Alcoholics Anonymous, described as a “spiritual program,” can be more accurately defined as New Age/New Spirituality fundamentalism. In New Age theology, anything and everything, including the divinity of man, can be worshiped as “god.”
Thus, it really should be no surprise that the Alcoholics Anonymous Big Book–the A.A. “bible”–proclaims, “Sometimes we had to search fearlessly but He was there. He was as much a fact as we were. We found the Great Reality deep down within us. In the last analysis, it is only there that He may be found.” (Bold mine)
The higher power concept springs from Step #3 of A.A.’s 12 Step program: “Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.”
According to Betty Ford, founder of the A.A. based Betty Ford Center, “Your higher power can be anything–those beautiful mountains outside your window–or a fellow patient.”
Newcomers who are unsure what to worship are often encouraged to make the A.A. group itself their higher power. The Bible directly contradicts this: I am the Lord, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another, nor My praise to graven images. (Isaiah 42:8)
Because anything conceivable can be invoked as one’s higher power–an asteroid, an astral spirit, inner divinity, or the A.A. group itself–the New Age jesus is often worshiped right alongside the Biblical Christ. Or alongside anything else.
Despite the elasticity of this “God as we understood Him,” Alcoholics Anonymous is very much a fundamentalist religion. Members take passages of the Big Book as literally as Christians take the Word of God. The Big Book states, “Rarely have we seen a person fail who has thoroughly followed our path. Those who do not recover are people who cannot or will not give themselves to this simple program, usually men and women who are constitutionally incapable of being honest with themselves.” … “We thought we could find an easier, softer way. But we could not.”
These “scriptural’ passages, read at the beginning of each meeting, explain in part the contempt many A.A. members have developed for any non-12 Step alternative, particularly Christianity.
The tragedy is that so many of us accept A.A. despite it’s anti-Biblical nature.
11 responses so far ↓
Linda Robey // April 7, 2009 at 7:16 am |
Isn’t the Big Book of AA considered the “Bibie” of AA? Unless you follow what’s in that Big Book, you won’t recover.
There is another way…and it’s not the Big Book or AA…that way is in the Person of Jesus Christ, Who is the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6).
I believe Satan has blinded they eyes of those who are lost:
But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. (2 Corinthians 4:3-4)
mywordlikefire // April 7, 2009 at 2:48 pm |
That is right. There are so many parallels between the A.A. religion and Christianity–it is why so many get confused over what A.A. actually is–an all-gods religion where Christ is, at best, considered just one deity among many. A.A. people take the ‘How It Works’ section of the Big Book, read at the beginning of each and every meeting, literally.
Jack_M // April 13, 2009 at 9:30 pm |
You are making a fundamental mistake. First is that AA doesn’t teach worshiping a Higher Power. We ask for help from something we can’t see. Immediately imposing your religion on a hopeless drunk doesn’t work. People are free to choose their religion when they get out of the slavery of addiction. All AA does is teach them to ask for help. To do that one must admit and accept there is a God and it is surely not them. My God doesn’t care what name I use. He is above silly arguments.
mywordlikefire // April 14, 2009 at 2:59 pm |
Jack,
Thanks for stopping by. You know, I have been to hundreds of A.A. meetings. I have heard people say (this is a literal quote) “You can worship Bill Clinton or the American flag as your higher power. It doesn’t matter.”
In Alcoholics Anonymous, it is not important what you believe, only that you believe in something. Alcoholics Anonymous portrays itself as a spiritual program, but is in fact a religion, with fundamentalist tenets.
Christ cares that we use His name. “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)
I would also note that Christ is the only name that causes discomfort in AA meetings–unless it is as a swear word.
Jack, A.A. folks are great. Just lost, for the most part. You live in an exciting time. The Lord–our God, the God of the Bible–is in His mercy warning His people to come out of deception.
The only way to to eternity with the Father is through Jesus. (John 14:6) Jack, may our gracious God reveal Himself to you. My friend, I don’t want you to perish. Sobriety is great, eternity is everything.
Your comments and disagreements are welcome here any time.
Jack Mahoney // May 9, 2009 at 6:06 am
You refer to things you have heard in meetings. Not everything said in meetings is the Program of Recovery. Alcoholics are sick physically, mentally and spiritually. We find recovery depending on our daily spiritual condition. There is no cure. I suggest you read the book Alcoholics Anonymous before you condemn the program as not inspired by God as I know it is. You will see where most people who recover return to their religion. I know it is hard for you to be open to this concept. “Love and acceptance of others is our code.” Is that not what Jesus taught?
jerry schweitzer // June 17, 2009 at 1:29 pm |
Be patient all. Judgement day will show clearly what AA s. A man made religion that offers it’s 12 steps as the path to God that even an athiest and agnostic can take successully. Jesus clearly taught He is the only path to God and NO MAN can come to God unless he comes through HIM. Search the AA Big Book carefully you will find no mention of the name Jesus. Hisorically mankind has for the most part rejected the clear teachings of God’s Word and chosen to follow own his speculation about God over God’s clear revelation of Himself in the Scriptures. AA is the broad path that leads to destruction that Jesus warned of. AA has it’s false prophets just like every other man made religion. Judgment day is coming. This question will easily be settled then by the only real authority Jesus Himself. My comments are grounded in 35 years of study of the Scriptures and 20 years involvement with AA. If you want to know what AA is, read the Big Book. Comments by members mean nothing. When I came to see “the light” I left AA. See you all on judgement day.
Julio // September 13, 2009 at 4:49 pm |
Please try to understand it. A.A. is only a program to keep you sober. It is ONE way amongst a lot of ways. Choose the better for you. A.A. is not a Bible competitor. If you see it in that way, YOU are probably a fundamentalist not A.A.
mywordlikefire // September 14, 2009 at 2:28 pm |
Julio,
Thanks for taking the time to read the article. I wish everyone in AA has your attitude. But, again, this goes beyond flesh. There is a battle, Julio, over the souls of men and women.
AA, which works for 1 in 18, teaches it alone can help. You, my friend, are an exception to this, or so it seems. I speak as one who has been to hundreds of meetings.
Life here is a blink of an eye. I am not downplaying the pain of alcoholism, destroyed families, or anything else. Not at all. But this system, which doesn’t work all that well in terms of alcoholism, works very well in pointing people away from the Savior.
“And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12
cctexan3 // September 14, 2009 at 2:47 pm |
It says right in the Big book of AA to be “quick to see where religious people are right” it also says, “we know but a little, more will be revealed as we…”
and it also states that this is but ONE way to get sober. The original writers DID NOT profess to have the only way to get sober, most AA’s I know, have found God, Christ and room for church. but if they had been told that the minute they walked in the rooms, they would have most likely left and died from the disease.
I came to Christ eventually. But I was a God hater when I got to the rooms of AA. and if someone had misread the big book and told me the misinformation you seem to have been taught/read, then I would have died on the streets. AA is to find a solution for our problem ( which is drinking) and the solution is in the book ( pg 112 I think) to find a power greater than myself to solve my problem ( drinking) and I have gained a serenity and relationship with His love and Grace. i did nothing to deserve this gift but am heartily grateful. Both to God and patient men and women in AA.
mywordlikefire // September 14, 2009 at 2:56 pm |
Which religious people? Muslims? New Age? Bahai? Christians? Hindus? 2 Corinthians 6:14-17 is clear. I am glad you are sober. Thank you for weighing in.
mywordlikefire // May 9, 2009 at 8:35 pm |
Having attended many, many, many meetings, and having the ability to open my Bible and read it, I know what AA is, and what it is not. It is a religion, and it is not compatible with the Word of God.