where i am at today on this least...is that the AA bigbook wasn't watered down ..... Bill W. had his program...the big book is about the expereince of the first alchoholics to recover...I'm not big on Bill W being a saint...it was a WE program even back then...what we got in the big book is an experience on which we can all agree.....the forms of individual recovery can vary greatly....
I am comforted by the fact that the big book as it stands today allows me the room to be a part of....the 12 steps as outlined in the big book are all inclusive and work for me.
I'm a bit less gun ho on the 12x12 as for me that is more about Bill's personal journey...being the good alkie i am, i can shoot holes in the 12x12...but not so the BB...The big book is simple. If the original manuscript was what we had instead of the bb....I'm not sure I would have found hope and sobrity.
Just my take