Big book alcoholics anonymous chapter 4 we agnostics pages 44 57. In its chapter, we agnostics, the big book outlines its attitude toward. We agnostics in the preceding chapters you have learned something of alcoholism. The idea of complete deflation and the teachings of the oxford group were offered as a solution to fred the accountant. There is an appendix referenced in we agnostics that notes this. These 164 pages are in the public domain alcoholics anonymous screen 6 of 703. Matthew 3 talks about things like repentance and baptism with the holy spirit and fire and some other ideas that throw the christian. Experience the big book aa meetings available online. It is the sharing of our collective experience, strength, hope and wisdom inspired by our reading of this big book together that will make a difference in our recovery. By the very act of critiquing chapter 4, we agnostics, i admittedly commit aa heresy. The outlines and the promise of the new land had brought lustre sic to tired eyes and fresh. I thought it had to be done precisely as laid out in the big book, and although bill w.
It is dedicated to those who want recovery from alcoholism, but have difficulty with the word god. What if the fourth chapter of the big book, we agnostics had actually been written by atheists and agnostics. The text of this document, original manuscript, was left just as it originally appeared in 1938. The whytehouse is, i hope, a way to find that special phrase or saying etc. Just give people a decent translation i recommend nkjv, and have them read and discuss it like any other book. It is named, of course, after a chapter in alcoholics anonymous often called the big book. The outlines and the promise of the new land had brought lustre to tired. The story of how many thousands of men and women have recovered from alcoholism, is a collection of texts used by members of the alcoholics anonymous fellowship the book has undergone four revisions since william wilson, also known as bill w. Among prominent agnostics have been auguste comte, herbert spencer, and t. One of many good places to begin is in alcoholics anonymous aka the big book, specifically chapter 4, we agnostics. M download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Our goal is to study the steps as a friendly, focused group, and work them as the authors of the big book described. These meetings can be accessed go to thought and click on read more for how to accessfor free via computer, tablets and mobile devices, and also by telephone by calling the teleconference line. Throughout the big book atheists and agnostics are portrayed as people who need to be convinced to open their minds to the idea of having a personal relationship with god.
An agnostic is defined as a person who accepts the concept of god but denies his. The playlist on the right bottom on mobile device is from the seymour big book study on sundays in seymour, ct at the united methodist church of seymour. Aa cofounder bill wilson wrote we agnostics in an attempt to address the issue that. Jan 07, 2011 its not a magical book that requires arcane knowledge to decipher and understand. It is my hope that you will find this site useful to you and our friends of bill w. Immanuel kant was an agnostic who argued that belief in divinity can rest only on faith. In that setting, consider that, over in the corner, sits an old timer who has been around aa for over half a century. Nov 21, 2014 well, thats exactly what this book is about. I guess i was a bit of a fundamentalist at the time and feared that it wouldnt work if i didnt follow directions exactly.
May 21, 2008 in its chapter, we agnostics, the big book outlines its attitude toward spiritual and religious matters. 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. A big book compromise opens aa to unbelievers aa beyond belief. This is the second edition of the book alcoholics anonymous, which made its first appearance in april 1939. The big book of alcoholics anonymous, also referred to as alcoholics anonymous. Pages 44 through 57 chapter 4, we agnostics, is truly a remarkable piece of writing. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the big book of quotations for atheists, agnostics, and secular humanists. In the preceding chapters you have learned something of alcoholism. Chapter 2 there is a solution, chapter 3 more about alcoholism and chapter 4 we agnostics gives us this information. 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.
The 164 and more book, ebook, and web site are all concordances which display passages from the big book alcoholics anonymous, the twelve steps and twelve traditions, and the a. Do we then outline the twelve steps of alcoholics anonymous. It sounds like they are trying to convert me to something. This is a series of big book studies and workshops that are intended to give newcomers an adequate presentation of the program of alcoholics anonymous. We hope we have made clear the distinction between the alcoholic and the nonalcoholic. In doing so, the big book also presents a method by which readers can investigate theological questions for themselves.
We suggest you follow along in your own 4th edition big book and take notes as you listen to the audio. Aug 24, 2009 we have a new site come and check us out thursday night big book study. A little ditty on the big book, alcoholics anonymous. Big book workshop we agnostics big book step study. This is how i imagine it could have been in the preceding chapters you have learned something of alcoholism. 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. How could there possibly be a god when there are so many starving people and wars where everybody says god is on their side. 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. The big book would advise you, however, not to be too perturbed by these references. Many times we talk to a new man and watch his hope rise as we discuss his alcoho lic problems and explain our fellowship. To one who feels he is an atheist or agnostic such an experience. And perhaps thats why we see this in the big book at the end of the. This is a long chapter, but like the rest of the big book, the ideas are simple and straightforward. Oct 12, 2017 one of many good places to begin is in alcoholics anonymous aka the big book, specifically chapter 4, we agnostics.
This was the version of the big book distributed to friends and colleagues of aas founders before the first edition was printed. Stepbystep guide for sponsors a companion to aas big book. Agnostic in big book alcoholics anonymous, 12 steps and 12. Its main object is to enable you to find a power greater than yourself which will solve your problem. We agnostics i n the precedingchapters you have learned something of alcoholism. The we agnostics chapter of the big book just got back from a meeting closed discussion where we read this entire chapter and shared on it holy crap what an arrogant, insulting, and condescending way of looking at atheists and agnostics. The ideas, emotions and attitudes which were once the guiding force of our lives, were cast to one side and replaced with an entirely new set of.
Agnostics pages 44 through 57 chapter 4, we agnostics, is truly a remarkable piece of writing. We wish to make the 12 steps of alcoholics anonymous part of our. It would be helpful to you as you read along to substitute the word food for alcohol and compulsive eater for alcoholic. For many of us that seems to be an impossible task. My sponsor encouraged me to choose my own con ception of a higher power. We believe we need the big book to be as accessible as possible to the next suffering alcoholic who looks to us for help and to the next. They are not aa approved, but are aa permitted to use and adapt the aa 12 step program. 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.
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. The youtube playlist on the left top on mobile device is from the sahara big book study on thursdays in ansonia, ct at the sahara club. Book study 22 we agnostics 22 by the big book study. Newly expanded and improved the purpose of this study guide is to assist those using thegodtest by providing short answers, thoughts, quotes from experts, and possible followup questions to the primary questions asked in thegodtest. Especially, as that word gets used by individuals who embrace traditional religious concepts of. This is a study guide to the book alcoholics anonymous. As we continue to study the big book we will learn there is nothing we can do about the physical allergy of the body. We agnostics aa big book chapter 4 aa big book big book of aa alcoholics anonymous doctors opinion how it works aa preamble alcoholism recovery 4th edition 3rd edition 2nd edition alcohol allergy rehabilitation of alcoholics dr. This page contains the recordings from we agnostics.
We, of alcoholics anonymous, are more than one hundred men and woman who have re. Words contained within the first 164 pages of the big book. A complete big book study recorded live during a big book study over 27 weeks during winterspring 201516 by tim b. Book study 21 we agnostics 21 by the big book study published on 20160829t21. That was great news to us, for we had assumed we could not make. Aa beyond belief provides a space for agnostics, atheists and freethinkers in. In essence, the chapter emphasizes that all drunks come into aa as agnostics and godless but, over time, they rid themselves of that ridiculous concept and see the path towards a higher power code speak for the more commonly used word god. Four short years before writing this chapter, the principal author, bill w. So it was comforting to learn that we could commence at a simpler level. A perspective on we agnostics chapter 4 of the big book. This playlist is from the seymour big book study on sundays in seymour, ct at the united methodist church of seymour. Although these books are not written specifically for the agnostic, they use nonjudgemental direct language and are higherpower neutral. We agnostics assignment we have covered the first and second components of the disease of alcoholism. Reading guide for we agnostics amethyst recovery center.
Some would place him on a level with buddha, some with socrates and some with abraham lincoln. This is because we agnostics includes terms such as creative intelligence, which would appear not to gel with the notion that we are allowed to accept the greater scientific universe as the higher power of our choosing. Please be sure to read appendix ii about the spiritual experience. A compilation of recordings from a 28 week big book workshop. We agnostics chapter of the big book religious forums. Stream tracks and playlists from the big book study. This pdf file is an easyread large print ebook created in 2009 by major1212. Preface to the aa big book fm qual mp3 14mb chapter 1 bills story fm qual mp3 12. Where are the steps outlinedlaid out in the big book. Taken from the book alcoholics anonymous frequently called the big book. The big book of quotations for atheists, agnostics, and. 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. Quad a alcoholics anonymous for atheists and agnostics was launched in 1975 in chicago.
The outlines and the promise of the new land had brought lustre to tired eyes and fresh courage to flagging spirits. Pp 5354 we agnostics the faith of reason the eaa group. This is the audio version of the fourth edition of the big book, the basic text for alcoholics anonymous. This page is dedicated to the recordings that took place beginning with the 80th anniversary of the big book s publishing. Nor do they think that what he said is not open to question, since they do not accept any authority as absolute. Thegodtest study guide pdf download engage resources. He genuinely believed that he had a spiritual experience granted by god, and it was his sincere view that this experience was absolutely necessary to recover from alcoholism. And it means, of course, that we are going to talk about god. And sadly, it is not only an unfortunate choice, it can be a deadly one. Many times we talk to a new man and watch his hope rise as we discuss his alcoholic problems and explain our fellowship. If we are to accept our disease and learn to overcome it, we must accept that we. Oct 04, 2017 anyone, including atheists, agnostics, humanists and freethinkers can get sober in a.
They both have their origin in the ancient greek language. Alcoholism12 step support a perspective on we agnostics chapter 4 of the big book im not going for this god stuff. Due to the covid19 pandemic, the experience the big book meetings will be accessible online as zoom video conferences, starting sunday, march 22, 2020 at 6pm central time. The big book of quotations for atheists, agnostics, and secular humanists kindle edition by probulos, i. Big book workbook is for those who are willing to grow along spiritual lines 60. Aa speaker turn our will and our lives over to the care of god new 20. In fact there is an entire chapter addressed to the agnostic, chapter 4, we agnostics. I also dont approve of the big book saying i dont know who god is. Mar 09, 2012 there is a chapter in the aa big book titled we agnostics.
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. You may rely absolutely on anything they say about themselves. Our chief responsibility to the newcomer is an adequate presentation of the program home. A much more detailed outline of the big book is found in a schematic outline of the big book as found at. What about those sanctimonious church goers who judge me for.
Schematic outline of the first 103 pages of the big book. The eaa group rarely have we seen a person fail who has thoroughly followed our path. In its chapter, we agnostics, the big book outlines its attitude toward spiritual and religious matters. Atheist in big book alcoholics anonymous, 12 steps and 12. One can experience god one way today, and a new way tomorrow. It displays the text of the first 164 pages of the book alcoholics anonymous. Chapter 4 we agnostics page 41 notice the asterisk at the bottom of the page.
P84 many paths to spirituality alcoholics anonymous. I have provided a link in a couple of places on this page for your convenience, so you can get to the search page. The big book step study bbss format, based upon an aa meeting format originated in hyannis, mass. The target audience for we agnostics is relatively easy to define. Many aa agnostics have found these books to be useful and enlightening. The pdf links below the playlist are downloadable versions of the handouts that were given out each week at the studies. This is the heart of the big book, the chapter that introduces the twelve. The preface provides some background on the author and his experience, along with information about the content of the book.
Joe had been studying the big book since 1962, but since he was an africanamerican man living in little rock, arkansas during that time, he was. This misconception extends to 12based treatment centers, who are accused of brainwashing their patients rather than treating a disease. The authors summarize the second letter xxivxxvthe body of the alcoholic is quite as abnormal as his mind. The point is that aa, the twelve steps, and the big book itself, are there to help you to find a power greater than yourself, which will help you solve your problem. Wilson read the chapters aloud during meetings of the new york group. As he began outlining the fifth chapter, how it works, he was dreading. Schematic outline of the first 103 pages of the big book i. List of books and articles about agnosticism online.
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