Why I Appreciate the Work of Alcoholics Anonymous
How AA changed our family relationships during the past thirty years
Alcoholism runs in my family. For this reason, I chose never to drink. My brother made a different choice when he was still a teen. He became an alcoholic and later started using illegal drugs. He married someone who coped with life’s challenges in a similar way. AA helped both conquer their addictions to alcohol and drugs. At the same time, their church helped them deal with what they recognized as sin and guilt in a way AA alone could not. AA can help change behavior. Only God can atone for and forgive sin.
Vincent V. Triola, who admittedly is not a Christian, considers AA a Christian heresy: “AA is actually a bizarre booze-based religion coopting many Christian concepts.” I reject his analysis. One of his criticisms is that those in AA can choose a god of their own making who does not resemble the Christian God at all. AA encourages people to seek help from God as they understand Him. When I read Triola’s opinion piece comparing AA and Christianity, I couldn’t help responding.
Is AA a Christian heresy?
It’s true that AA members are exhorted to turn their will and lives over to the care of God as they understand Him. It’s in their literature and I just…
