Alcoholics Anonymous
Members Login
Username 
 
Password 
    Remember Me  
Miracles In Progress 12 Step Recovery Forums -> Alcoholics Anonymous -> Alcoholics Anonymous -> 1940 "Definition of an Alcoholic Anonymous" from "A manual for Alcoholics Anonymous"
Post Info TOPIC: 1940 "Definition of an Alcoholic Anonymous" from "A manual for Alcoholics Anonymous"
StPeteDean


MIP Old Timer

Status: Offline
Posts: 6464
Date:
1940 "Definition of an Alcoholic Anonymous" from "A manual for Alcoholics Anonymous"
Permalink  
 

This historical literature was written by Evan W. at the request of Dr. Bob.  Notice what a hard line it draws between being "in the program" and out of the program.  Over the decades the message has become dilluted as people have been showing up earlier in age and in essense "aren't ready to committ to this simple program". 

"Definition of an Alcoholic Anonymous:

An Alcoholic Anonymous is an alcoholic who through application of and adherence to rules laid down by the organization, has completely forsworn the use of any and all alcoholic beverages. The moment he wittingly drinks so much as a drop of beer, wine, spirits, or any other alcoholic drink he automatically loses all status as a member of Alcoholics Anonymous.

A.A. is not interested in sobering up drunks who are not sincere in their desire to remain completely sober for all time. A.A. is not interested in alcoholics who want to sober up merely to go on another bender, sober up because of fear for their jobs, their wives, their social standing, or to clear up some trouble either real or imaginary. In other words, if a person is genuinely sincere in his desire for continued sobriety for his own good, is convinced in his heart that alcohol holds him in its power, and is willing to admit that he is an alcoholic, members of

Alcoholics Anonymous will do all in their power, spend days of their time to guide him to a new, a happy, and a contented way of life.

It is utterly essential for the newcomer to say to himself sincerely and without any reservation, "I am doing this for myself and myself alone." Experience has proved in hundreds of cases that unless an alcoholic is sobering up for a purely personal and selfish motive, he will not remain sober for any great length of time. He may remain sober for a few weeks or a few months, but the moment the motivating element, usually fear of some sort, disappears, so disappears sobriety.

TO THE NEWCOMER: It is your life. It is your choice. If you are not completely convinced to your own satisfaction that you are an alcoholic, that your life has become unmanageable; if you are not ready to part with alcohol forever, it would be better for all concerned if you discontinue reading this and give up the idea of becoming a member of Alcoholics Anonymous.

For if you are not convinced, it is not only wasting your own time, but the time of scores of men and women who are genuinely interested in helping you."

 

compare this writting to the "suggestions" that were given in another thread and the opposition to the same and I think that you'll agree that AA has become as easy and soft as it will ever be, and many think, it's perhaps too soft. 

Please add your comments about this  original AA literature.

 

Dean






-- Edited by StPeteDean at 18:55, 2008-10-21

__________________

 Gratitude = Happiness!





KLT


Senior Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 113
Date:
Permalink  
 

Hi Dean.  Good post.  As I said in the other post in mention, I dont think I would still be sober today if people had pussyfooted around me instead of telling it as it is.  Dont get me wrong, my friends in the fellowship and my sponsor who is also my friend are very compassionate and caring towards me especially where my health problems are concerned and when I cant drive my car like now because of this muscle flair up they will go out of their way to help me but if I had used this as an excuse to drink, im sure I would be told it as it is, as you and I and others did on the other thread. This is such a horrendous killer disease that I am very passionate that people shouldnt play around with it and if people see our ES&H as an affront or critisism then maybe they are just not ready for the painstaking honesty that this programme of recovery requires.  

God Bless

-- Edited by KLT at 19:36, 2008-10-21

-- Edited by KLT at 19:37, 2008-10-21

__________________
Kaz.
Just for today.

Doll


MIP Old Timer

Status: Offline
Posts: 2281
Date:
Permalink  
 

Love it!


I've read it before, somewhere, sometime and thought "WOW!" That was written long before the days of what is now know as being "PC" (oooohh we might hurt someones feelings, boo hoo!) -- Love and tolerance may be our code, but only for those who want to get sober, for those who work at it, for those who are honest and really try. Not for those that continue to 'abuse' and use the 12steps to either a)save face or b) to gain something from someone else or c) ego driven reasons!



I have no love or tolerance for any of that. I refuse to coddle anyone! My time & energy needs to be reserved for those who truely want what we have.

Thanks for posting Dean-O.

__________________

Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass...
  It's about learning to dance in the rain.
StPeteDean


MIP Old Timer

Status: Offline
Posts: 6464
Date:
Permalink  
 

I actually came upon this in a strange way. I went to this meeting, called "The No Fluff Group" (no bs group), a couple months ago in St. Pete with a friend. After they read the preamble and a couple of other things, they read this as if it were current AA "approved literature" without any forward or disclaimer. Just matter of factly. Well I was a bit taken, as were a couple others new to that meeting. We asked where did that come from and the group explained. They are perfectly within their rights, through a group conscience meeting, to add it to the readings. I think that they should read a statement similar to what I wrote at the beginning of this post explaining the origin and they told me if I didn't like it, there were plenty of other meetings in town. Here's a link to the "A manual for alcoholics anonymous". http://www.barefootsworld.net/aamanual.html There is some unintentional comedy in there enjoy. Btw, I called the Akron intergroup (that JoniJoni and her sponsor took me to smile.gif )
and ordered "The Akron Pamphlets" for $3 which included this booklet and 4 others. It's very cool and I highly recommend getting your own. smile.gif

Here's the rest of the 1940 pamphlets  except for "AA speakers manual"  I couldn't find that one.  enjoy.

The second reader- http://www.aabibliography.com/aahtml3/secondreader.html

A guide to the 12 steps- http://silkworth.net/aahistory/GuideTo12Steps_Akron.html

Spiritual Milestones- http://www.aabibliography.com/aahtml3/spirmilestones.html


and I found this while Googling around. "Not God, the history of AA"? http://books.google.com/books?id=aivGVUp4mKUC&pg=PA234&lpg=PA234&dq=AA+speakers+manual+pamphlet&source=web&ots=A9UXd-2zje&sig=1WLaBDsFHmkXEbL3lp74aKmUgB8&hl=en&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=6&ct=result#PPP1,M1








-- Edited by StPeteDean at 22:03, 2008-10-21

-- Edited by StPeteDean at 22:03, 2008-10-21

__________________

 Gratitude = Happiness!





jonijoni1


MIP Old Timer

Status: Offline
Posts: 1683
Date:
Permalink  
 

Oh, I LOVE the second reader...... it highlights how we are not all the same TYPE of AA's, but we all serve a very important purpose in the program as a whole.

I think many of us go through cycles in AA..... or maybe just phases. The founders themselves in later years went through some spiritual changes and got more introspective and thoughtful as time went on. I like the spot I am in right now, that I have "ceased fighting", for the most part. It has taken a lot of hard work to get here, and it is subject to change, but for now I am holding on to it. I do have my opinions, but don't we all. I am just real happy to be sober today, and not willing to let everyone else's problems become my own, at least not on any level that makes me crazy.

Hope you all have a great evening, and thanks for the reference, Pete. LOL Love to have everyone here come visit Akron sometime!

__________________
~Your Higher Power has not given you a longing to do
that which you have no ability to do.
ChicknLittle


Senior Member

Status: Offline
Posts: 134
Date:
Permalink  
 

Thanks for this post Dean, it's really good!  In the beginning I was one of those who came in for other reasons (fear, please others, etc) and I did have some people coddling me and that didn't help at all, I wound up relapsing and eventually had to get sober for MYSELF, that's the only way it works!

Doll wrote:
Love and tolerance may be our code, but only for those who want to get sober, for those who work at it, for those who are honest and really try. Not for those that continue to 'abuse' and use the 12steps to either a)save face or b) to gain something from someone else or c) ego driven reasons!
I totally agree with this, I've noticed the longer I'm sober the less tolerance and patience I have for people who are "playing around" with getting sober.  For instance in the AA chatroom I go to, in the beginning I wondered why people were so hard on the newcomers that would come in and couldn't stay sober (of course I had been one of those newcomers too).  But now I'm pretty hard on them too, if they don't want to put effort into getting sober, and constantly keep coming in saying "I drank again", I just don't have time for them.  The most help I'll give them is usually - Go to meetings, get a sponsor, work the steps, and pray.  I had a friend from the chatroom that just couldn't stay sober for quite some time (although she has over a year now finally!) and that was all I would tell her whenever she asked for help - go to meetings, get a sponsor, work the steps, and pray.  I wasn't going to put any more of my time into someone who wasn't willing to do the work!

Anyway, good post, I enjoyed reading it and the replies on here, I even sent the link to it to my sponsor so he could see it.

Lisa

__________________
StPeteDean


MIP Old Timer

Status: Offline
Posts: 6464
Date:
Permalink  
 

ChicknLittle wrote:

Thanks for this post Dean, it's really good!  In the beginning I was one of those who came in for other reasons (fear, please others, etc) and I did have some people coddling me and that didn't help at all, I wound up relapsing and eventually had to get sober for MYSELF, that's the only way it works!

  I wasn't going to put any more of my time into someone who wasn't willing to do the work!

Lisa

 


That's a good measuring stick.  My favorite is  "you can't want it more than they do" in regards to anyone that you've been Asked to help.    I like to say  that "if you don't start rowing, this boat isn't going anywhere".  smile

 



__________________

 Gratitude = Happiness!





Page 1 of 1  sorted by
 
Quick Reply

Please log in to post quick replies.
Miracles In Progress 12 Step Recovery Forums -> Alcoholics Anonymous -> Alcoholics Anonymous -> 1940 "Definition of an Alcoholic Anonymous" from "A manual for Alcoholics Anonymous"