Saturday, August 20, 2011

Anti-A.A. Straw Man Arguments Regularly Launched against Christians in A.A.

Using several types of names (Rapture Ready, My Word Like Fire, Psychoheresy, and other less than forthright descriptions), an unheard of group of anti-AA writers are continuously trying to drive Christians out of, away from, and careful study or the truthful history of Christian healings over 2000 years old and still available today. For those suffering from alcoholism, addiction, and the hurt inflicted by these maladies on those around the afflited.

What are the straw men used to catch the eye of unwary Christians? That quote a Bible verse or two? And that espouse ideas never embraced in early A.A. or today's A.A. Here are a few:

Swedenborg

Masonry

New Thought

Protestant liberalism

"not-god-ness"

Spiritualism

"Buchmanism"
Anything that the authors can label unChristian, present with Bible verses, and make ad hominem attacks on AAs, rather than truthfully reporting biblical facts, historical facts, recovery programs, and success factors. Or the real status of 12 Step groups and programs today.

Do the phony arguments succeed? I don't know. But the best way to find out is to present them truthfully, look at them carefully, and let Christians decide for themselves whether they have ever heard of Swedenborg, Spiritualism, "Spiritualism," "not-god-ness,"  New Thought, Masonry, or even A.A.'s Christian origins in recovery meetings, treatment programs, historical reports, or from the mouths of those who seek God's help in recovery today.

Come to the Summit Conferences in California in September and decide for yourself.

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