I don't mind the comparison between religion and AA, and another man's religion is often times considered a cult, if we don't believe in it ourselves. Christianity was considered a cult way back when, when it was in the minority belief. Like religion AA has a set of beliefs, and written documents that explain the ideology. Like churches, people are free to start their own AA chapters, and I would say it's less like Catholicism in this way, more like Protestant(?) or a less regulated form of Christianity, because there is no leader like a pope, and individual chapters, as far as I know, don't need permission to start. AA also is open to all types of people, because they have specific groups like gays, women, and all sorts of other groups. These other groups were created after AA because people wanted something similar for their own issues, and so they started it. AA, and the big book, has been like a seed that has yielded many different fruits, and so it seems to work for some people.
At times in history religion has been used to harm people, like religious terrorism and conquest and stuff like that. I think this is the same with abusive programs who usurp the AA ideology (because anybody is free to if they want) and twist it in such an extreme way, it doesn't represent the AA most people know outside of programs. I think the reason confession of sins is a part of so many religions, and what not, is because it helps people get past things and move on, and then improve themselves. When you feel hopelessly stuck in a self destructive pattern, finding a way to be reborn, whether through religion, or dropping all your friends and previous life, and adopting AA, I think is sometimes necessary.
I believe Anne Bonney when she says that some people in AA were reluctant to use psychiatric medications. I've been to meetings, the one I happened to go to was an old school all mens meeting, where people talked about how you shouldn't use medications. But then other people would stand up and say, I'm on it they help me. Some people would then argue, that you are not truly sober if you need to be medicated to be "normal". They really believe that if the person follows AA and takes it seriously, this will be enough. They believe that, because it worked for them, and they've probably seen AA help a lot of people. So if you believe you have a solution that could help someone, I don't think it's that strange to offer your advice.
People should be thoughtful when choosing a sponsor. There is no application form to AA, everybody in this world is not a saint, or all have the same opinions. I took anti depressants when in treatment, and I think they're bullshit. They didn't do anything, and they kept medication more and more until I was a zombie. I don't think that's the most positive way to get sober, and are you really sober if you are that medicated and can't deal with reality without the help of chemical intervention? Some AA meetings are more fundamentalist than others, they are all different, have different people and so if people want a loose AA meeting where you can smoke pot and still be considered sober, they exist. There are meetings for everyone, so many different types it's hard to condemn all of these various groups and people in them, with one fell swoop.
I think people have very individual experiences in AA, just like in programs. It depends on what meeting they went to, who happened to be there, who they choose as their sponsor, and a bunch of other random events. The sum of all these various possibilities will result in a truly unique experience for everybody. I believe the same is true for programs. So I think some people can have negative experience in AA, and go back to using based on the many random events that take place after they choose to get help at AA. I would hope they would give it another chance, at another meeting, but that's up to them. I had very positive experiences with AA, the people in it, and how good it is to have such a widespread, community run support system. Unlike rehab or asking government for help, you just show up. Nobody asks you to sign your name, or for an insurance card. It really is anonymous, and you can tell people things you might not be able to tell anybody in your life, and that can help sometimes. Because a lot of addicts/alcoholics suffer in silence, without telling anybody of what their true underground life is really like. Here is a group of other like minded people, who say, come share with us. We won't judge you, and will do our very best to help you. If you don't want it, you can leave when you want, and by the way it's free. I respect everybody's opinions here, I just want to share my own opinions about AA. Thanks for reading this.
