Question:
Dear
Greg,
My question is about alcoholism. I
know some Christians who say the only way an alcoholic can recover is in AA.
They teach that if a Christian who is struggling with alcohol doesn’t
attend 12-step AA meetings they might as well throw their Bibles away because
they will never get better and will eventually go back to drinking.
I know someone who is an alcoholic, has admitted it, fully understands
they cannot consume alcohol, has repented, is seeking God, is building a
relationship with Jesus, is attending church and is receiving counseling
(outside of AA). I am supporting
him. The above mentioned people
say they are exercising “tough love” by not supporting him and are even
advising his wife to have nothing to do with him until he goes to AA.
Do you have any input on this?
Joe
Answer:
Dear
Joe,
I do not agree that the only way an alcoholic can recover is in AA.
As one author put it in a Plain Truth article about alcoholism, “AA
is a way to The Way.” The
12-step program is deliberately vague about “the Higher Power” in order to
be inclusive and help as many alcoholics as it can.
It could be that the people you are talking about are concerned that
for all of their friends’ actions and good intentions, he will not
experience real accountability and honesty unless he is in some kind of
program, and the only program they know about is AA.
If that is the case (assuming the best about their intentions), then
they need to know that there are other programs—Al-Anon being a well known
program which includes other chemical substance abuses as well as alcohol.
AND—it may be that counseling is just as helpful.
One important facet of AA is that addicts commit themselves to
accountability and regular questions (about which they may lie, of course) as
well as an atmosphere of others who are dedicated to kicking the habit.
Such positive influences of one’s peers-- being around and with them,
gaining strength and resolve from them, has proven helpful in many settings,
including physical therapy for those seeking to regain use of body parts and
muscles following an accident or operation.
In Christ,