Specifics by Ken B. on exactly where to find the precise rerferences to God, the Creator, in Conference-approved literature of today

I'm sure you will be blessed to receive a personal email or series of emails telling you about Ken B.'s careful research of the number of times and places in Alcoholics Anonymous where God, Heavenly Father, Father of Lights, Creator, Maker, and pronouns describing Him and used in plain and simple terms.

One of the main reasons some believers become afraid, intimidated, and/or silenced when they share the very experience called for on page 29 of the Big Book, is because they are not aware of the dozens of times Bill Wilson, Dr. Bob, and other oldtimers specifically referred to our "Heavenly Father" and the "Creator." In their talks, their meetings, their writings, and at Conferences.

Why is this important? Because there is no need to retreat or be silenced by some bleeding deacon's chastizing you for mentioning God, His Son, or the Bible when A.A.'s own Conference-approved literature has contained these references for decades. Learn the facts right now!

Get the facts. Stand on your own experience. And arm yourself with the truth that--even in this age of secularism, idolatry, and rigidity--A.A. has a diverse membership. And possibly the largest core consists of Christians who have as much right as an atheist, Jew, Catholic, Hindu, or Protestant to share their experience, strength, and hope--their own.

Be sure to read page 29 of the Big Book. Also our book "Stick with the Winners!" http://mcaf.ee/s50mq. And don't let some uninformed or mean-spirited voice in a meeting prevent  you from stating, as many in the First Edition of the Big Book did, how, in their own language and from their onw point of view, they established their relationship with God.

Consider joining  us at The First International Alcoholics Anonymous History Conference in Portland, Maine on September 6-7. You can be a presenter, a learner, a message carrier, a partiicipant, a volunteer, and donor, or a newcomer who wants the straight facts. Note our Conference website http://mcaf.ee/ghcky

First Intl. A.A. History Conference - Come, Look, See Where Your Experience and Expertise Will Help Others - Maine, September

The First International A.A. History Conference

September 6-7, 2013, Portland, Maine, Specifics

 

By Dick B.

© 2013 Anonymous. All rights reserved

 

 

How and Why You Can Bring Your Mission and Expertise to the Birthplace of Christian Endeavor via the Christian Fellowship, Book of Acts, and Practices of “Old-School” A.A.

 

September is always a busy month. But the beginning of September is the time for you to plan to join us at The First International Alcoholics Anonymous History Conference in Portland, Maine, on September 6-7, 2013--and even before and after those dates in specific meetings and discussions which will enhance your efforts and teach others your heritage for recovery from alcoholism and addiction using the tools of early A.A.’s Christian Fellowship, the practices and successes of First Century Christians, and the untarnished biblical relationship with God that was the epitome of early A.A. success. And still is planted on the firm “conference-approved” Solution set forth on page 25 of the 4^th edition of Alcoholics Anonymous.

 

Special features:

 

·         Participation will be free and international in leadership and techniques.

·         Participants will be folks from all over who want to apply A.A.'s effective historical, biblical, successful principles and practices today.

·         As covered below, the range of contributions and skills of participants, leaders, and speakers will either encompass your heritage and techniques today and/or inspire you to work with, support, teach and learn from other skill sets that apply to you and to all of us.

 

A full two conference days; and a week (Sept. 6-12) to meet with Dick B. and Ken B. and learn how to:

 

·         Start an A.A. History-Bible Study Group that is a Fellowship, shows you the roots of A.A., and tells you how and why to seek and apply God's help in recovery today.

 

·         Five major talks on:

 

1.      The new era of A.A. history and how recovery successes really began to be molded and pointed at the suffering drunk in New England—particularly Vermont.

2.      How to look at A.A.'s historical roots as a tool to enhance and apply in recovery today the role that God, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Bible played and can play in the recovery arena and programs today.

3.      What sponsors need to add to their spiritual tool kits.

4.      How more personal and direct information to and focus on the newcomer can be restored and enabled to produce more recoveries today.

5.      How the alarming impairment of physicians, nurses, dentists, technicians, pharmacists, clergy, lawyers, and treatment leaders can be prevented, corrected, and bring hope and effectiveness back to the treatment scenes.

 

·         Special talks on Friday by leaders on topics of special interest in such fields as:

 

o   Quiet Time and the Eleventh Step.

o   Techniques of Quiet Time.

o   The real roots of A.A. in Vermont as manifested in the YMCA, Rescue Missions, Evangelists like Dwight Moody, Congregationalism, Salvation Army, and United Society of Christian Endeavor

o   The potential today arising out of insights by Christian Endeavor International, Rescue Missions, Salvation Army, and Young Men’s Christian Association

o   The Christian upbringing of A.A.'s cofounders Bill W. and Dr. Bob.

o   How the first 3 got sober; the program, principles, and practices they employed; and the manifestations of that original program reported in Dick B. and Ken B., Stick with the Winners! http://mcaf.ee/s50mq; Pioneer Stories in Alcoholics Anonymous http://mcaf.ee/gj7iw; A.A. Pamphlet P-53; and the First Edition reprint of Alcoholics Anonymous with Introduction by Dick B. (Dover Publications) http://mcaf.ee/j4hq5

o   The Program and Radio Show of International Christian Recovery Coalition (www.ChristianRecoveryCoalition.com; www.ChristianRecoveryRadio.com)

o   Programs for impaired professionals.

o   Christian treatment programs

o   Christian counseling programs – for AAs, NAs, Codependents, etc.

o   Christian sober living programs

o   Christian Recovery Fellowships

o   Overcoming restrictions and censorship of program activity through standing on Conference-approved literature for openers.

o   How groups are already dealing effectively with rigidity at "governing" levels in 12 Step Fellowships.

o   How groups are starting, forming, and conducting Christian recovery fellowships and groups today—around the globe.

o   What International Christian Recovery Coalition offers, at no cost, to enhance information about the role played by God, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Bible.

o   The effectiveness of spiritual retreats for AAs, families, and newcomers today.

o   How the Steps and Big Book can be presented in terms of the Traditions and A.A. facts.

o   The role that Christian Recovery Radio and its interviews are playing today.

o   Community recovery outreach programs at The Crossing, Rock Recovery, Manna House Ministries, Won Way Out, CrossFlorida, Serenity Groups, Residential recovery programs like “Rescue,” Study groups like those at Cornerstone Fellowship and Calvary Church of Los Gatos.

o   More . . . to be suggested by you.

 

·         Special groups conducted by leaders on the foregoing talks and embodying participation by those attending.

 

·         An introductory roundtable of leaders who share their work, their plans, their needs, their visions, and what they bring to the Conference.

 

·         Meetings of individuals and small groups throughout the week with Dick B. and Ken B. in the restaurant or lobby of their hotel, in their hotel room, in other restaurants, and/or where otherwise convenient. To arrange a meeting, please contact Ken B. in advance of the conference on his cell phone at 1-808-276-4945.

 

·         As more and more attendees register and make their schedules, needs, and desires known, the conference plans are flexible and designed to produce networking, sharing of friendships, and development of new avenues of outreach.

 

·         Just since the First Nationwide A.A. History Conference in May 2009 at the Mariners Church Community Center, conferences, seminars, interviews, meetings, fellowships, participants, and networking have grown into the International Christian Recovery Coalition (www.ChristianRecoveryCoalition.com) with “Participants” in nearly all 50 states and 14 other countries. There is a Christian Recovery Movement on the march; and it provides a badly needed restoration of the role of Divine Aid today. You can become one of the movers and leaders and commentators.

 

To stay up to date on the details concerning “The First International Alcoholics Anonymous History Conference,” please check the official conference Web page on the www.DickB.com Web site:

 

http://www.dickb.com/First-International-Alcoholics-Anonymous-History-Conference-2013.shtml

 

Gloria Deo

The First International Alcoholics Anonymous History Conference - the Web Page

The First International Alcoholics Anonymous History Conference

Portland, Maine, September 6-7

The Web Page:

http://mcaf.ee/ghcky

Web Page for The First International Alcoholics Anonymous History Conference

Entertainment Chamber: Counting the A.A. Myths about Cleveland's Clarence Snyder

Putting the Plug in the Jug Pouring Out Myths and Erroneous Stories

 

The Nonsense about Alleged Payments to Clarence H. Snyder

 

Dick B.

© 2013 Anonymous. All rights reserved

 

I couldn’t believe it when someone pointed out to me that a censored, moderated forum was loaded with questions, answers, and intimations that Clarence Snyder had been paid for his story in the Big Book. Almost uniformly, the myth was championed by people who couldn’t possibly have a clue or know the truth. Many said so. But they repeated the suggested myth again and again—several pages worth..

 

So, like Dragnet, I just went out looking for “Just the facts please, ma’m.” I contacted three long-time sponsees of Clarence H. Snyder who originally gathered all of Clarence’s papers and began putting them in such publications as “Going Through the Steps,” “My Higher Power the Light Bulb,” and “Our Faith Legacy.” Which are now widely known and frequently used or quoted by AAs and others. I simply asked these folks if the writers were in error, and/or were circulating mythical questions and answers, and had misstated the facts.

 

Here are some facts—that constitute evidence not unlike that which I myself had with Clarence Snyder’s widow in the week-long interview I had with her in Florida.

 

Item One: Aloha to you, Steve, from Maui, Hawaii! This my son Ken wrote to Steve

 

Thank you for setting--and keeping--the record straight! Hope to see you and Sue and Jack (and others from the "Came to Believe Retreats" family) at "The First International Alcoholics Anonymous History Conference," September 6-7, 2013, in Portland, Maine. Perhaps you folks could even join us on our research tour to St. Johnsbury, Vermont (about three hours from Portland) on Sept. 8-10.

http://www.dickb.com/First-International-Alcoholics-Anonymous-History-Conference-2013.shtml

In GOD's love,

 

Dick B.'s son, Ken

 

Item Two: Steve’s Plain, Simple, and Factual Answer to the Myth:

 

On Thu, May 16, 2013 at 9:56 AM, Steve Foreman wrote:

Dick and Ken:

 

Any thoughts or rumors that Clarence Snyder received any money for being a part of the Big Book or sales of any other AA material is pure “Baloney” (I cleaned that up).

 

Clarence was livid with Bill for the money Bill made from each copy sold of the Big Book and “12 Steps and 12 Traditions” plus all of the Al-Anon material Lois wrote. He would not even take fees for speaking at engagements throughout the US. He would ask for his expenses to be paid, and that was it.

 

AA was a “Labor of Love” as described by Clarence and, as he said, was “his avocation”, not a money-making venture. These people are “making this stuff up” (misinformed, or lying, in other words), and I can be quoted as so saying.

 

Love those B. . . . Boys. Keep the pot stirred and all of us mushrooms informed with “Just the facts”.

 

God Bless,

 

Steve Foreman

2211 Lee Road, Suite 100

Winter Park, FL  32789

(407)862-5900 - Fax (407)869-7560

 

Item Three: The Actual, Confirming Truth as Conveyed to us (Dick B. and Ken B.) at the home of Clarence Snyder’s widow—Grace Moore Snyder—and her son Duke Moore and Duke’s wife and father-in-law at the dinner table at Jacksonville Beach, Florida.

 

The group was seated at the dinner table, discussing the book which I had come to write—That Amazing Grace: The Role of Clarence and Grace S. in Alcoholics Anonymous (San Rafael, CA: Paradise Research Publications, 1996).

 

Duke’s father in law turned to Grace and asked her how much she was being paid by me for the biography I was writing and going to publish. She looked the gentleman straight in the eye. She said: “Not one cent.”

 

With that, Duke got up from the table and left the dining room. Grace followed him. And Grace said her son told her: “Mom, I’m proud of you for what you said about the being “paid” remark. That’s exactly what Clarence said of himself so often. And that’s the way he would have answered.”

 

As soon as I saw the myths proposed in the censored and moderated “history” forum, I contacted Clarence’s own sponsees in Florida and elsewhere. I asked for their comments on the question whether Clarence had been paid for his story. My son and I received the answer above, and it certainly shows how far people who dislike others in A.A. may start a false question or false rumor or request for false information. And then try to destroy the person mentioned.

 

Item Four: The Forty-Five Feathers: Ed Andy, a good friend of Clarence’s, and the owner of the “First A.A. Museum” in Lorain, Ohio, put out a videotaped interview about the “45 feathers.” A man had told a bald-faced lie about another person and caused lots of harm. The man went to a priest to confess. The priest told him to get 45 feathers and place one in the lawn at each home where he had spread the damaging lie. This he did. And he returned to the priest. The priest told him to return and bring the feathers back to the church. The man went to all forty-five places; and there was not one feather to be found. He returned to the priest and reported the missing forty-five feathers. And the priest told him to remember the 45 feathers story. The priest said to the man that the feathers had blown away to some other location, not even known to either of them. He told the man: “That is what happens when you tell a damaging lie or false rumor about someone and harm them. The lie—whether one or forty-five—doesn’t stop with a listener. It gets spread and spread and spread. You don’t know how far it will travel and harm and perhaps not ever stop. The lie blows on to the next listener just like each feather blew away to do many endless, unknown harms in your case.

 

So too the false stories that circulate and circulate and circulate in the “rooms” and in such “history forums.” They should never be told in the first place—whether by insinuation or question or bald-faced lie. If these false legends, rumors, stories, and insinuations are floated out today on the internet, who knows how many read, talk, repeat, and alter the canard. Clarence is dead. His wife is dead. And the truth could have died with them. And this one about Clarence deserved to be investigated. And I trust this article will show the harm that has already been done.

 

In fact, there is a well-known saying: “A lie travels half way around the world before the truth even gets its shirt on.” ‘Nuff said!”

 

dickb@dickb.com

Steve Turner of Hazelhurst, Georgia becomes latest participant in International Christian Recovery Coalition

 

 

Georgia          

 

            Hazelhurst

 

                        Steve Turner, Outback Serenity Center, 911 Kirkland Still Road,

Hazlehurst, GA 31539, 912-347-0791,

Topics Scheduled for Discussion at Maine September International Alcoholics Anonymous History Conference

You can make a difference!

Join us as a participant in the Portland Maine A.A. History Conference, and learn or share about:

(1) Quiet Time and the A.A. Eleventh Step  www.dickb.com/goodmorn.shtml

(2) Working with Others and the A.A. Twelfth Step http://mcaf.ee/s50mq

(3) Focus on sponsorship training today.

(4) Focus on Newcomer and Beginner training today

(5) The New Era of A.A. History That Arose in New England, and particularly Vermont

(6) Leaders at institutions that figured in the Christian upbringing of Bill W. and Dr. Bob--YMCA, Rescue Missions, Christian Endeavor, Salvation Army, Congregationalism, Great Evangelists like Dwight L. Moody  www.dickb.com/conversion.shtml; http://dickb.com/drbobofaa.shtml

More to come

Contact Dick B. dickb@dickb.com

Plan Now for the Maine Menu September 6-7: First International Alcoholics Anonymous History Conference

September is always a busy month. But the beginning of September is the time for you to plan to join us at The First International Alcoholics Anonymous History Conference in Portland, Maine on September 6-7, 2013--and even before and after those dates for special events and meetings in Maine..

International!

Folks from all over who want to apply A.A.'s effective historical techniques today!

A full two conference days; and a week to meet with Dick B. and Ken B. and learn how to:

(1) Start an AA History-Bible Study Group that is a Fellowship, shows  you the roots of A.A., and tells you how and why to seek and apply God's help in recovery today.

(2) Five major talks on: (a) The new era of A.A. History and how reccovery successes really began to be molded and pointed at the suffering drunk in New England--particularly Vermont. (b) How to look at A.A.'s historical roots as a tool to enhance and apply in recovery today the role that God, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Bible played and can play in the recovery arena and programs today. (c) What Sponsors need to add to their spiritual tool kits. (d) How more personal and direct information to and focus on the newcomer can be restored and enabled to produce more recoveries today. (e) How the alarming impairment of physicians, nurses, dentists, technicians, pharmacists, clergy, and treatment leaders can be prevented, corrected, and bring hope and effectiveness back to the treatment scenes.

(3) Special talks on Friday by leaders on talks of special interest and successes in such fields as: (a) Quiet Time. (b) Techniques of Quiet Time. (c) The real roots of A.A. in Vermont. (d) The Christian upbringing of A.A.'s cofounders Bil W. and Dr. Bob. (e) Programs for impaired professionals. (f) Overcoming restrictions and censorship of program activity by using Conference-approved literature for openers. (g) How groups are already dealing effectively with rigidity at "governing" levels in 12 Step Fellowships. (h) How groups are starting, forming, and conducting Christian recovery fellowships and groups today. (i) What International Christian Recovery  Coalition offers, at no cost, to enhance information about the role played by God, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Bible. (k) The effectiveness of spiritual retreats for AAs, families, and newcomers today. (l) How the Steps and Big Book can be presented in terms of the Traditions and A.A. facts. (m) The role that Christian Recovery Radio and its interviews are playing today. (n) More - to be suggested by you.

(4) Special groups conducted by leaders on the foregoing talks and embodying participation by those attending.

(5) An introductory roundtable of leaders who share their work, their plans, their needs, their visions, and what they bring to the Conference.

(6) Meetings of individuals and small groups throughout the week with Dick B. and Ken B. in their hotel, restaurants, lobbies, rooms, and where otherwise convenient. Just contact us in advance of the Conference at 808 276 4945.

(7) As more and more attendees register and make their schedules, needs, and desires known, the conference plans are flexible and designed to produce networking, sharing of friendships, and development of new avenues of outreach.

(8) Just since July, 2009, the conferences, serminars, interviews, meetings, fellowships, participants, and networking have grown from Irvine, California to all 50 states and several other countries. There is a Christian Recovery Movement on the march; and it provides a badly needed restoration of the role of Divine Aid today. You can become one of the movers and leaders and commentators.

Dick B.
dickb@dickb.com

How About God! And You! And Your alcohol and drug excesses

How about God! If you have a glimmering that jail, divorce, dui's, bankruptcy, joblessness, and fear may just have to do with drinking and drugging too much, would you criticize this point as too religious, too Christian, not spiritual enough. Or would  you see what God can do and diligently seek that help! dickb@dickb.com

Stick with the Winners! http://mcaf.ee/s50mq

Welcome to Duane Churchill of New Hampshire - latest to participate in International Christian Recovery Coalition

Just today, Duane Churchill of New Hampshire asked to be listed as a participant in International Christian Recovery Coalition www.ChristianRecoveryCoalition.com.

Duane was part  of the research team of some sixteen men and women who joined us in our thorough investigation of the New Era of A.A. History throughout Vermont. Duane was particularly helpful in meeting us at the University of Vermont in Burlington and helping with our computer research there.

Duane  has had effective Christian outreach to alcoholics and addicts in his home state, particularly those in the biker community.

Welcome, Duane. His listing is

 

Duane M. Churchill

United Church of Cornish/Active Participating AA Member 25years

60 Churchill Dr.

Cornish, NH 03745

Home 603-675-5206

Cell 603-543-7609

duanemchurchill@hotmail.com

Alcoholism Statistics: The Horrors of, and The Solution to Alcoholism - God's Help

You Can’t Talk Enough About Statistical Horrors Alcoholism Brings to the

Affected and the Afflicted

 

A.A. and the Help of God

Dick B.

© 2013 Anonymous. All rights reserved

 

A note to William Bagley 28 who posted today’s relevant statistics on ravages of alcoholism

 

Thank you for your statistics on alcoholism.

 

And the important thing is that there are millions more affected by alcoholism than those afflicted with alcoholism. Pills and medicine are not the answer. Way back in 1935, the leading doctor on alcoholism made it plain that alcoholics were MEDICALLY INCURABLE.

 

Christian organizations and people like the YMCA, Rescue Missions, Salvation Army, Great evangelists like Moody and Meyer and Sankey and Folger, Congregationalism, and United Society of Christian Endeavor made a huge dent by treating alcoholics not as people to be condemned, but as people to be either redeemed or set on a renewed mind walk by the spirit. Their view was contrary to that of contemporaries and predecessors who were anti-booze, anti-saloons, and anti-drunks. And their punitive crusades faded with the winds. For God was not their resort.

 

In only five or six decades, the treatment picture has become as bleak as ever because people have now used government grants, rules, and research to tell us that "religiosity" is the enemy of the alcoholic and that "spirituality" (with its higher powers, nonsense gods, absurd names for God, and self-made religion) is the new ticket to recovery. It isn't. And God is. But only for those who want Him, believe in Him, and seek Him (Hebrews 11:6) and learn as early AAs did from Romans 10:9 how to come to God through accepting Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

 

Some anti-AA folks call the above "Jesus talk" or the Christianization of AA. It's not. God wants all men to be saved and come unto the knowledge of the truth. Then it's up to them to turn, to repent and to establish the relationship with God that history shows is as effective today as ever.

 

For information, contact Dick B. dickb@dickb.com; and read God and Alcoholism. www.dickb.com

 

Gloria Deo

A "Must" For AAs Helping Other AAs - Bargain Early Days Package

There is now a neat, inexpensive, up-to-date package of four items that all who are Christians in A.A. would do well to acquire and then be able to apply in today's recovery fellowships: (1) "The Co-Founders of Alcoholics Anonymous: Biograp...hical Sketches Their Last Major Talks." (2) "Alcoholics Anonymous The Original 1939 Edition With a 23-Page Introduction by Dick B" http://mcaf.ee/j4hq5. (3) Dick B. and Ken B., "Pioneer Storiest in Alcoholics Anonymous" http://mcaf.ee/gj7iw. (4) Dick B. and Ken B. "Stick with the Winners!" http://mcaf.ee/s50mq. With these four, you will bring old school A.A. to the table today and see how to apply it with love and tolerance for the benefit of those who want God's help.

Alcoholics Anonymous and Christianity

Alcoholics Anonymous and Christianity: Alas, like a few anti-AA Chritians who are peppering the internet with erroneous information about Alcoholics Anonymous and Christianity, the writer illustrates a lack of homework on some vital aspects of Alcoholics Annoymous. Worse, that writer fails to cite a single source for his contentions. So let’s look at a few of the typical gaps in his presentation: (1) The first three AAs were believers in God, born again Christians, and students of the Bible. They got well before there were any Steps, Traditions, Big Books, personal stories, or meetings. (2) The two co-founders were born and raised Christians in their respective families, their respective Congregational churches, the relevant creeds and confessions, and frequent Bible study. (3) Knowledgeable researchers would take the time to look into the Congregationally founded and administered Academies and seminaries attended by Bill W. and Dr. Bob. (4) If they did this, they would discover that each academy had required Bible study, daily chapel–with reading of Scripture, sermons, prayers, and hymns. Each academy had vigorous Young Men’s Christian Association activity–Bill W. was president of the YMCA at Burr and Burton Seminary in Manchester, Vermont; and Dr. Bob’s father (Judge Walter Smith) was president of the Young Men’s Christian Associat ion in St. Johnsbury, Vermont. And now it’s time to pause and see the factual sources overlooked by the priest: (a) Dick B. and Ken B., “Dr. Bob of Alcoholics Anonymous: His Excellent Training in the Good Book as a Youngster in Vermont.” (b) Dick B.,, “The Conversion of Bill W.: More on the Creator’s Role in Early A.A..” (c) Dick B. and Ken B., “Stick with the Winners!: http://mcaf.ee/s50mq. (d) “Pioneer Stories in Alcoholics Anonymous” http://mcaf.ee/gj7iw. (e) Dick B., “Anne Smith’s Journal 1933-1939″ http://www.dickb.com/annesm.shtml. (5) The early A.A. program made no mention of the odious term “higher power.” See the facts on DR . BOB and the Good Oldtmers, page 131. (6) Every participant in ealy A.A. was required to profess a belief in God–not “a” god, not a nonsense god, not an higher power. God–Creator, Maker, Father, Heavenly Father, and Father of Lights. (7) Every early A.A. was required to follow the precepts of Romans 10:9 and accept Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. Dick B., “The Golden Text of Early A.A.” http://www.dickb.com/titles.shtml. (8) Almost every observer of early Alcoholics Anonymous commented to the effect that it was “First Century Christianity” in action–following the daily principles and practices laid down in the Book of Acts–daily fellowship together, daily prayers together, daily hearing of the Word of God together, daily breaking of bread together, daily meetings in the homes or temple, daily witnessing and conversion, and frequent healings–doing the same things that Jesus did and said they would be able to do. (8) Dr. Bob specifically described early A.A. as a “Christian Fellowship.” And there is much much more, the writer above failed to mention, to cite, or even to report–correctly or otherwise. Today, there is a vast and growing International Christian Recovery Coalition whose participants seek to find and report and disseminate the role that God, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Bible played in recovery and can play today. See http://www.ChristianRecoveryCoalition.com. The participants in this coalition can now be found listed in all 50 states and many other countries. There is much more about the early A.A. Christian Felllowship program. And readers should be pointed to those facts before being exposed to Bill Wilson’s “new version of the program, the Twelve Steps” which was not published until April 1939 and was altered to mollify atheists and agnostics. Today there are tens and tens of thousands of Christians in A.A., in Twelve Step programs, in Christian counseling and Christian Fellowhips. For an example of the roots, see Dick B., “The Good Book and The Big Book: A.A.’s Roots in the Bible” http://www.dickb.com/goodbook.shtml; and “The Akron Genesis of Alcoholics Anonymous” http://www.dickb.com/Akron.shtml. As for the self-made religion, absurd names for “a” god, half-baked prayers, new thought “spirituality” that are competing in the rooms and confusion Christian newcomers, it is not surprising to learn what the Adversary’s role is and has been for centuries. See James 4:7, See the titles by the Rev. Dr. Samuel M. Shoemaker, Jr., listed in detail in Dick B., “New Light on Alcoholism: God, Sam Shoemaker, and A.A.” http://www.dickb.com/newlight.shtml.
Readers are welcome to visit my main website http://www.dickb.com or contact me at dickb@dickb.com for further factual materials.