
Alcoholism:
Recovery
without Religiosity
by John L.
In February 2008 I celebrated
my 40th AA
anniversary
— that is, 40 years since my last drink. I'll not tell my
story
here, except to say that I hit a low bottom physically. In my first
year of sobriety I attended meetings all over Manhattan, but mainly in
Greenwich Village. This was fortunate for me, as at least a few AA
members there were openly anti-religious: they rejected the 12 Steps in
whole or in part, and defiantly remained seated when others stood up to
recite the “Lord's Prayer” at the end of meetings.
One of the first
“qualifications” I
heard was that of “Bob”, who was in his seventies
and had
been sober for over two decades. At the end of his talk, Bob proudly
identified himself as an atheist, and affirmed that his sobriety was
based on himself and the shared experiences of other drunks, not on
belief in the Supernatural.
I regard Alcoholics Anonymous as the
best option for
recovery from alcoholism. It is very difficult for an individual to
achieve lasting sobriety on his own, but much easier and better with
the moral support of other recovering alcoholics. There is a great deal
of freedom in AA, both for AA groups and for the individual. One
speaker put it this way: “Alcoholics Anonymous is a
fellowship of
people — working
their individual programs.”
To me, the following represent the heart
of AA, the
reasons why it works:
• The 24-Hour
Program. Recovery from alcoholism means complete
abstinence from
alcohol — staying away from the first drink, a day at a time,
for
the rest of one's life.
• The 12 Traditions.
These developed out of the
early experiences of AA, and have kept the organization viable for
eight decades.
• The AA Preamble.
This says it all, clearly and concisely:
Preamble
Alcoholics
Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience,
strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common
problem and help others to recover from alcoholism.
The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. There
are no dues of fees for A.A. membership; we are self-supporting through
our own contributions. A.A. is not allied with any sect, denomination,
politics, organization or institution; does not wish to engage in any
controversy; neither endorses nor opposes any causes. Our primary
purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety.
In addition there is the Serenity Prayer,
which
speaks strongly to alcoholics, especially in the early stages of
recovery. Confronting the wreckage of their lives, they realize that
some things are lost forever, and these losses must be accepted with
serenity. But there are still opportunities for a good life, and one
must have the courage to work and even fight for them. The usual AA
form follows:
God, grant me
Serenity
to accept
the things I cannot change,
Courage
to change
the things I can, and
Wisdom
to know the
difference.
However, the principles are just as valid without reference
to
“God”. Here I have re-worded the SP in the first
person
plural, in a form appropriate for ending an AA meeting:
May we have
Serenity
to accept
the things we cannot change,
Courage
to change
the things we can, and
Wisdom
to know the
difference.
Undeniably, there are many AA
members who
believe
that they owe their sobriety to belief in a Higher Power, to prayer,
and to the 12 Steps. However, these things are not necessary,
for
many atheists and agnostics have achieved good and lasting sobriety in
the fellowship of AA, as I have. The religiosity in AA is harmful in
many ways: it drives away non-believing alcoholics, lowers the level of
discourse, and creates a false impression of recovery. Some pious AA
members were so concerned with achieving
“spirituality”,
that they neglected to stay away from the first drink.
There are now, around the world, bona
fide AA groups
for atheists, humanists and agnostics. Check out the website of the
New York City
groups.
I have prepared a Bibliography on
Alcoholism. To
read it click here.
In 1975 an excellent article by R.L.
Wild, “Only
with God's Help?”, appeared in The New
Humanist
(London). To read it click here.
Abraham
Lincoln,
America's most beloved president, addressed the Springfield
Washingtonian Temperance Society on 22 February 1842. It's a fine
speech — eloquent and perceptive. All of the best elements of
Alcoholics Anonymous were already present in the Washingtonian
Temperance Society, which was founded in 1840, nearly a century before
the birth of AA. The Washingtonians advocated that reformed drunkards
were best qualified to help their fellows who were still drinking ...
that practical help and persuasion were more effective than moral
condemnation ... that the only cure for alcoholism is lifelong
abstinence from all alcoholic drinks. To read Lincoln's speech click here.
Note: “The
Man on the Bed” is an oil painting created by Robert M. for
the
A.A. Grapevine; it was reproduced as the center-spread in the December
1955 issue.
Home.