One of the many tools of the Adversary is to get Christians--and there are a few among the critical ranks today--to criticize other Christians in recovery for calling the Holy Bible the "Good Book." And these scare items need to be repudiated. Awake!
First, Dr. Bob, the Cofounder of Alcoholics Anonymous, was a devoted Christian and long-time Bible student--especially of the King James Version. He read and studied it. So did his wife Anne Ripley Smith. Both read from it in front of AAs at the early meetings. And Anne Smith wrote in the journal she shared almost daily that the Bible ought to be the main source book of all--that not a day should pass without reading it.
Now about the "Good Book." Dr. Bob read it from cover to cover three times as he was getting sober. He said he had had excellent training in the Good Book as a youngster. He said he felt he should refresh his recollection of the Good Book. He said the basic ideas for the program came from their study of the Good Book. He said that the Book of James, Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, and 1 Corinthians 13 were considered absolutely essential to the program--and he was talking about the King James Version of the Bible. He said the oldtimers believed the answers to their problems were in the Good Book.
There wasn't a soul in early A.A. who saw or heard Dr. Bob read from the Bible that didn't hear him mention it as the Good Book from time to time and know that he was talking about the Holy Bible.
And if the Bible isn't a Good Book, then we are not playing for your team. And just because some anti-AA critic says you are a heretic if you call the Bible the Good Book, I'm glad I'm not playing on his team and sorry he doesn't seem the fine hand of the Accuser in his own flesh and blood position. Ephesians 6:20.
God Bless, Dick B. http://www.dickb.com/goodbook.shtml
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