Originally Posted by Peter
Why are you so against AA ?
Could AA really have hamed you to the point where you feel you have some mission in life to steer people away from the programme ?
I do believe you were once a very productive member of AA.
What I am beginning to doubt is that you do not in some way still harbour a grudge against the fellowship for some harm you feel it may have caused you.
And that's just how I see it.
I have no grudge against AA, it didn't do me any harm. I just got to the point where I felt my growth was stunted by it so I left. People begged me not to go that I wouldn't stay sober and I am today sober over 13 years.
I see AA today as a religion which can't be questioned, people hold the big book to be gospel truth and Bill Wilson some sort of prophet. AA has stopped growing and its numbers remain steady, despite making in roads into new countries like India and China. I think AA can still offer a lot, IF IT OPENS ITS MIND, or the people in it, more accurately.
AA has a very low success rate 5% by its own records. I have seen legions of people fail in AA and in desperation ask my why, it didn't fail you did seems a hollow answer to a man who had thrown his heart and soul into it. I have been to the funerals, I wasn't particularly close to any of the people that died, still it was sad to bury them all the same. I think AA has to become more inclusive and more open to question itself like many denominations of Christianity have.
I know I shake the tree. I am pleased you have stayed in sober in AA, especially being an atheist like myself. I am glad when anyone with a problem drinking stays sober even the ones here who attack me.
I think AA needs to better address its growing contingent of agnostics and atheists. Certainly many are unhappy. A old friend asked me to go to the International AA Conference in Toronto last summer and since I am in Toronto I did. One of the rooms I went to was an agnostic room, it was full and a line up outside was waiting to get in. After the speakers they opened things up to the floor, people screamed, shouted, jumped and cried. They were very upset and felt there was no place for them in AA and that they had no where to go. I felt for them.
If I open a few minds, make a few people question their stagnant beliefs I am pleased. I think Christianity is stronger for its debate, its questioning. I am glad masses are no longer in Latin and the average man is no longer excluded. I am glad we can debate about books like The DaVinci Code (despite its flaws). In my opinion AA needs to become more open.