http://mikelrecovery.blogspot.com/2009/06/aa-began-before-dr-bobs-last-relapse.html
This week, I received a comment and opposing view on that blog from Dick B., a rather well known AAer, writer and historian.
Dick commented:
Interesting point about WHEN A.A. began. Lois thought it began back in New York. T. Henry thought it began when Dr. Bob dropped to his knees with the little fellowship and prayed for recovery. And some dispute the dates. However, as I wrote some time ago in The Akron Genesis of Alcoholics Anonymous, the key point is not WHEN A.A. began. The key point is that it did begin in Akron in 1935; and Bill and Bob dated the beginning of the first group Akron Number One as the day that A.A. Number Three Bill Dotson walked out of the hospital a free man. It should be noted that there were no Steps or Traditions or meetings or drunkalogs. And no Big Book. All three men turned to God for help and then were cured by the power of God. There's a lesson there.
http://www.dickb.com/index.shtml
God Bless, Dick B.
My response to Dick follows:
Dick--I agree that it doesn't really matter about WHEN AA began, but I wasn't trying to make a historical point. I was trying to make a "meaning" point --- which was that in my opinion (no authority needed for that) one of the most important points in time in the process of AA "becoming" was the talk between Bill and Bob at that kitchen table on Mother's Day, 1935. A talk that was, according to Bob's conditions for even meeting with this stranger, supposed to last no more than 15 minutes. It ended up lasting 6 hours more than those 15 minutes.
It was, according to the author of A Member's Eye View of AA, the first recorded time that one alcoholic reached out to another drunk with the intent to that it would help them stay sober.
You and I may disagree about when AA began, but that disagreement would be akin to a Pro Lifer and a Right to Lifer arguing about when "human life" begins: at conception? at birth? Who knows.
We also seem to disagree about the "key point" in terms of the importance of AA's beginning: you identify the importance being the turning to God for help and that God somehow cured these 3 men.
I rather think that the "key point" in AAs coming about was (and is!) the fact of two alcoholics coming together to help each other with their disease. In addition, one of the "key points" in this weird organization's continued success was the two early AAers who were atheists and what they did to ensure this organization would survive beyond a few weeks, months or years. These two atheists helped keep AA from becoming a religious, non-denominational or not, organization which it would have certainly become had these three supposed spiritual giants, Bill W., Dr. Bob and Bill D. had their way.
It was these two atheists who fought tooth and nail against the over-religiosity of early AA (under the strong influence of the Oxford Group and others...) and I believe it was that atheistic stubbornness which eventually resulted in several AA literary gems that many, many members now attribute as a major reason why they were and have been able to stay in AA: "Higher Power," "as you understand Him" and "a power greater than yourself". Those phrases didn't originate from Bill: they were pushed down his throat and the throats of the other pioneers of AA by two stubborn atheists. Not Agnostics. Atheists.
I personally think that AA's doing quite well today. I don't have any desire to get AA to get back to its roots. I suspect that you do -- I wish you well on your endeavor of herding cats.
The reason we don't do things like they did in the early days is not because we've become lazy or followers of Satan. We no longer do things like make newcomers kneel down in a room upstairs and say the 3rd step prayer BEFORE being allowed into their first meeting anymore BECAUSE IT DOESN'T WORK NOW and probably didn't work all too well back then...at least long term.
But that's my opinion. AA as an organization, and as a group, traditionally has "no opinions" on outside issues, but the fact that most people fail to understand is that as an organization, groups and members: AAers have ONLY opinions about INSIDE issues. Should we or anyone else disagree on that statement, well, that just goes to prove my point.
I suppose that is also another key reason I've been able to stay in this weird organization.
Take care Dick. I have to admit that I am honored to have such a well known AAer and historian visit my blog. That said, I'm not at all overwhelmed by your celebrity or supposed authority. I was mentored by one of the greats in AA and one of the great lessons he taught me was to be careful of the "I Know The Way Gang". There is no "outside authority" in or within AA: the only "ultimate" authority is what's found to be true in our individual hearts.
Our names for that ultimate authority are different; none of us has to be wrong.
Take care!
Mike L.
Sometimes the comments I receive are amazing and I hate to have them buried down so deep in the blog... So for this one, I thought I would like to highlight it a little.
Take care!
Mike L.
