Following Rick’s lead, I went back a few months and studied a comment someone left in response to an earlier post. When I first read it a while back, I shook my head and went on, but this time, I could not restrain myself from opining!
I will not use real names because I do not want to embarrass anyone or cause any sort of ill will. I honestly do care about the person even though the comments in question tend to get me a little riled up! But first, it seems like I should ask – is this some kind of joke by the blog administrator? Is anyone really THAT much of a religious fundamentalist?
If this were a real comment by an actual person (and from here on out, I will assume that it is real), then the author of these comments (Joseph) is a real example of someone in dire need of a spiritual experience. Among the clues: his comments do not seem to come from a place of love and unity. When I read his words, it sounds like they are coming from a lonely place of hatred and divisiveness (rooted in fear, of course, as we have learned is at the root of all negative emotions).
Joseph’s ornery and oppugnant comments are indicative of a belief system that is every bit as dangerous as those of Islamic fundamentalists. It is over the top, and it seems blatantly offensive to folks who are visiting this blog looking for a real solution.
Joseph states that 12–step programs are inherently evil. In reality, of course, twelve step programs are anything but. Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, and related groups have helped millions of people all over the world either get clean and sober for good, or given them a temporary respite from the misery that is addiction. Hundreds of thousands of recovered addicts and alcoholics all over the world are now free to make wise and healthy choices, thanks to Alcoholics Anonymous.
What do A.A. and other twelve step programs have to do with Satan? AA is not a satanic cult because it does not worship Satan. When someone refers to a satanic cult, he usually means a group that is involved in sincere veneration to Satan. AA does not venerate Satan or any other fictional or non–fictional enemies of God. Each is entitled to his or her views, but Satan is not mentioned – approvingly, anyway – anywhere in the A.A. conference–approved literature.
Likewise, you referred to the writings of Bill Wilson as Antichrist propaganda. I cannot find any statement in the literature that even mentions Jesus or Christ, or Christ’s antihero for that matter.
Some may disagree, but Satan is certainly not a literal character or being. Satan is not a fallen angel or any other evil, paranormal cherub who is constantly tugging at our dark side. Satan is a metaphorical personification of separateness or ego. Satan is an anthropomorphic way to refer to the state of being sequestered from love, or “Apart from”, as Chuck C. likes to say (again and again) in his fantastic recovery book, A New Pair of Glasses. And hell is being there. (Oh wow, how I digress!)
Joseph, I have a couple of questions for you
- Whom or what persuaded you to ditch your friends at A.A. and join such a radical movement? I mean, if you were in A.A. for three decades, surely you must have derived some benefit from it, right?
- Why do you say you are a gift to all people? Of course you are entitled to your opinion, but man, that bizarre statement seems rather invidious and obnoxious, if I may say so. I already know you are a gift to all people, you do not need to announce it here. All of us are gifts to humankind, but you are no more a gift than the next fellow. Nor am I.
