Stressing the Truth about A.A., Early A.A. History, and Recovery

Tools for Truth About Alcoholics Anonymous and Recovery

 

Dick B.

Copyright 2013 Anonymous. All rights reserved

 

·        I have a dream – a plan that will challenge us all, glorify God, serve others, and stop a recognizable secular flow toward idolatry, half-truth, myths, and shop-worn failures

 

1.      In the simplest form, recovered Christian recovery leaders and workers will learn the elements that made recovery with God’s help effective, permanent,

and worthy of our efforts.

 

2.      In a sense, we can unite in the idea that recovery—albeit A.A., Steps, or Christian fellowships and programs—needs an historical overhaul and return to four basic ideas: (a) We don’t drink or use no matter what. (b) We need God’s help to resist the drug, resist the devil, resist temptation, and seek the power which He alone makes available. (c) Without more knowledge about God, His Son, and His Word, we will have little assurance of progress. (d) The end product of our efforts is our own dedication to helping those who still suffer.

 

In brief, (a) Quit for good. (b) Look only to God. (c) Humbly learn. (d) Help

 

3.      We can and should draw on the ample supply of present-day official literature that supports and always has supported reliance on God. We’ll give examples.

 

4.      We can and should memorize in simplest form the facts about how the early AAs did exactly that and where we can find those facts. We’ll point to a pamphlet, a First Edition of the Big Book, a summary of today’s language, and the evidence in two of our books which draw on DR. BOB and the Good Old-timers, the 4^th edition of the Big Book, the Personal stories of the pioneers, and long recognized and successful First Century Christianity practices underlying our founding.

 

Ken and I, primarily as reporters and content providers, have several specific approaches we would like to have you consider.

 

1.      Begin thinking of ourselves as a Fellowship of workers for truth about recovery

 

2.      Work regionally to meet, network, encourage, inform, and promote growth

 

3.      Launch a new focus on short, structured, taught, informative beginners groups

 

4.      Use your own programs, talents, ideas, resources, and experience to work with us at the launching stage.

 

5.      Develop appealing and attracting presentation methods: (a) Short classes.

 

(b) Short audios. (c) Short videos. (d) Short plays. (e) Short radio programs. (f) (g) Short YouTubes, (h) Simple pamphlets for free distribution. (i) Workshops an conferences if needed. (j) Dedicated speakers. (k) Specified Fellowship meetings that resemble present-day study groups, prayer groups, Bible groups, Conference-approved literature groups, Eleventh Step groups, Origins and roots groups, and Big Book—Sponsor, History, Spiritual, Bible, Step groups.

(l) Purposeful blogs, forums, facebook, twitter, chats, area seminars and webinars.

 

6.      Stress tolerance of diversity rather than inclusiveness that seeks to reduce ideas to levels of mediocrity, compromise, and rigidity.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Tools for Truth in A.A. Already Used with Success

 

Dick B.

© 2013 Anonymous. All rights reserved

 

1.     Avoiding the trap of divisive condemnation by explaining biblical truths about man’s need for Jesus Christ and the varied responsibilities involved:

 

(a) The natural man – John 3:16, needs salvation, truth, everlasting life.

(b) The carnal Christian who walks by the flesh – Romans 8 – walk by spirit

(c)  The child of God sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise – but ever obliged to obey God, resist  the devil, and put on the mind of Christ

 

2.     Openly rejecting idolatry – absurd names for a god, nonsensical descriptions of a “power,” unsupported claiming you can grow from devilish concepts to a relationship and fellowship with God, His Son, and other believers.

 

3.     Explaining in repeated short bursts – (a) the Christian forbears of A.
A., (b) the Christian  upbringing of the founders, (c) how the first 3 got sober, (d) the 7 point original program, (e) the 16 practices of the pioneers, (f) claims of cures and high success rates. (g) Evolution of Bill’s new program from Silkworth, James, Shoemaker. (h) Accurate summary of Oxford Group 8 points that underlie the Steps. (i) The great compromise for the sake of atheists and agnostics

 

4.     Explaining to the newcomer precisely how to take the 12 Steps as laid out in the Big Book

 

5.     Explaining to the newcomer precisely how to follow old school A.A.

 

6.     Explaining the difference between man-made slogans, man-made religion, and rendering advice beyond the ability of the speaker.

 

7.     Insisting that speakers cover 3 basic points: (a) How and why they quit.

(b) The role that God and the Bible  played in their getting well. (c) How they “worked” the Steps without compromising biblical truths.

 

8.     Explaining the growth aspects of fellowship with God, Jesus, Believers:

(a) Bible. (b) Prayer. (c) Teaching. (d) Quiet Time. (e) Christian

literature. (f) Fellowship with like-minded believers. (g) Religious

support through church or fellowship or Bible group.

 

9.     Explaining exactly how to work with a newcomer, the need for it, what to cover, and what not t o cover, and how t o proceed.

 

10.                         Distinguishing God, Creator, Maker, Father, Heavenly Father and Father of Lights from “Power” “God as we  understood Him,” and “higher power.”