A.A. and Twelve Steps demonically inspired
John Lanagan
Do not turn to mediums or spiritists; do not seek
them out to be defiled by them. I am the Lord your God.
(Leviticus 19:31)
This blog, My Word Like Fire, was created to correct claims
that A.A. and the Twelve Steps are, or ever were,
Christian in origin. It is an important issue since many
Christians enter Alcoholics Anonymous because they have been
assured the co-founders were Christians.
According to A.A. co-founder Bill Wilson himself, "In some
ways I feel very close to conservative Christianity. In
other respects--important ones to Christians--no particular
convictions seem to come. Maybe down deep I don't want to be
convinced. I just don't know." [1]
Bill Wilson wasn’t a Christian. But Bill had the ability to
compartmentalize his beliefs, to the point of being able to
sincerely espouse (when necessary) what needed to be heard,
or said, or read.
We see this in Bill's flirtatious period with Catholicism.
According to his official A.A. biography, "Because he was
able to see so many facets of any given issue, conflicting
as well as harmonious, he may have spoken one day as if he
was intending to convert, and the next as though his
religious instruction was undertaken only in the service of
his spiritual growth. It is probable that despite
the contradictory thoughts being expressed, he was entirely
sincere in what he said each time. He didn't change
his mind easily, particularly on so serious an
issue; rather, he saw things differently on different
occasions. That may have been bewildering for those around
him, but it appeared to make total sense to him." [2] (bold
mine)
Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in
sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. "You
will know them by their fruits. Grapse are not gathered from
thorn bushes, nor figs from thistles, are they?" (Matthew
7:15-16)
Although Bill rejected the Virgin Birth
[3], and experimented with LSD for ego-reduction to allow
the "influx of God's grace," [4] this has not deterred
pro-AA author Dick B. and others from claiming Bill was a
Christian. And the stakes are high over this erroneous
assertion. Until we understand where the Twelve Steps came
from, and the spirituality of both Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob
Smith, nothing will change.
Francis Hartigan was the secretary for Lois Wilson, Bill’s
wife, for thirteen years. He had many conversations with
Lois about Bill. He writes, “[A.A. co-founder Bill Wilson's]
belief in God might have become unshakeable, but he
could never embrace any theology or even the divinity of
Jesus, and he went to his grave unable to give his
own personal idea of God much definition. In this sense, he
was never very far removed from the unbelievers.” [5] (Bold
mine)
What did Wilson
worship? His higher power may well have been, ultimately, spiritualism
itself.
AA historian Ernest Kurtz notes, “So profound was Bill’s
immersion in this area [spiritualism] that he at times
confused the terms ‘spiritualism’ and ‘spirituality.’” [6]
Writer Matthew J. Raphael, who is an A.A. member himself,
observes, “it might be said for the cofounders at least,
A.A. was entangled with spiritualism from the very
beginning.” [7]
Raphael explains, “Wilson himself seems to have been an
‘adept,’ that is, ‘gifted’ in the psychic sense; and he
served as a medium for a variety of ‘controls,’ some of them
recurrent. ‘Controls,’ in the lingo of spiritualism, are the
discarnate entities who seem to usurp a medium’s identity
and literally speak through him or (far more usually) her.
Sometimes a control answers questions; sometimes a spirit
seems to materialize.” [8]
According to the official A.A. biography of Bill Wilson,
"Because Bill was such a sensitive person in this world, it
should come as no surprise that he believed himself able to
pick up energy from another. He thought of himself as having
some psychic ability; to him, spiritistic matters were no
mere parlor game. It's not clear when he first became
interested in extrasensory phenomena; the field was
something that [AA co-founder Dr. Bob Smith and his wife,
Anne] were also deeply involved with. Whether or not Bill
became initially interested through them, there are
references to seances and other psychic events in the
letters Bill wrote to Lois during that first Akron summer with the
Smiths, in 1935." [9]
Wilson's demonic interactions
via spiritualism served as a major factor in both origin and
development of A.A. and the Twelve Steps, as did
the anti-biblical meditation learned via the Oxford Group (READ). In
terms of communication with the spirit world, movies and
television shows and nationally renowned psychics do not
change what the Lord declares. If you are a Christian,
perhaps you can take time to consider this. A holy God does
not want us participating in--or amusing ourselves
with--these things He hates.
As for the person who turns to mediums and and to
spiritists, to play the harlot after them, I will also set
My face against that person and cut him off from among his
people. You shall consecrate yourselves therefore and be
holy, for I am the Lord your God. (Leviticus 20:6-7)
In many ways, Alcoholics Anonymous serves as a decoy.
Relatively few come to Christ there, but Christians are
given the impression that this is a frequent thing.
The Twelve Steps were given to Bill Wilson for the purpose
of keeping unbelievers from Christ, and for watering down
the beliefs of those who do know Him. In these terms,
Alcoholics Anonymous has been an astounding success. In
The Fall of the Evangelical Nation, author Christine
Wicker credits Alcoholics Anonymous with “hastening the fall
of the evangelical church.” The author notes how
A.A. ”slowly exposed people to the notion they could get [a
god] without the dogma, the doctrine, and the outdated
rules. Without the church, in fact.” [10]
In other words, people could worship whatever form of “god”
they imagine. The A.A. deity, the “higher power,” is a lot
like a salad bar-people choose a little of this, a little of
that. What is on the plate can always be added to,
subtracted, or rearranged. But when “god” is so malleable,
so is morality.
Since the Twelve Steps have nothing to do with Christ,
neither sin nor Biblical repentance is addressed. This, of
course, is very appealing to the flesh. The Steps address
“wrongs,” “making amends,” and “moral inventory,” but one
inserts one's own moral code within the context of these
Steps.
A.A. often serves to instill fear and/or contempt
for alternative sobriety methods. This certainly includes
Christianity. Could our churches do more for addicts?
Yes. Yet, help is available within the the Body of
Christ. Christ will make a way. Pastors give lip service to
this, but don't necessarily believe it--which is why we have
a demonically inspired Twelve Step system in the heart of
the church today. If we look at 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, we see
alcoholics, homosexuals, and other sinners repenting and
serving Christ. This is a key passage for
those who struggle.
Now, about those addicts, some in suits, and others on the
street: Their bondage may be foreign to you, and it is a
weird, weird thing, but please, have compassion. Will you,
and your church fellowship, serve them as
Christ served others? This does not mean telling them about
Celebrate Recovery or the local A.A. meeting. I
have to say, many who have effectively ministered to me have
never been addicted, never been on the street, never had a
needle in their arm. The Holy Spirit will use those He
chooses--we perhaps have not been all that cooperative in
this.
According to the Alcoholics Anonymous Big Book (the A.A.
“bible”), “We found that God does not make too hard terms
with those who seek Him. To us, the Realm of the Spirit is
broad, roomy, all inclusive; never
exclusive or forbidding to those who earnestly seek. It is
open, we believe, to all men. When, therefore, we speak to
you of God, we mean your own conception of God.” [11] (Bold
mine)
“Broad, roomy, all inclusive” spirituality, this is what the
Alcoholics Anonymous textbook teaches.
But not Jesus. The Lord specifically warns against
the broad way. “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate
is wide and the way is BROAD that leads to
destruction, and there are many who enter through it.”
(Matthew 7:13)
If the Lord warns against the broad way of spirituality, why
do we think we know better? Why would we even want to
participate in such a thing, or give it credibility by
approving of it?
The A.A. Big Book again makes a direct reference to
this spiritual Broad Highway: “If our testimony helps sweep
away prejudice, enables you to think honestly, encourages
you to search diligently within yourself, then, if you wish,
you can join us on the Broad Highway. With
this attitude you cannot fail. The consciousness of your
belief is sure to come to you.” [12] (Bold mine)
If you struggle, please realize that A.A. is by no means the
only path to sobriety. Don't let the A.A. folks convince you
otherwise.
If you are an addict, please consider eternity. Through
Jesus you can live forever. Reject Him, and your worst day
as a drunk or heroin addict cannot compare to the pain
of hell. I am not trying to scare you. Christ saved me, and
I pray He saves you. My friend, all this stuff about a
"higher power" is a lie. I tell you this not to make you
angry, but so that you may be spared.
...and how you turned to God from idols to serve a
living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven,
whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us
from the wrath to come. (1 Thessalonians 1:9-10)
Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and
the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me." (John
14:6)
Simply tell God you recognize that you are a sinner who
cannot save yourself. Ask forgiveness for your sins, and
tell the Lord you now place your trust in Christ alone to be
your Lord and your Savior.
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that
not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest
any man should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)
Pray with me: Lord, I have sinned against you, and I cannot
save myself. Please forgive my sins. Jesus, I believe
you died and rose three days later, that you atoned for my
sins, and I trust you as my Lord and Savior. I will follow
and obey you, Lord. Thank you for saving me. Amen.
Surely the God who can grant eternal life can grant His
child sobriety, amen?
Endnotes:
1. June 2, 1959 letter from Bill Wilson to Father Ed
Dowling. This letterquoted fromby Robert Fitzgerald, S.J.,
in his book, The Soul of Sponsorship, pg. 92
2. PASS IT ON, pg. 282
3. Robert Fitzgerald, S.J., The Soul of Sponsorship,
pg. 51
4. PASS IT ON, pg. 370-371
5. Frances Hartigan, Bill W., pg. 123
6. Ernest Kurtz, Not-God, pg. 136
7. Matthew J. Raphael, Bill W. and Mr. Wilson, pg.
159
8. Ibid., pg. 159
9. PASS IT ON, pg. 275
10. Christine Wicker, The Fall of the Evangelical Nation, pg. 134-138
11. ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS ("Big Book"), pg. 46-47
12. Ibid., pg. 55
What? You want more detail
aboutBill Wilson and spirits? Are you sure? It's creepy,
but go ahead and
READthis...
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Anonymous:
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