What about those sanctimonious church goers who judge me for. The final point is that belief in god, acceptance of christ, and study of the bible are still quite available, viable, and dear to many of us in todays are christians. Suspended we agnostics austin aa hill country intergroup. We confessed or shared our shortcomings with another person in confidence. Thus, physicians need to inquire about the patients spirituality and to learn how. It is fair to say that countless addicts and alcoholics have stayed clear of 12step recovery because of the pervasive nature of the word god in the big book. Newly expanded and improved the purpose of this study guide is to assist those using the god test by providing short answers, thoughts, quotes from experts, and possible followup questions to the primary questions asked in the god test. Schematic outline of the first 103 pages of the big book. This web site is dedicated to developing a collective dialogue amongst like minded individuals, those that might call themselves the new agnostics.
I also dont approve of the big book saying i dont know who god is. In the preceding chapters you have learned something of alcoholism. By the very act of critiquing chapter 4, we agnostics, i admittedly commit aa heresy. This misconception extends to 12based treatment centers, who are accused of brainwashing their patients rather than treating a disease. 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. And one should read page 191 of the big book for bill wilsons own statement. Were hoping to use this blog to connect with other nonreligious people who are. We have a new site come and check us out thursday night big book study.
The purpose of this study guide is to enable the student to better understand the information the authors of the book, alcoholics anonymous, intended to impart to each of us based on their experience and knowledge of alcoholism and their program of recovery. That means we have written a book which we believe to be spiritual as well as moral. We agnostics is the fourth chapter of alcoholics anonymous, or the fifth if you include the doctors opinion. The purpose of this study guide is to enable the student to better understand the information the authors of the book, alcoholics anonymous, intended to impart to each of us based on their experience and knowledge of alcoholism and. Agnostics article about agnostics by the free dictionary. 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. Created especially for high school and college students, this anthology collects letters, essays, diary entries, book excerpts, blogs, and other brief readings by atheists and agnostics from ancient times to the present, from wellknown philosophers to ordinary people.
Oct 12, 2017 one of many good places to begin is in alcoholics anonymous aka the big book, specifically chapter 4, we agnostics. Insofar as i may be heard by anything, which may or may not care what i say, i ask, if it matters, that i be forgiven for anything i may have done or failed to do which requires forgiveness. May 21, 2008 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. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the big book of quotations for atheists, agnostics, and secular humanists. Many times we talk to a new man and watch his hope rise as we discuss. 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.
How could there possibly be a god when there are so many starving people and wars where everybody says god is on their side. With god to illinois,lets start praying again, etc. Another definition provided is the view that human reason is incapable of providing sufficient rational grounds to justify either the belief that god exists or the belief that god does not exist. 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. They are not aa approved, but are aa permitted to use and adapt the aa 12 step program. And it means, of course, that we are going to talk about god. To one who feels he is an atheist or agnostic such an experience seems. 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. This is now accurately known as a result of the aris studies. I am pleased to see the site still attracts visitors, some of whom take the time to reply with their thoughts. 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.
The authors summarize the second letter xxivxxvthe body of the alcoholic is quite as abnormal as his mind. Insofar as i may be heard by anything, which may or may not care what i say, i ask, if it matters, that i be forgiven for anything i may. We wish to make the 12 steps of alcoholics anonymous part of our. Agnostic in big book alcoholics anonymous, 12 steps and 12. 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.
Big book workshop we agnostics big book step study. Mar 29, 2018 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. Alcoholism12 step support a perspective on we agnostics chapter 4 of the big book im not going for this god stuff. M download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Top 10 agnostic blogs and websites for agnostics in 2020. Each quote is followed by alexs thoughts on the topic and a question for the reader to contemplate. 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. Agnosticism is the view that the existence of god, of the divine or the supernatural is unknown or unknowable. We agnostics chapter of the big book religious forums. Chapter 4 we agnostics this chapter explains the atheist and the believer and how some us came to believe in a power greater than. Although these books are not written specifically for the agnostic, they use nonjudgemental direct language and are higherpower neutral. Oct, 2016 it is fair to say that countless addicts and alcoholics have stayed clear of 12step recovery because of the pervasive nature of the word god in the big book. A perspective on we agnostics chapter 4 of the big book. We agnostics assignment we have covered the first and second components of the disease of alcoholism.
Agnostics understand that there are reasons people believe in the creation of the universe by a higher power, and we also understand that theres reason to believe our existence could have been a. Often, the spiritual history can be incorporated into what we may now want to call. You may rely absolutely on anything they say about themselves. Talking about survey, alan cooperman, associate director for research, said that american atheists and agnostics tend to be people who grew up in a religious tradition and consciously gave it up, often after a great deal of reflection and study. This is the heart of the big book, the chapter that introduces the twelve steps of alcoholics anonymous, and is so revered that it is read to open. We agnostics i n the precedingchapters you have learned something of alcoholism. Its not a magical book that requires arcane knowledge to decipher and understand.
Aa cofounder bill wilson wrote we agnostics in an attempt to address the issue. Big book workbook is for those who are willing to grow along spiritual lines 60. They both have their origin in the ancient greek language. Four short years before writing this chapter, the principal author, bill w. Nov 21, 2014 that means we have written a book which we believe to be spiritual as well as moral.
Sep 07, 2017 quad a alcoholics anonymous for atheists and agnostics was launched in 1975 in chicago. Oct 05, 2014 i thought it had to be done precisely as laid out in the big book, and although bill w. The number of american adults with agnostic beliefs. 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. Thegodtest study guide pdf download engage resources. I thought it had to be done precisely as laid out in the big book, and although bill w. Words so important that they have been officially declared unchangeable by act of aas general service conference. The church of the apathetic agnostic welcomes you to apatheticagnostic. Words contained within the first 164 pages of the big book. 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. Quad a alcoholics anonymous for atheists and agnostics was launched in 1975 in chicago.
We hope we have made clear the distinction between the alcoholic and the nonalcoholic. Schematic outline of the first 103 pages of the big book i. They summarized what they learned from the oxford group in six simple principles. The target audience for we agnostics is relatively easy to define. 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. We admitted we were licked, that we were powerless over alcohol.
The final point is that belief in god, acceptance of christ, and study. The writing of the bible could be referred to as one of the worst cases of the game telephone in existence. Reading guide for we agnostics amethyst recovery center. Agnosticism ontario consultants on religious tolerance. Taken from the book alcoholics anonymous frequently called the big book. We agnostics in the preceding chapters you have learned something of alcoholism. One of many good places to begin is in alcoholics anonymous aka the big book, specifically chapter 4, we agnostics. We have nothing against religious people, but since the adoption community seems to have a very christian tilt, we want to make it clear from the title who we are. I guess i was a bit of a fundamentalist at the time and feared that it wouldnt work if i didnt follow directions exactly. The big book offers these actions without predicting the exact spiritual experience that will result for a given individual, nor does it impose any conceptions upon the reader. Agnostics definition of agnostics by medical dictionary. If we are to accept our disease and learn to overcome it, we must accept that. Popular agnosticism books meet your next favorite book. Written and repeatedly rewritten, edited and cherrypicked in fragments over 1500 years by literally hundred of individuals, often mistranslating from one language to another, and finally carefully edited to please kings and powerful clerics, the king james edition would not bear any.
Our goal is to study the steps as a friendly, focused group, and work them as the authors of the big book described. Atheist in big book alcoholics anonymous, 12 steps and 12. And once again, i was amazed how easy it is for people to read and discuss scripture, even when they may not know anything about it, or even believe its true. Pages 44 through 57 chapter 4, we agnostics, is truly a remarkable piece of writing. According to the big book, when we speak of god, what do we mean. Bernard basset is a jesuit, and the author of many other books such as we neurotics,born for friendship. The eaa group rarely have we seen a person fail who has thoroughly followed our path. Preface to the aa big book fm qual mp3 14mb chapter 1 bills story fm qual mp3 12. In 1998, aamc developed medical school objectives related to spirituality. Aug 24, 2009 we have a new site come and check us out thursday night big book study. It is named, of course, after a chapter in alcoholics anonymous often called the big book. If, when you honestly want to, you find you cannot quit entirely, or if when drinking, you have little control over the amount you take, you are probably alcoholic.
Many times we talk to a new man and watch his hope rise as we discuss his alcoho lic problems and explain our fellowship. For many of us that seems to be an impossible task. Ive discovered that a lot of people ignore it, especially people that adhere to a particular religious tradition, and feel that theyve got the idea of faith in a higher power under control. It sounds like they are trying to convert me to something. We want to be defined by principles and not what we dont believe.