alcoholics anonymous and jws

mutinyinheaven

hey there,

is there any conflict with jws and AA or other 12 step recovery programs?

was there in the past, if there isn't conflict today?

concerns that AA is a cult, etc.

thanks,

tony

AudeSapere

My point of reference is circa 1980 - so it could be *very* out-of-date, per WTS standards.

At the time, someone was studying and he was also a recovering alcoholic so attending many AA meetings each week. He had to discontinue his studies, in part, because his study conductor wanted him to quit AA as it was viewed, to the conductor, as a religion.

-Aude.

Lady Lee

Because they have a "Serenity Prayer" and tell people to pray to their higher power the WTS basically said it was an interfaith movement and therefore nixed it.

Some people got private permission to go to meetings but it was to be kept quiet and they were not to disclose they were JWs

mutinyinheaven

thanks for the answers.

Black Sheep

The latest offering from the WT. 15 Aug 1992

"A woman began speaking in tongues within a week after her husband joined Alcoholics Anonymous."

blondie

It all depends on how the elder(s) interprets AA as being a religious organization. I live in an area that offers AA meetings without the Lord's prayer. I personally never saw anything scripturally offensive about the Serenity prayer. The meetings also do not refer to God but higher power "or as you know it." Many rehab groups have an AA component. So if a person is shut out of all rehab because of that who is going to provide the support, the elders!! Will they be there at 3 a.m. when the alcoholic wants a drink; will they d rive to where they are to be with them until the desire passes for the moment.

There are many agnostics and atheists in this area who do not want that "god" component. I know of several jws that attended AA and are still jws but sober,, recovering.

My recommendation to active jws, do what you need to do to get sober, don't tell the elders or anyone else, it should be confidential. don't even tell your family, only people who will respect your confidentiality.

wha happened?

Blondie, with the large number of JW's who are closet alcoholics, the biggest fear is likely the number of JW's who stop attending meetings in lieu of AA meetings.

blondie

If they are "closet" alcoholics, I highly doubt they would be seeking treatment unless it was court ordered and that doesn't work either. If a person is in a facility that you must stay in for a period of time, it would be no different than if you were in the hospital for cancer or heart treatment and could not go outside the hospital, you would miss meetings.

What is more likely is that the person would succeed in dealing with their alcoholism and sober enough to leave the WTS. I have seen many jws seek treatment using rehab programs (most have an AA component) who did not leave the WTS.

In the end it depends on the elders, whether they dictate the conscience or actions of other jws. Sort of like ones with mental illness.

mutinyinheaven

yeah, my buddy from high school is on his third arrest, didn't tell me what drugs he was on, but manditory AA and he's using the jws as his higher power. he's been out ever since high school, but looks like he'll lose seeing his kid, going to jail, whatever if he doesn't do AA.

his only excuse for jws was that it's the only god he knows. and he can't read my novel or contact me b/c of my apostasy under their definition, and that i host a radio show called drinks-with-tony, which he saw as a red flag. i told him my radio show is with many writers who are in AA or used to be junkies and can't touch anything so it's often 'tea with tony.'

eff it. there's no reasoning with anyone who goes back to the jws, especially when they have drug charges on them. welcome to the love bomb.

i'm sure AA will be tolerated until he finishes whatever the court mandates, then there will be a heavy push to get him what he really needs, a good spiritual cleansing.

i was actually looking for this friend for years, and found him just in time he was lost back into the cult. but if he was a heavy user, i doubt there would have been much connection anyway.

blondie

He doesn't have to invoke a god...higher power is enough.

alcoholics anonymous and jws

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