The AA Preamble – contd

Here it is:

“Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism.

The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking. There are no dues or fees for AA membership; we are self-supporting through our own contributions.

AA is not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organisation or institution; does not wish to engage in any controversy; neither endorses nor opposes any causes. Our primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety.”

(our emphasis)

“direct personal participation or observation; actual knowledge or contact” to be contrasted with opinion: “a belief or conclusion held with confidence but not substantiated by positive knowledge or proof”

It may be noted from the above that “experience” refers to “direct personal participation or observation”. This does not imply of itself that any statement may be made as to the general validity of the observation etc so acquired unless it is similarly confirmed by repetition by others (eg. the scientific method). Thus although one individual may have an “experience”, draw certain conclusions from it and determine their future actions accordingly, it does not automatically follow that another individual should act similarly until they too have confirmed the sequence. But even here different people may have similar experiences (it is impossible for these experiences to be identical) but draw varying conclusions which may tend towards a differing outcome. Or to put it another way - just because something works well for you doesn't automatically mean that it will for others. Hence although we may “share” our “experience” with others in the hope that they may arrive at similar conclusions - and benefit accordingly - we cannot assume this to be the case; this would be the height of arrogance. The dogma associated with the cult, however, runs counter to this principle. Here it is indeed assumed that 'one size fits all' regardless of the outcome as newcomers are manipulated, coerced or directed to abide by a set of frequently quite arbitrary 'rules' (or “suggestions” in cult speak), and where failure to comply leads necessarily to relapse. However “experience” demonstrates that it is entirely possible to get and remain sober without doing the steps, without the assistance of a sponsor, without praying (on your knees or in any other position), without writing gratitude lists, without ringing up (and boring) two newcomers a day, without studying the Big Book (as if it were some subject to be mastered!) etc etc etc. It's even possible for an alcoholic to get sober without attending AA at all! Who'd have thought it!

Cheers

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)