Originally Posted by doorknob
The bias against secular beliefs in AA literature and culture is quite salient, IMO.
Conspicuous and pervasive - yes. I think it's in the 12 & 12, but Bill Wilson makes a veritable
argument against straight atheism; and in the Big Book in the chapter We Agnostics, there appears:
"When the perfectly logical assumption is suggested [...] that there is an All Powerful, Guiding, Creative Intelligence, right there our perverse streak comes to the surface. [...] We read wordy books and indulge in windy arguments..."
(Underlining added)
LOL - Wilson is in fact arguing against philosophy right here. (Hey personally, I've never read a
non-'wordy' book!)
Anyway - I remember we used to sit around the tables and smirk, nodding in agreement.
Now, that's not tolerance; that is an out-and-out silly brand of
haughtiness.
Nahh, little room in AA for atheist, least wise as
_I_ can see it.
Oh - and Windy said something that deeply resonated:
Originally Posted by windysan
The meetings got overrun with drug court people and there was lots of dope floating around...so I quit.
I found a lot of the old timers to be smug and whatnot anyways.
My
Lord how I can relate to this!! What's that? "We are not affiliated with any outside organizations..." in the Traditions?
It's not AA or NA's fault, but "not affiliated" my ass!
When the judge tells you: "30 days in jail or...." -guess what? That's a veritable
mandate, and states have been successfully sued for pushing religion on people this way.
Ten