· One is that AA makes no stand on whether beverage alcohol is good or bad. Temperance movements and prohibition tried to label the product as being evil. AA does not.
· A second thing is the spiritual approach. When seeking help, AA asks you to name your own higher power. And your higher power can be different than anyone else's.
· Third, AA's founders laid out a unique plan. Though the organization includes delegates at state and district levels, the local groups remain autonomous. So AA is actually a corporation upside down, with all the authority coming from the bottom.By combining this creative structure with individual freedom of interpretation, AA keeps growing. Originally seen as an enclave of white Christian males, the organization now embraces women, people of color, agnostics and even atheists. And in the core principles of Twelve Step recovery, such as telling the truth, asking for help, and making amends, people keep discovering universal aspects of healing.
Two new biographies of Bill W., including his autobiography, Bill W.: My First 40 Years, have been published by Hazelden. For more information on these and other AA historical items, visit Hazelden's online bookstore or call 1-888-535-9485.
--Published May 22, 2000
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Alive & Free is a health column that provides information to help prevent substance abuse problems and address such problems. It is created by Hazelden, a nonprofit agency based in Center City, Minn., that offers a wide range of information and services on addiction. For more resources, email or call Hazelden at 800-257-7810 (outside the US 651-213-4200).
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Related CASA Links:
CASA 12-Steps Program Blog
CASA 12-Steps Recovery Group
The Progressive Recovery Blog!
Recovery Emporium
Humane-Rights-Agenda Blog
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