There are references in the big book that state that a real alkie will not stay sober without god. Researcher and blogger john lanagan has uncovered the occult origins of this organization and has written a book and a plethora of articles to expose a. Maybe youre at a place in your life where it just feels like things are falling apart. In the big book, the reference to the second step proposition is on page 53, second paragraph. Aa began in 1935 when its cofounders, bill wilson and dr. Here are the steps we took, which are suggested as a program of recovery. God is everything or he is nothing helping others live sober. The 164 and more book, ebook, and web site are all concordances which display passages from the big book alcoholics anonymous, the twelve steps and twelve traditions, and the a. The big book vs the book gods word alcoholics anonymous big book exposed all scriptures taken from the preserved 1611 king james bible. This website is dedicated to sharing information gathered by the siesta key mens group of aa. Turning this into a question for myself when i really see step one, crushed by selfimposed crisis that i cannot postpone or evade, do i believe i had to fearlessly face the question that either god is everything or he is nothing. Favorite 0 fans translation find a translation for this quote in other languages.
I have found that the process of discovering who i really am begins with knowing who i really dont want to be. I have provided a link in a couple of places on this page for your convenience, so you can get to the search page. Some hardcore aa faithful even believe that wilsons writings were inspired by god. Lots of misunderstanding about the words higher power could be cleared up for believers if they do a quick study on a good concordance like the poe concordance and check out the following usages in the big book. Once god is removed, many aspects of aas program in the big book and twelve steps and twelve traditions can be seen to be focused on stressmanagement. It is not meant to be the the final word by any stretch. God in big book alcoholics anonymous, 12 steps and 12 traditions. It is clear that the aa fellowship knew since its beginnings that nonbelievers could also. The irrationality of alcoholics anonymous the atlantic. My hope is that these prayers will provide a framework for you to develop your own or expand on the wording below.
God is everything or else he is nothing aa beyond belief. Bob smith, began holding gettogethers with fellow alcoholics. Step 2 proposition exercise emotional sobriety and food. Aa beyond belief provides a space for agnostics, atheists and freethinkers in. Instead of regarding ourselves as intelligent agents, spearheads of god s ever advancing creation, we agnostics and atheists chose to believe that our human intelligence was the last word, the alpha.
We are headed for trouble if we do, for alcohol is a subtle foe. Many tried everythinghospitals, special treatments, sanitariums, asylums, and jails. He is only relevant in terms of the scientific guidance that is revealed by the nature of being that has to do with the guide and roadmap of return to that lost nature. When we became alcoholics, crushed by a self imposed crisis we could not postpone or evade, we had to fearlessly face the proposition that either god is everything or else he is nothing. Ananda, your conception doesnt have to match bill ws conception or the conception described in the big book. Step 3 either god is everything or he is nothing i love this exercise which is also from the idiots guide. Alcoholism12 step support god is everything or god is nothing god is. In that setting, consider that, over in the corner, sits an old timer who has been around aa for over half a century. Heres a few more quotes from the big book that impress upon the. The big book vs the book gods word jesus christ is. Simple compliance with the 12step program is a necessary stage for most aas to go through, but does not constitute. All bill wilson, big book of alcoholics anonymous quotes bill wilson, big book of alcoholics anonymous books. Alcoholics anonymous wrestles with its spiritual roots.
Nothing i have read in the big book suggests that an athiest cant get sober using the steps and their own conception of a power greater than themselves. The text used to develop the prayers are shown at the end of the prayer in parenthesis. Alcoholics anonymous is a microcosm of the macrocosm. There is a catch we read about on page 72 of the big book of alcoholics anonymous. The wisdom from the big book isnt limited to 10 quotes. Second, remember that sobriety holds the key to a better life. Alcoholics anonymous quotes by alcoholics anonymous. I have had fellow aaers tell me, if i didnt think this was a god given program i was in the wrong place. Youll also find recovery, joy, hope, laughter and some of the most creative and intelligent characters you will ever cross paths with. Bible comparison with aa big book alcoholics anonymous 12 step. The idea of putting magisterial teaching in a beautiful display case while separating it from pastoral practice, which then could evolve along with circumstances, fashions, and passions, is a sort of heresy, a dangerous schizophrenic pathology.
Nothing, absolutely nothing happens in god s world by mistake. Learning the process of overcoming resentment literally saves the lives of people who are afflicted with the disease of alcoholism. No need for christ in alcoholics anonymous berean research. Its words and interpretations are left up to the reader to use as they choose. Most had taken shattering losses on nearly every front of life. He is usually longwinded, repeats himself frequently, and has an opinion on just about anything or everything pertaining to the aa program. Is it time to stop the god bashing in alcoholics anonymous. Every day is a day when we must carry the vision of gods will. The word god is tossed around a lot because thats whats in the big book of alcoholics anonymous and thats the guideline that we use to run meetings and groups, but on the individual level its acceptable to believe anything you want.
First, remember that religion and spirituality arent necessarily the same. Were our contentions true, it would follow that life originated out of nothing, means nothing, and proceeds nowhere. Page 67 of the book, alcoholics anonymous, states, resentment is the number one offender. First half talks about how aa came to be and last half shares inspirational stories of other addicts and alcoholics who have worked the program and now lead sober lifestyles. It is easy to let up on the spiritual program of action and rest on our laurels. Alcoholics anonymous quotes author of alcoholics anonymous.
The whytehouse is, i hope, a way to find that special phrase or saying etc. And the peace of god, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through christ jesus. When i am disturbed, it is because i find some person, place, thing, or situation some fact of my life unacceptable to me, and i can find no serenity until i accept that person, place. It is my hope that you will find this site useful to you and our friends of bill w. Remember that we deal with alcoholcunning, baffling, powerful.
Because whether you liken addiction to hell, limbo, purgatory or otherwise, theres never a decent reason for going back to it. Each day my friends simple talk in our kitchen multiplies itself in a widening circle of peace on earth and good will to men. Chapter 4 of the big book is titled we agnostics and explores the meaning of a higher power. But the whole thing didnt really have a name until 1939 when alcoholics anonymoustoday known to aa members as the big bookwas published. Lone liness, great physical and mental agonythese were the common lot. This exercise is meant to be an individual study aid of the big book in which the author identifies the references to god. Alcoholism12 step support big book quoteall or nothing big book quote when we became alcoholics, crushed by a selfimposed crisis we could not postpone or evade, we had to fearlessly face the proposition that either god is everything or else he is nothing. Paul aas 12 steps are a group of principles, spiritual in their nature, which, if practiced as a way of life, can expel the obsession to drink and enable the sufferer to become happily and usefully whole. Nothing in big book alcoholics anonymous, 12 steps and 12.
Nothing short of divine intervention will save the alcoholic. Alcoholics anonymous big book audio read aloud youtube. It warns us that through that process, it is the one or two things that i hold onto, that i wont give up, i wont share with another human being, and there by refuse to bring godhigher power into the picture. The twelve step prayers were created using the text of the big book of alcoholics anonymous. God is everything literally, and nothing in the sense that he is irrelevant to mans regaining his essence, or buddha nature, in which he has lost. Not that i am a big book apologist the book has no relevance in. To begin with, there is evidence that a big part of aas effectiveness may have nothing to do with the actual steps. Does alcoholics anonymous work because its a form of. All big book quotes taken from alcoholics anonymous first edition the following 5 users say thank you to aw2486 for this useful post. The big book has given me that comfort and the push to. There is comfort in knowing you arent alone, that what youre feeling isnt unusual, and that there is a solution. Big book alcoholics anonymous chapter 4 we agnostics pages 44 57. We asked his protection and care with complete abandon. It is the basic text of the fellowship of alcoholics anonymous, and has helped large numbers of alcoholic men and women, young and old, recover as of december 2009, 30,664,881 copies of the big book have been sold or otherwise distributed source aa gso ny.
But the truth is, aa is a religious program its christian principles, the whole book. We had to fearlessly face the proposition that either god is everything or else he is nothing. Alcoholics anonymous calls their book of the same name, the big book. Whether it be in aa literature asking whether god is everything or nothing versus your own conception of a higher power, aa members telling fellow members to keep coming back when they dont surrender to their god, or in life when politicians try to hold their opponents to high values but seem not to adhere to those same values and many other examples, especially in relationships, confusing messages cause confusion, and they prevent people from engaging in. Most of us feel we need look no further for utopia. What we really have is a daily reprieve contingent on the maintenance of our spiritual condition. Alcoholics anonymous speaker tapes subscribe to our channel for awesome xa speakers. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of god as we understood god we were now at step three. As an athiest i would perhaps interpret the phrase god is everything or he is nothing to mean that we need to accept our powerlessness at all times, not just when things go well. Aa books, aa speakers, history, oxford group books, and anything that any of our group members felt was helpful in the journey, challenges, rewards, and adventures of the spiritual life of sobriety. God is everything or else he is nothing one of the most emphasized and reiterated principles in the big book is, to bring into our consciousness the presence of a god, a higher power, a spirit of the universe, that is within us, and to draw from that power at all times throughout the day. When we became alcoholics, crushed by a selfimposed crisis we could not postpone or evade, we had to fearlessly face the proposition that either god is everything or else he is nothing.
Even the surrendering to a higher power aspect of aa is firmly rooted in a behavioral soil in that aa members frequently say pray like everything depends on god, but act like everything depends. Wilsons big book, which is actually entitled alcoholics anonymous, is referred to as the ultimate answer for everything a new bible of sorts written just for contemporary alcoholics. Creator, maker, father, spirit, god over 400 times counting the capitalized pronouns and the foregoing descriptions taken from the good book, heavenly father, and the. The path may look bleak, dim, and hopelessbut god changes everything weve all sinned whether it is sex outside of marriage, a bitter heart, alcohol or drug abuse, cheating, or lying.