AA Officially Recognizes Atheist and Agnostic Membership in This Month’s Grapevine

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The October issue of the AA Grapevine.

By Dorri Olds
Published on October 11, 2016 in The Fix

AA Grapevine, The International Journal of Alcoholics Anonymous, has devoted its October issue to atheists and agnostics — a first since the publication’s 1944 inception.

AA members will tell you that the program is not religious, but it is spiritual. This causes some confusion, especially for those of us who prickle at the word “God,” which is used throughout the 12 Steps and all of the conference-approved AA literature. The program is described in one book: Alcoholics Anonymous, which is often referred to as The Big Book (BB).

In the BB, much emphasis is placed on the understanding that “God” is a god of your understanding, meaning that nobody has to believe in anybody else’s idea of “God.” Your god can be the sea, the sky, the AA fellowship. It can be “Good Orderly Direction” or “Group of Drunks.” However, the confusion seems to lie in the mixed messages.

In the beginning of the BB, all of that is explained. But by the end of chapter 4, We Agnostics, the contradictions are glaring. The chapter concludes by implying how silly you were to ever doubt that there really is a deity taking care of you and the universe, and that if you are doing the program correctly, you too will see the light.

http://aaagnostica.org/2016/10/13/aa-officially-recognizes-atheist-and-agnostic-membership-in-this-months-grapevine/