An increasing number of writers are trying to convert the role that God, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Bible played in the origins, history, foundation, original Christian Fellowship program, and their successes into something called "spirituality."
A. A. basic ideas came from the Bible. See The Co-Founders of Alcoholics Anonymous: Biographical Sketches Their Last Major Talks.
As this important pamphlet (P-53 in the A.A. lineup) shows, A.A. pioneers believed that the answers to their problems were in the Bible. The parts they considered absolutely essential were Jesus's Sermon on the Mount, the Book of James, and 1 Corinthians 13. But you'd never know these facts by listening to an ordinary A.A. speaker, attending an ordinary A.A. meeting, or reading present-day literature pouring out of Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc. And one well-known A.A. history writer has concluded that the idea "Jesus saves" has been replaced with "Something saves" when it comes to the spirituality of imperfection.
Is it any wonder that the evidence-based recovery proponents, the new medical models and behavoral and therapeutic recovery models omit references to God, Jesus Christ, and the Bible and make hay out of myriad of failed phrases. These phrases are: A.A. is spiritual. A.A. is spiritual, but not religious. Some AAs rely on a so-called "higher power." This higher power can be Santa Claus, the Big Dipper, a rock, a light bulb, a door knob, "it," "something," "somebody," and even Ralph!
I call these self-made, man-made idols "the nonsense gods." Compare Psalm 115.
Today's attempt to satisfy the U.S. Constitution, the New Age writers, atheists, and people of varied religious or irreligious beliefs has suppressed in the minds of recovery folks the fact that early A.A. with all its successes simply relied on four major factors: (1) A decision never to drink again. ( 2) Giving your life to God and establishing a relationship with Him through Jesus Christ . (3) Obeying God's will and growing in understanding of God and His will through prayer, Bible study, Quiet Time, and Christian literature. (4) Helping others to be cured by these same simple actions.
Today there is a growing Christian Recovery Movement which disseminates the facts about A.A.'s beginnings and successes through reliance on God. It posits that God is an ever-present help today whatever a person's view of A.A. may be. It is world-wide. It consists of Christian recovery leaders, workers, and newcomers, as well as a public that is sick of recovery nostrums which talks about spirituality, Somebody, a higher power, and condemns those Christians who rightly stand on their right and privilege in recovery to rely on and apply "old school A.A." and its trust in the Creator.
To see the International Christian Recovery Coalition in action and the projects it undertakes, see www.ChristianRecoveryCoalition.com; www.ChristianRecoveryRadio.com; and http://MauiHistorian.Blogspot.com.
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