Alberta girl
January 9th 2005, 11:11 AM
When I faced my father-in-law for the first time after my last drink, two years had elapsed. A heavy drinker himself, he did not seem interested in the 12 step way of looking at things. One of his observations, perhaps you could call it a critisiszm, was that one had to keep attending meetings. He wanted to know when I could consider myself cured and stop attending meetings, when I could 'graduate'. I noticed a similar mindset with some of the christians I knew They wondered when I would proclaim myself 'healed' or 'delivered' and stop attending meetings and 'only fellowship in the church body. It was even suggested that I denied Christ by continuing to attend because 'when you are set free, you are free indeed'.
Although I can think of several reasons, the two I would like to bring up are these.
1) A recovereing alcoholic is an individual who is an expert in self deception. In a 12 step group, honesty is a topic that is returned to frequently. The attention that is paid to 'inventory', the examination of motivations and attitudes, is not found in the church body to the extent that is required by the alcoholic. My christian aunt attended a meeting with me one evening and her comments were such that she wished that kind of honesty and confession were present in the church.
2) Alcoholics who are ambivalent about who the Higher Power realy is, are especially vulnerable to the secular nature of 12 step groups. If every alcoholic who commits to Christ quickly bails out of the program, then who is left to be the bridge. For a recovered alcoholic who is a christian, the 12 step fellowship is a ripe mission field.
12 step groups are literaly filled with individuals who have suffered at the hands of 'religion'. They are so embittered by their experiences that they need to be introduced to Christ in a fresh new way. They need to see the christian walk played out before them away from the corporate church body in a genuine way.
Is it a life sentance?...you bet it is...'He has set a table for me in the midst of my enemies'.
Although I can think of several reasons, the two I would like to bring up are these.
1) A recovereing alcoholic is an individual who is an expert in self deception. In a 12 step group, honesty is a topic that is returned to frequently. The attention that is paid to 'inventory', the examination of motivations and attitudes, is not found in the church body to the extent that is required by the alcoholic. My christian aunt attended a meeting with me one evening and her comments were such that she wished that kind of honesty and confession were present in the church.
2) Alcoholics who are ambivalent about who the Higher Power realy is, are especially vulnerable to the secular nature of 12 step groups. If every alcoholic who commits to Christ quickly bails out of the program, then who is left to be the bridge. For a recovered alcoholic who is a christian, the 12 step fellowship is a ripe mission field.
12 step groups are literaly filled with individuals who have suffered at the hands of 'religion'. They are so embittered by their experiences that they need to be introduced to Christ in a fresh new way. They need to see the christian walk played out before them away from the corporate church body in a genuine way.
Is it a life sentance?...you bet it is...'He has set a table for me in the midst of my enemies'.