ALCOHICS ANONYMOUS
A Biblical Perspective


Plus an update on
NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS

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      When this Bible study was first made public in 1986, our purpose was to present the Bible, and dictionary supported fact, that A.A. (Alcoholics Anonymous) was a religion.  What we did not know at that time was that in 1984, in a Summary Court Judgment, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin had already realized that fact.  What follows is a court summary of the case, and the outcome based on the court's decision, followed by the Biblical Perspective.

      The following excerpt, including the Court's decision on A.A., has been quoted from the Department of Health and Social Services, MEMO SERIES DCS-8S IS/ACTION dated February 12th, 1985, regarding the Intoxicated Driver Program-Advisory Notice on Legal Issues and Recommendations on Procedural Safeguards.  This State Advisory Memo was directed to: Assessment Facility Contacts, Designated Coordinators for the IDP, and all State-Approved AODA Programs:

"Freedom from Religious Indoctrination"

      During 1984, an intoxicated driver client pursued a federal civil rights suit alleging abridgment of his first amendment right to freedom of religion.  The suit was filed against five defendants: Price County Council on Alcoholism, Inc.; Unified Services Board of Ashland, Iron, and Price Counties; Ashland County; Iron County; and Price County.  The suit contended that the client's drivers licenses, (including a chauffeur's license), were unreasonably suspended indefinitely by the Department of Transportation (DOT), based on the Price County Council's noncompliance report. This was unreasonable, the client claimed, because he was not able to complete his Driver Safety Plan requiring inpatient treatment due to (allegedly) imposed religion.  Examples were religious artifacts and activities such as required readings and prayer meetings involving Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) programming at a religiously supported hospital inpatient AODA treatment program.

      The first trial before Judge Shabaz of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin ended in a mistrial due to a deadlocked jury.  Two days before the re-trial was to begin, the suit was settled with an out-of-court cash settlement arranged by the attorneys and insurance companies.  Unresolved by the jury was whether or not the Price County Council (which made the IDP referral and filed the noncompliance report, but is not an inpatient provider) had offered the client the option of receiving "inpatient alcohol treatment at facilities that used non-religious treatment programs."  The other question to the jury would have been whether or not religious activities, such as AA, were a mandatory part of the inpatient treatment facility's alcoholism program.

      Based on the final pre-trial conference before the scheduled re-trial, Judge Shabaz issued several summary judgments dated November19, 1984.  He found that the two following issues were of "no genuine issue of material fact" and that the new jury would not have to make a determination, because the court had decided:

1. That the client's "choice to enter the treatment program was, ...coerced, because it was made under threat of losing his license."

2. "Religion was", (and still is), "a part in the treatment program...Alcoholics Anonymous materials...and the testimony of the witnesses established without a doubt that religious activities, as defined in constitutional law, were a part of the treatment program.  The distinction between religion and spirituality is meaningless, "from a constitutional standpoint".

      These statements by the court have had immediate impact on the IDP Procedures in Ashland, Iron, and Price Counties, since the summary judgments are binding on the (5) parties named in the Federal suit.  The Unified Services Board has amended its 1985 contract language with its providers specifically prohibiting any "mandatory religious programming" as defined by the court.  The assessment facilities routinely inform AODA clients about this issue when explaining the treatment programs available to the client.  Treatment providers are offering secular alternatives and informing ALL service recipients of their constitutional right to not participate in or be subject to any religious activities or elements.

      The Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) recognizes AA's assertions that it has no religious affiliation and that it is not a religious organization.  The Department also recognizes the inestimable support that AA membership and AODA programming have provided for many recovering people.  However, since this court proceeding and several others have found religious and spiritual activities impossible to distinguish from a constitutional standpoint, the Department encourages programs to take a proactive stance and avoid unnecessary legal challenges.  In addition to the discussion below, we do anticipate that there will be revisions in the code related to client rights and optional programming in the conflict of interest section of CH. HSS 62, Wis. Adm. Code, "Assessment of Drivers with Alcohol or Controlled Substance Problems".

      The Division suggests that ALL AODA programs review their treatment plans to see if they require participation in any program that can be construed as religious.  If so, it is recommended that programs also offer optional parallel secular (non-religious and non-spiritual) programming.   Minimally, community service boards and human services departments (CSBHSC's) and IDP assessment facilities MUST assure accessibility to optional parallel secular programming.  Optional secular programs may be structured as individual or group therapy, counseling, or discussion sessions without AA involvement and without planned or religious or spiritual content.  During secular programs, clients may initiate religious or spiritual discussion, but the program providers or group leaders should not present or require discussions of a spiritual or religious nature.

      State certification of ALL treatment facilities requires adherence to client rights, under s. 57.67, Wis. Stats., which include freedom in religious participation.  ALL IDP assessment agencies should also include this program information when assisting clients in choosing among the appropriate treatment providers in order to complete their Driver Safety Plan.

      The Division is in the process of establishing a sample from which can be used by ALL IDP assessment agencies.  It will be a form for client signature, which can be given to the client and kept in the IDP client file, to ensure client acknowledgment of receipt of this and other civil rights.

      You are reminded that attendance at any (community) self-help group can only occur with the IDP client's consent.  Self-help group involvement, alone, has never been acceptable as a complete Driver Safety Plan (DSP); approved AODA programs are the basic DSP for IDP clients with dependency findings.  Self-help groups should (except when there has been prior membership and renewed agreement) only be considered for part of the individualized treatment plan (which is developed and agreed to between the client and the treater) when the DSP already includes AODA programs or treatment services and the client voluntarily agrees." (End quote)

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      Recent findings concerning alcoholism, NOT BEING A DISEASE, have also shaken up the AA system.  Of course, students of the Bible have also been aware of this fact for quite some time.  If you would like a copy of the DHSS MEMO on AA being a religion, or other information on alcohol or drug abuse counseling from a Christian, Biblical perspective, or information on psychiatric drug abuse in our society, direct all inquiries to the information found at the end of this study.  You can also obtain additional information in the form of other printable Bible studies on our website.

THE BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVE


Alcoholics Anonymous, first formed as a help agency for people abusing alcohol, is now accepted nationwide in courts, communities, detention homes, prisons and jails.  Most people, committing alcohol related crimes, are at the very least, literally forced to be exposed to the tenets and teachings of the AA religion.  Now those involved with AA would immediately take issue with their organization being called a "religion".  Yet, as English speaking people, we are bound by the dictionary definitions of the words we use.  The dictionary gives this definition of religion: 'The beliefs, attitudes, emotions, behavior, etc., constituting man's relationship with the powers and principalities of the universe...'

These excerpts from AA teachings, such as the 12 steps that follow…
Step #2 - "...believe that a POWER greater than us..."
Step #3 - "... God as we understood Him..."
Step #5 - "...Admit to God..."
Step #6 - "...have God remove..."
Step #7 - "...ask Him to remove..."
Step #11 - "...improve our conscious contact with God, as we understand Him, praying only for knowledge of His will..."

give us more than enough evidence of the fact that AA is most certainly and definitely a religion.

      Should a born-again, Bible-believing, Christian be involved with AA?  Should they support AA or encourage others to be involved with AA?  Before we make the correct choice, let's look at some more information.

      AA is categorized, obviously, as a polytheistic religion. That is, in the AA scope of things, you may choose anything or anybody as your "Higher Power" (or God).  The terms, "Higher Power" and "God", are used because of their ambiguity and could even include an Atheist, whose "Higher Power" is himself.  Thus, the Atheist, the Islamic, the Hindu, the Buddhist, the Moonie, the Mormon, the Jehovah's Witness, the Catholic, the 7th Day Adventist, the Christian Scientist, etc., may all gather together in prayer, fellowship and encouragement of those having common cause.   Yet, each has a different god.

      The Bible encourages true Christians to study the Scriptures, so that they will not be "ashamed" Christians.  Let's look at a few verses from the Bible concerning this polytheistic, religious thinking.

Exodus 20:3-5
3. "You shall have no other gods before Me,"
4. "You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on earth beneath or in the water under the earth."
5. "You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me."

Isaiah 45:5 & 6
5. "I am the LORD, and there is no other; besides Me there is no god.  I will gird you, though you have not known Me'"
6. "That men may know from the rising to the setting of the sun that there is no one besides Me.  I am the LORD, and there is no other..."

John 14:6
6. "Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me."

      The Bible also refers to Jesus as "...Our Great God and Savior", Titus 2:13.  In fact, 2 John 9 warns that if Christ's teachings are ignored, that the person ignoring them does not have the true God (or any other god, for that matter, since there are no other gods).

      In John 4:22, Jesus responds to a woman who was religious, but did not know the one true God, "You worship that which you do not know".

      In Acts 17:23, Paul, speaking to the polytheistic Greeks of Athens, states, "What you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you."  Neither our Lord Jesus, nor His disciples, had any problem understanding God's dislike of polytheism or correcting it when necessary.  Polytheism, which is better defined as idolatry, is willful disobedience to God's commands, a crime against God; SIN, to be exact (Romans 1: 19-23).
19. because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them.
20. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.
21. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God, or give thanks; but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
22. Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23. and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.

1 Corinthians 10:28 teaches the Christian not to even eat meat offered to idols. 28. But if anyone should say to you, "This is meat sacrificed to idols," do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for conscience' sake;

1 Corinthians 10:14 commands us to flee from idolatry (or polytheism).
14. Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.

2 Corinthians 6:14 & 17 requires avoiding a mixed "fellowship of unbelievers".
14. Now God has not only raised the Lord, but will also raise us up through His power.
17. But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him.

      The obedient Christian, then, has the following responsibilities to those involved in Alcoholics Anonymous:
            1. Not to be involved with AA, if at all possible.
            2. Warn them of their sin of idolatry.
            3. Point them to the only true and living God, the Father of our LORD and Savior, Jesus Christ.
            4. Warn them not to join "religious fellowships" of unbelievers.

      Polytheism, or idolatry, is not the only fly in AA's ointment.  God, through His Holy Word, the Bible, puts His finger on another error in their philosophy.

      AA would have us believe that alcohol abuse is a disease, an allergy, contracted at times, genetically.  Although there is no cure, abstinence, they claim, can help keep it in remission.  This theory, like the Theory of Evolution, proclaims scientific support, of which none exists, other than psychiatric speculation.

      The Bible teaches that the only times of abstinence from alcoholic beverages are by personal choice, vows, or fasting.   It is NOT a method of advancing personal spirituality or spiritual growth.  Nor is it of any value against fleshly indulgence (Colossians 2:20-23).

      The word used in the Bible to define the abuse of alcohol is "drunkenness", and the person, a "drunkard". "Drunkenness" is NOT a disease but is a SIN, a "deed of the flesh".  In fact, this sin, along with idolatry (polytheism), as well as other sins, are listed in Galatians 5:19-21…
19. "Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality,
20. idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions,
21. envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you just as I have forewarned you that those who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God."

and 1 Corinthians 5:11 and 6:10.
5:11- "But actually, I wrote to you not to associate with any so-called brother if he should be an immoral person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a swindler not even to eat with such a one."
6:10- "nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, shall inherit the kingdom of God."

Romans 13:12-14 also reveals that drunkenness is a behavioral problem, a SIN.
12. "The night is almost gone, and the day is at hand. Let us therefore lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.
13. Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy.
14. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to it's lusts."

      How does God's Word say we, as Christians, should handle this sin that A.A. calls a disease?  In Galatians 5:19-21, as shown above, God states that if we "walk by the Spirit" we will be totally and miraculously cured of drunkenness.

      Literally millions have been cured of alcohol and drug abuse by this very method.  It is God's method and the ONLY one that has lasting results.  Drunkenness (alcoholism) is a spiritual problem and must be treated by the one true God's method, found in the Bible.  "Walking by the Spirit" begins by recognizing these Biblical truths:
      1. That you have committed crimes (sinned) against the one true God, and that you deserve to be punished in Hell forever.
Romans 3:23 - "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,"
Romans 6:23 - "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Revelation 21:8 - "But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."

      2. That the one true God, the Father, allowed His Son to leave His Godly power in heaven, and to become a human being - Jesus Christ.   That this God/Man paid the full penalty for all your sins with His body and blood on the cross, died and rose from the grave three days later.
John 1:1 & 14 - "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
Philippians 2:6-8 - "who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.  And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross."
1 Peter 2:24 - "and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed."

      3. And, that by faith in Jesus' work on the cross, you now have received the free gift of total forgiveness, eternal life (heaven FOR SURE);
1 John 5:13 - "These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, in order that you may KNOW that you HAVE eternal life".

      Consequently, His Holy Spirit is, living in you to give you real power and victory over, not only drunkenness but over ALL your sins.

Romans 6:23 - "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. "

Ephesians 2:8 & 9 - "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast.  For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them."

Galatians 5:25 - "If we walk by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit."

      To continue to "walk by the Spirit", God's Word, the Bible must be studied, meditated on and obeyed.  This is how God speaks to us, showing us His will and true plan for our lives.

      We need to pray to the Father, through the blood and mediation of His Son, the LORD Jesus Christ; this is how we talk to the one true and living God.  And we need to talk to others about Jesus and that He is the ONLY way to the true and living God.

John 14:6 - "Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me."

      In the Beginner's Manual, published by A.A., we find this statement titled, "If 'God' spoke to A.A. 'He' might have said: "Into your (A.A.'s) weak and feeble hands I (God) have entrusted a power beyond your estimate.  To you has been given that which has been denied to the most learned of your fellows.  Not to scientists or statesmen, not to wives or mothers, not even to my priests and ministers have I given this gift of healing other alcoholics, which I entrust to you." (Parentheticals added)

      There are many religions that claim extra-Biblical revelation and power.  Obviously, A.A. would like to join the ranks of those that make such claims, by this imagined speech from their god.  The fantasy goes on to claim the A.A. organization as the ONLY hope of anyone abusing alcohol to the point of their definition as an alcoholic.  Not even we born-again Christians, who are God's ministers and priests, are able to share in this gift given by A.A.'s god to them, they say.

      God, in Deuteronomy 13:6-11, states that anyone encouraging someone else to worship anything or anyone other than the one true and living God was to be put to death.
6. "If your brother, your mother's son, or your son or daughter, or the wife you cherish, or your friend who is as your own soul, entice you secretly, saying, `Let us go and serve other gods' (whom neither you nor your fathers have known,
7. of the gods of the peoples who are around you, near you or far from you, from one end of the earth to the other end),
8. you shall not yield to him or listen to him; and your eye shall not pity him, nor shall you spare or conceal him.
9. "But you shall surely kill him; your hand shall be first against him to put him to death, and afterwards the hand of all the people.
10. "So you shall stone him to death because he has sought to seduce you from the Lord your God who brought you out from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.
11. "Then all Israel will hear and be afraid, and will never again do such a wicked thing among you.

      Jesus tells us that people having a higher power (god) other than the one true God, which is idolatry, will be in the Lake of Fire.
      Revelation 21:8 - "But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."

      Yes, God takes a very dim view of idolatry, and so do all true followers of Jesus Christ.

      Do not be deceived by "situation ethics". That is the thinking which teaches that the "end justifies the means".  You do not have to become an idolater while you are being cured of your drunkenness.  Christ, NOT A.A., has the only power to properly cure the drunkard (alcoholic).
      Philippians 4:13 - "We can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens us."

      This accusation was made of the Apostle Paul in Acts 19:26.
      "This Paul has persuaded and turned away considerable numbers of people, saying that gods made with hands are no gods at all."

      Christian, can this accusation be made of you? Or are you encouraging idolatry by your silence?

LATEST UPDATE ON NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS


      Since this Bible study was first distributed in 1986, about Alcoholics Anonymous being a religion, our investigation of Narcotics Anonymous (NA) materials also revealed that NA is also a religion.  From the "White" Book, an introductory booklet given to clients of NA, we quote from their FOREWORD:

      "Our Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions were adopted from those of Alcoholics Anonymous. We are deeply grateful to the AA Fellowship for showing us the way to a new life."  (End quote)

      Like AA, N.A calls itself a "fellowship" (page 1), and considers drug addiction a "disease" (page 3).  Their list of "spiritual principles", (pgs. 3-5) are identical to those in the AA Beginner's Manual (little blue booklet, pg. 46), except for the substituting of the word (drug) "addiction" in place of the AA's "alcohol".  On page xiii of the 290 page N.A. Basic Test black book, NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS states:

      "With gratitude in our cleanliness, we dedicate our N.A. book to the loving service of our Higher Power; that through the development of a conscious contact with God, no addict seeking recovery need die without having had a chance to find a better way of life." (End quote)

      Reader, be not deceived!  Both AA and N.A. are bedfellows in polytheistic, idolatrous religious practices.  Again, we warn any Christian who fellowships with such a multi-god religion, that you are in disobedience to 2 Corinthians 6:14-18.  We forewarn you again, even as Galatians 5:20-21 has forewarned you, that if you choose to practice idolatry by joining and staying in any of these two fellowships-AA or N.A- or both of them, rather than joining a One God Only (Jesus Christ), blood-washed, born-again, once-saved-always-saved, Bible-believing church and fellowship, that you "shall NOT inherit the Kingdom of God."

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