I’m not sure how widely read Examimer.com is, but I found this first part in a three part series critiquing Alcoholics Anonymous, and I am hoping for some fun comments (as I write this, I have made the only comment) from AAs who temporarily forget how serene their lives have become. What will come first: an ad hominem attack, or a thought stopping slogan? If it is a thought stopping slogan, which one will it be?
My guess is it will be the “spiritual, not religious” line, and the writer will be reminded of the millions of lives AA has saved. Any other guesses? This is on the honor system, as there may be some comments by the time you read this, so NO PEEKING!
Stinkin' Thinkin' 
July 10, 2009 at 5:26 pm
I vote for the “I don’t understand why you’re so angry” first, and second, the “So, why are you wasting your time to tear something down, without offering something better?”
July 10, 2009 at 7:17 pm
My personal favorite is why are you picking fly crap out of the pepper? When it comes to killing people AA is really small potatoes.
If it was me I would go after Doctors who are killing more people with their never ending quest of over-medicating America instead.
July 10, 2009 at 6:22 pm
#1) “If one is powerless over alcohol, how can one ever stop drinking”?
The “Powerless” doesn’t really kick in until the alcohol hits our system. We can’t control our drinking once started. If we could we wouldn’t be alcoholic. So regardless of your preferred recovery method, you’ll never find one that allows an alcoholic to control his drinking with regularity.
#2) “However, the concept “Higher Power” is not clearly defined. AA says that a Higher Power does not necessarily refer to God or religion, but it is described as a “Power greater than ourselves,” which means in essence, something non-human”
Wrong. The word “God” is used around 125 times throughout the book. Right here on Pg45 “Well, that’s exactly what this book is about. Its main object is to enable you to find a Power greater than yourself which will solve your problem. That means we have written a book which we believe to be spiritual as well as moral. And it means, of course, that we are going to talk about God”.
#3) This wasn’t really a question. He was just expanding on his comments he was making in #2.
Just like a movie critic should at least watch the movie before offering a critique Steve should read the book before commenting.
July 10, 2009 at 6:24 pm
Dangit! I meant to say “You’ll never find one” in the first answer.
I edited it for you, Cuda. – MA
July 10, 2009 at 7:27 pm
You were right the first time.
There is not now or has there ever been a book that is 100% correct. Not even a dictionary. All contain errors. Some more than most. I’m thinking of one right now. Can you guess which one? (It’s blue)
Worship of the big book is called “sacred science” and science has nothing to do with it.
Please see:
http://www.orange-papers.org/orange-cult_a1.html#ca_dogma
July 10, 2009 at 6:54 pm
Your killing people and their blood will be on your hands.
My personal favorite
July 10, 2009 at 6:56 pm
Now that I’ve peeked….I still won’t tell.
I should have gotten it.
July 10, 2009 at 8:33 pm
It’s the first sponsor that does the damage.
July 10, 2009 at 8:34 pm
A guys comment on this page asked where the success rate stats came from.
I dropped the ORANGE bomb!
(gawd i love that, it smells like…. victory)
July 10, 2009 at 9:21 pm
Yeah, Uberdog, and then you got slapped with the HATE CARD! Are you just sober on hate or what?
July 10, 2009 at 9:42 pm
OOOOOOH not the hate card…..
It looks like The Dog is going down folks……..no wait he’s just removing gum from his shoe….He’s gonna be O.K.!!!!!
He’s a lively one isn’t he? I will certainly stay tuned.
July 10, 2009 at 10:03 pm
Uberdog fires back with
“contempt prior to investigation”!!!!
Have a great weekend everybody, I’m off to the beach!
July 10, 2009 at 10:21 pm
This is a bit off-topic, but does anybody agree with me that Bill W cut his own hair? i mean I’ve had some bad haircuts but….
July 10, 2009 at 10:38 pm
Give him a break, Andy. His hands were shaky.
July 10, 2009 at 11:50 pm
How about:
For every drunk proctologist there’s a gullible asshole
July 11, 2009 at 3:13 pm
Take the cotton out of your mouth and shove it up your ass
July 11, 2009 at 7:36 pm
Ooooooooh er, could “white lighter” Bill be the victim of a cosmic co-trick as well as a perpetrator. Who knows . Judge not lest ye be judged:
http://www.reptilianagenda.com/index.shtml
July 12, 2009 at 6:11 am
Sorry, should have read “con-trick”. I’m a trifle hypo, and the old synapses are misfiring.
July 14, 2009 at 5:48 pm
The next set in the series is out.
http://www.examiner.com/x-15626-Bay-Area-Mental-Health-Examiner~y2009m7d13-Alcoholics-Anonymous-A-critique-of-the-twelvestep-model-part-two?#comments
July 17, 2009 at 2:21 am
YAY!
I WIN SECOND PLACE!!!
We got the “your killing people” post!!!
The author busts his chops as well by citing the first poster
Was that you M.A.?
July 17, 2009 at 2:49 am
Then he punks by removing his own post.
July 17, 2009 at 3:10 am
Now he removed the post which stated
“your killing people”
I was beginng to like the author too.
July 17, 2009 at 3:12 am
I had it in another window!!!
Steve Orma (article’s author) says:
To Ken B:
I could delete your rude, baseless comment. But instead, I’ve decided to leave it up here because its belligerence and emotionalism speak for itself. The first comment I received on this article was: “Be prepared for irrational, illogical, ad hominem attacks from the AA faithful…” Your comment fully delivered on this wise prediction.
July 16, 7:10 PM
Ken B says:
Well Steve, looks like yet another quack attemting to make money off of less fortunate people with a disease. I guess it will take the death of some people before you realize that this is serious and people do not have any power after they take the first drink or drug. It will be 75 years and over 2 million people that have been saved by this simple program. Stop before you hurt someone. Sober 26 years
July 16, 4:30 PM
July 17, 2009 at 4:30 am
Hey, Great job Uberdog! Plus you win for best “ghost post” too! That’s a term MA coined for a choice save of a deleted post — especially a really stupid, embarrassing post like Ken B’s.
Fantastic!
July 31, 2009 at 10:14 pm