. I know you feel the same way. And I have found that it doesn’t matter if you do or don’t sign papers or if you sign them early on in the meeting so those folks who don’t want to be there can leave, or make wait until the meeting closes to give them in hopes that they get “it” by osmosis. I know of one group that seemed like their group conscience changed the policy on that every six months. It doesn’t matter because I’ve discovered what one of my friends with over 33 years told me is true… “If the person isn’t ready, nothing you can say will be right, but if the person IS ready, nothing you can say will be wrong.”

Emotions run high when the subject of AA is brought up, especially in a forum such as this. But you find it in meetings as well. What I try to do today is stay calm, cool, and collected so as to make myself be the best living example of the AA program I can be, because I may be the first contact that a person could have with the program or the only contact in some cases. (Being a “good” example seems to come naturally when I let my HP take the lead and get the heck out of His way!)

I love everyone’s response on the topic…