In 1977, some members met in a tulsa, ok hotel room for a discussion of the big book. We hope we have made clear the distinction between the alcoholic and the nonalcoholic. Chapter 4 we agnostics page 40 for either case, atheist or agnostic, we are going to have to find some way to have this spiritual experience, and to use this power greater than human power. Many aa agnostics have found these books to be useful and enlightening. They summarized what they learned from the oxford group in six simple principles. The big book of quotations for atheists, agnostics, and secular humanists kindle edition by probulos, i. This is because we agnostics includes terms such as creative intelligence, which would appear not to gel with the notion that we are allowed to accept the greater scientific universe as the higher power of our choosing. Aa cofounder bill wilson wrote we agnostics in an attempt to address the issue. The target audience for we agnostics is relatively easy to define. Agnostic in big book alcoholics anonymous, 12 steps and 12. For oa members who want to thoroughly explore the big book from beginning to end we would be happy to have you join us. Aa speaker turn our will and our lives over to the care of god new 20 duration. For the record, we have no affililation with gopher state library.
And it means, of course, that we are going to talk about god. The big book would advise you, however, not to be too perturbed by these references. We agnostics assignment we have covered the first and second components of the disease of alcoholism. In that setting, consider that, over in the corner, sits an old timer who has been around aa for over half a century. Many times we talk to a new man and watch his hope rise as we discuss his alcoholic problems and explain our fellowship. By the very act of critiquing chapter 4, we agnostics, i admittedly commit aa heresy. The eaa group rarely have we seen a person fail who has thoroughly followed our path. Aug 24, 2009 we have a new site come and check us out thursday night big book study. God will constantly disclose more to you and to us. Many times we talk to a new man and watch his hope rise as we discuss his alcoholicproblems and explain our fellowship.
Alcoholism12 step support a perspective on we agnostics chapter 4 of the big book im not going for this god stuff. Blog big book step study big book revealed big book. Big book study walking through the big book of alcoholics anonymous with chris s. I mean i understood it intellectually, but what i wasnt getting is it god means anything that is outside the self that has the power to healhelpetc. The big book study our chief responsibility to the. Taken from the book alcoholics anonymous frequently called the big book.
In the big book we find a radical empiricism, applied to religion, with a set of actions offered as an entrance into direct spiritual experience. I guess i was a bit of a fundamentalist at the time and feared that it wouldnt work if i didnt follow directions exactly. Ask him in your morning meditation what you can do each day for the man who is still sick. Words contained within the first 164 pages of the big book. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the big book of quotations for atheists, agnostics, and secular humanists.
The answers will come, if your own house is in order. Looking at it from the perspective of a normal drinker, the solution seems simple. For those who have had the willingness to do the heavy lifting of the 12 steps we have come to know that they have depth and weight. He did the joe and charlie big book weekends for almost 20 yrs. I have had many spiritual experiences as a result of this approach as have many of the newcomers i. Many times we talk to a new man and watch his hope rise as we discuss. Please be sure to read appendix ii about the spiritual experience. In this part of the alcoholics anonymous big book study, joe and charlie discuss the chapter we agnostics this series of talks came about from a friendship that started in alcoholics anonymous.
Pat is one of the attendees at a saturday morning meeting at the fitchburg serenity club. Meeting since january 20, we agnostics group wagdfw of alcoholics. Our goal is to study the steps as a friendly, focused group, and work them as the authors of the big book described. The we agnostics chapter of the big book just got back from a meeting closed discussion where we read this entire chapter and shared on it holy crap what an arrogant, insulting, and condescending way of looking at atheists and agnostics. So far weve listed earlier secular books for we agnostics in aa. Big book weekend 2006 xaspeakers the lights are on. A history of agnostic groups in aa william white papers. Well, reading and discussing this chapter plus a reading we discussed in the abstinence book in my meeting saturday helped me to find the spiritual aspect of abstinence. Reading guide for we agnostics amethyst recovery center. During any such meeting to study the aa big book, you would expect to encounter a wide variety of viewpoints on the portions under consideration. A comparative study of religion 1988 to show that despite the common claim that aa is. How could there possibly be a god when there are so many starving people and wars where everybody says god is on their side. That means we have written a book which we believe to be spiritual as well as moral. The big book loop is a study group which has as its mission to provide an additional area of recovery and support to coes who appreciate the aabb,lovingly known as the big book.
Just stop drinking, exercise some willpower, think of all you have to live for and what you have to lose. If we are to accept our disease and learn to overcome it, we must accept that. We admitted we were licked, that we were powerless over alcohol. Our origins are the students of the big book group. Working the 12 steps in this is a easytoread and understand workbook, we discover the core issues of the 12 steps and how to work toward making them a daily part of our lives. Its understandable that no mention of atheists would be made in the 1955 forward. Book study 19 we agnostics 11 by the big book study published on 20160829t21. The forward ends with a a note of humility that we dont have all the answers, but we hope that we can help. We agnostics chapter of the big book religious forums. The individual sections of this study guide material reflect ideas, emotions and attitudes you might hear from the mouth of that old timer over in the corner. You can marathon through the book in a weekend or savor it a few pages a week until completed. With god to illinois,lets start praying again, etc. There is a chapter in the aa big book titled we agnostics.
Anyone, including atheists, agnostics, humanists and freethinkers can get sober in a. Our group supports those who seek freedom from alcohol, while upholding their personal spirituality and philosophy. We wish to make the 12 steps of alcoholics anonymous part of our. Big book workbook is for those who are willing to grow along spiritual lines 60. Suspended we agnostics austin aa hill country intergroup. Atheist in big book alcoholics anonymous, 12 steps and 12. Jul 16, 2015 joe and charlie cover the chapter we agnostics from the big book of alcoholics anonymous in such masterly detail. What about those sanctimonious church goers who judge me for. We study the first 103 pages of the big book and when we come to the step instructions we take them together. Big book workshop we agnostics big book step study.
We have a new site come and check us out thursday night big book study. Then why does the chaptor we agnostics insinuate were all agnostic till we find out who god is in our lives and we have to have a spiritual awakening. Pages 44 through 57 chapter 4, we agnostics, is truly a remarkable piece of writing. Nov 21, 2014 that means we have written a book which we believe to be spiritual as well as moral. Some members believe the big book is the revealed truth from god and all the. In doing so, the big book also presents a method by which readers can investigate theological questions for themselves. It sounds like they are trying to convert me to something. Many times we talk to a new man and watch his hope rise as we discuss his alcoho lic problems and explain our fellowship. The delegate for southern california area 05, thomas b, is interested in your thoughts on the subject of conference approved literature for agnostics and atheists in aa. After all, this was the era of the red scare with godless commies from russia out to get us. Oct 05, 2014 i thought it had to be done precisely as laid out in the big book, and although bill w. I have experienced this process with almost 300 alcoholics and addicts over the past 4 years. This is the third time we have been referred to appendix ii spiritual experience.
Four short years before writing this chapter, the principal author, bill w. We agnostics, a playlist by the big book study from desktop or your mobile device. Both the republication of the god word pamphlet, originally published by aa in great britain, and a request to create a new pamphlet for atheists and agnostics in aa are on the agenda at this years aa. May 21, 2008 in its chapter, we agnostics, the big book outlines its attitude toward spiritual and religious matters. Joe and charlie cover the chapter we agnostics from the big book of alcoholics anonymous in such masterly detail. M download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. I have had many spiritual experiences as a result of this approach as have many of the newcomers i have worked with. One can now listen to the alcoholics anonymous big book from front to back, or by choosing a chapter. Sep 23, 2019 the steps we took by joe mcq is an excellent look at the 12 steps. Book study 20 we agnostics 12 by the big book study published on. Chapter 4 we agnostics page 41 notice the asterisk at the bottom of the page. In essence, the chapter emphasizes that all drunks come into aa as agnostics and godless but, over time, they rid themselves of that ridiculous concept and see the path towards a higher power code speak for the more commonly used word god. Sorting and rendering passages in the proprietary format of the 164 and more concordance does not in any way imply affiliation with or endorsement by either alcoholics.
The big book study our chief responsibility to the newcomer is an adequate presentation of the program home. These comments were commonplace when the big book was written in. Or pick from one of many of the favorite parts we have singled out on our website. Others have accused them of making money on these weekends.
Oct 12, 2017 one of many good places to begin is in alcoholics anonymous aka the big book, specifically chapter 4, we agnostics. The big book step study bbss format, based upon an aa meeting format originated in hyannis, mass. The individual sections of this study guide material reflect ideas, emotions and attitudes you might hear from the. A perspective on we agnostics chapter 4 of the big book. Meeting since january 20, we agnostics group wagdfw of alcoholics anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who offer experience, strength and hope to the recovering alcoholic. A space for aa agnostics, atheists and freethinkers worldwide. We agnostics group of aa meets three times a week in highland park welcome to those. According to the big book, when we speak of god, what do we mean. Joe and charlies we agnostics big book step study my. Mar 09, 2012 there is a chapter in the aa big book titled we agnostics.
The preface provides some background on the author and his experience, along with information about the content of the book. For many of us that seems to be an impossible task. Religious in big book alcoholics anonymous, 12 steps and. Aa big book with questions for discussion emotional. The book carry this message is a companion to the steps we took.
This 1968 book is the story of harry dawes, a modern catholic layman who has lost his faith, and struggles with the questions of existence and belief. Read a history of agnostics in aa online by roger c books free. We confessed or shared our shortcomings with another person in confidence. Each quote is followed by alexs thoughts on the topic and a question for the reader to contemplate. This misconception extends to 12based treatment centers, who are accused of brainwashing their patients rather than treating a disease. We have come to know that the big book of alcoholics anonymous has depth and weight. By don m i have been an avid reader of aa agnostica for several years now and even attended the toronto. It is how joe mcq looks at the steps from the viewpoint of you taking someone through the steps. One more time i have come to believe that there is in fact a great reality. The 164 and more book, ebook, and web site are all concordances which display passages from the big book alcoholics anonymous, the twelve steps and twelve traditions, and the a. In nearly all cases, their ideals must be grounded in a power greater than themselves, if they are to recreate their lives. Bernard basset is a jesuit, and the author of many other books such as we neurotics,born for friendship.
An aa taper made a four tape set of their presentation and called it the big book study. I thought it had to be done precisely as laid out in the big book, and although bill w. One of many good places to begin is in alcoholics anonymous aka the big book, specifically chapter 4, we agnostics. Of course the name we agnostics is also a chapter in the big book. His chapter on these steps has excellent information on how to use these steps to change. He started the joe and charlie big book study weekends in 1980 and brought the message to so many. The big book of quotations for atheists, agnostics, and. I also dont approve of the big book saying i dont know who god is. Aa beyond belief provides a space for agnostics, atheists and. What the big book teaches us about fear workshop by helen v. Mar 29, 2018 conference question literature for we agnostics.