Tolerance

“The ​Varieties of Religious Experience​ is also the acknowledged inspiration for the founding of Alcoholics Anonymous. It is James’s understanding of conversion that AA has found especially helpful.” This is a quote from a recent book by Robert D. Richardson entitled William James.

We read in every meeting that AA neither opposes nor endorses any causes etc. We are not allied with any sect etc. These statements lead me to believe the founders desired for each of us to travel our individual path not to a religion, but to a Spiritual experience.

What have we found individually on this road? I am interested in what has been found and encouraged by the success stories I hear in meetings. Everyone’s experience is unique.

The process others went through gives me hope that what has worked for them just might work for me. Surely expressing one’s journey would be welcome in AA meetings.

Years and years of fellowship have shown this not to be true. Any God or concept of God is acceptable and welcomed into the meetings, except one. No one needs me to mention His name.

Our founders had been involved in churches in their youth. They all drank like us. Their experience in church did not make them immune to alcoholism. They were in search of a way out of their alcoholism and found their solution in the fellowship of AA where a new concept of God was found. Individuals had to find a concept different from church experience since that did not work for them. In fact most resisted even God because of their church experiences.

How did God relate to their problem? There was great resistance because the God experienced in church did not result in their sobriety.

It was discovered that a Spiritual awakening or experience was fundamental to the change we needed. Sharing this experience with others in need was the way we would keep what we had experienced.

For God to be revealed in the recovery of others, and in their Spiritual experience is of great interest to those seeking a way out of alcoholism.

Why would anyone restrict another’s sharing of his or her personal experience? The sharing is part of how we keep what we have.

Please tell me of your experience, strength and hope. I will listen because it helps you. I will listen because it helps me.