The other issue that I have with AA in more general terms is this: does anyone else see a problem with people being so indoctrinated to “keeping out of the debating society” and being so deadly afraid of their “stinking thinking” that they are so unwilling to even spend a few hours looking outside of their “comfort zone” politically? I’ve spent some time searching the Web to see if there is anything available along the lines of “how does a Conservative function happily in AA?” and haven’t come across anything
My brother was in AA for a year, He had been a practicing alcoholic for over a decade. He left AA after one year of sobriety. He’s never been back and never had another drop to drink (his kids would tell on him if he did)......but he doesn’t think too highly of AA. He cannot figure out why people feel the need to continue going for years on end.
I told him that people are just different and some need that brotherhood or fellowship, whatever you call it.
but he doesn’t think too highly of AA
Kept him sober , didn’t it ?
Last year I played softball with an elderly gentleman named John who never had a drink of alcohol in his life. Unfortunately his adult son is an alcoholic to the worst extreme.
John goes to the meetings several days a week every single week in order to offer guidance to the members there and also maintain his strength in dealing with his own son's alcohol abuse.........
There are many people that can get (and stay) sober without AA or any other programs. I have 2 family members (that were very active alcoholics for decades) that quit later in life and stayed stopped for 20+ years until their death. Personally I stopped drinking for almost 9 years without any program. I now know that I wasn't as "sober" as I could have been during those years, but I didn't touch a drop and my life improved dramatically.
On the "fellowship" aspect. That was what I found to be the most useful part of going to meetings. Once I understood how to use the steps as a "guide to living" on a daily basis (and became willing to practice them to the best of my abilities each day), going to meetings provided a sort of "community" for me. That is why I find them so difficult now, I really don't feel a part of a group of people that hold such dangerous and disturbing beliefs, and show a reckless disregard for their actions as citizens.