We have a juggernaut rolling over us. It is the twelve step spirituality of Alcoholics Anonymous. Through A.A., syncretism has been achieved. We have Christians in A.A. who are unable to defend being there biblically, but remain nonetheless.
And how hard many are working to draw others in.
In many ways, Alcoholics Anonymous serves as a decoy. Relatively few come to Christ there, but Christians are given the impression that this is a frequent thing. The Twelve Steps were given to Bill Wilson for the purpose of keeping unbelievers from Christ, and for watering down the beliefs of those who do know Him. In these terms, Alcoholics Anonymous has been an astounding success. In The Fall of the Evangelical Nation, author Christine Wicker credits Alcoholics Anonymous with “hastening the fall of the evangelical church.” The author notes how A.A. ”slowly exposed people to the notion they could get [a god] without the dogma, the doctrine, and the outdated rules. Without the church, in fact.” [10]
In other words, people could worship whatever form of “god” they imagine. The A.A. deity, the “higher power,” is a lot like a salad bar-people choose a little of this, a little of that. What is on the plate can always be added to, subtracted, or rearranged. But when “god” is so malleable, so is morality.
Since the Twelve Steps have nothing to do with Christ, neither sin nor Biblical repentance is addressed. This, of course, is very appealing to the flesh. The Steps address “wrongs,” “making amends,” and “moral inventory,” but one inserts one’s own moral code within the context of these Steps.
A.A. often serves to instill fear and/or contempt for alternative sobriety methods. This certainly includes Christianity. Could our churches do more for addicts? Yes. Yet, help is available within the the Body of Christ. Christ will make a way. Pastors give lip service to this, but don’t necessarily believe it–which is why we have a demonically inspired Twelve Step system in the heart of the church today. If we look at 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, we see alcoholics, homosexuals, and other sinners repenting and serving Christ. This is a key passage for those who struggle. (click_here_for_entire_article)
We will discuss the occultic, new thought, and contemplative origins of AA and the Twelve Steps at your conference in May. Save me a seat. May I have thirty minutes before the audience?
Those who really want the facts about the hundreds of thousands of Christians who attend A.A., N.A., and other 12 Step fellowships today would do well to say how the “higher power” is a light bulb fantasy actually began and how far it is from the principles, practices, and beliefs of those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, been cured of alcoholism and addiction, and decided to help others do likewise. See Dick B., God and Alcoholism: Our Growing Opportunity in the 21st Century http://www.dickb.com/titles. Alcoholics Anonymous History and the Christian Recovery Movement
Thank you Lyn. I am going to email you with some of the things that are going on as the Christian…syncretists…advance.
Hey brother,
This is priceless, “Since the Twelve Steps have nothing to do with Christ, neither sin nor Biblical repentance is addressed. This, of course, is very appealing to the flesh. The Steps address “wrongs,” “making amends,” and “moral inventory,” but one inserts one’s own moral code within the context of these Steps.”
Here lies the biggest problem with 12 steps, addiction is labeled a disease, a genetic disorder, when in reality the Bible calls it sin. The world tells the addict/sinner to go to rehab, the Bible commands the sinner to repent and believe on the Lord Jesus. The bondage of drug/alcohol abuse cannot be broken by AA, it is like putting a band aid on a severed artery. To cover over sin is to cause it to grow, fester, multiply like a cancer until it consumes and destroys…this is what we are seeing everywhere. Rehabs and AA could care less if anybody ‘stays sober’, it’s all about the money.
In a somewhat related story, I addressed Whitney Houston’s bondage to drugs/alcohol in this post – http://iamhis-lyn.blogspot.com/2012/02/is-whitney-houston-in-heaven.html
Sadly, the fate of the sinner who abuses drugs and alcohol is more than likely the same as Ms. Houston’s…death.
Good post brother
grace and peace to you and your wife,
Lyn