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Christian Origins vs. Pagan Concepts At the turn of the 21st century there has been much controversy in the recovery community over the "true" nature and origins of A.A. Many see the primary strength of A.A. in its biblical teachings and seek a fundamental return to Christian dogma. Others see A.A.'s strength in the freedom all members have to embrace a Higher Power of their understanding, as originally established by the founders, Bill W. and Dr. Bob. However, the argument over the Christian origins of 12-step Philosophy is, to us, irrelevant. The concepts of atonement, humility, love and compassion pre-date Christianity and Judaism by hundreds, even thousands of years. We acknowledge and thank deeply the A.A. founders for sharing their vision with the world. But in the context of human history, the basic precepts of Alcoholics Anonymous are not new, or unique. Without a doubt the New Testament influenced the formation of the 12 Steps, the Traditions, and portions of the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous. For pagans in recovery this is generally a non-issue, and for the sake of our recovery most of us ignore it. But some of us in recovery (pagans, atheists and agnostics alike) have had traumatic and abusive experiences at the hands of Christian zealots, and recoil from anything remotely Christian, as from a hot flame. This valid and justifiable reaction becomes a major obstacle in accepting the 12 steps as a recovery tool. But this doesn't have to be. The key concepts of Alcoholics Anonymous have existed many hundreds, sometimes thousands of years before the creation of the New and Old Testaments. In other words, Christians didn't originate these concepts. Pagans did! Did you really think that the concepts of love, humility, compassion, and character defects originated with Christianity? That was only two thousand years ago. Modern humans have been walking the Earth for hundreds of thousands of years. Religion existed as Goddess and shamanic religions 40,000 years ago. What's more, the ideas, the rituals and stories of Christianity came directly from the popular pagan religions common in the time of Jesus. For more on our pagan history, see the website Pagan Origins of the Christ Myth. For further study, see the following books:
Chapter 5 of the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous outlines the basics of the program, emphasizing the deflation of ego, compassion and humility as the cornerstone of spiritual growth. These derive, in part, from the Four Absolutes of the Oxford Group:
--Frank Buchman, The Oxford Group, 1928 A.C.E.
--Confucius, 551-479 B.C.E.
Other examples are: (Page numbers refer to the 2001 edition of Alcoholics Anonymous) Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous: "Putting out of our minds the wrongs others had done, we resolutely looked for our own mistakes. Where had we been selfish, dishonest, self-seeking and frightened?" (p. 67) "Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs." (p. 59)
Pagan and Pre-Christian: "When you have faults, do not fear to abandon them." --Confucius, 551-479 B.C.E.
--Plutarch, 25 A.C.E.
Self-Centeredness and Humility Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous: "The first requirement is that we be convinced that any life run on self-will can hardly be a success." (P. 60) "Selfishness--self-centeredness! That, we think, is the root of our troubles." (P. 62)
Pagan and Pre-Christian: "Do not be arrogant because of your knowledge, but confer with the ignorant man as with the learned." ---Ptahotpe, 2400 B.C.E.
"The great Integrity, having had no birth, expresses its immortality without fanfare. The wise are heard through the silence, content with selflessness." ---Lao-Tzu, 604-531 B.C.E.
"Humility, a sense of reverence before the sons of heaven. Of all the prizes that a mortal man might win, these, I say, are wisest; these are best. " ---From Euripedes' The Bacchae, 500 B.C.
"When I am asked to comment on Chrysippus, I do not brag; rather, I blush if I cannot display conduct which resembles his teachings and is in accord with them." --Epictetus, 300 B.C.E.
--The Teaching of Buddha
--Lao-Tzu, 604-531 B.C.E.
"Self-conceit may lead to self-destruction." --Aesop, 550 B.C.E.
"For God hates utterly the bray of bragging tongues" --Sophocles, 495-406 B.C.E. "I know nothing except the fact of my ignorance." --Socrates, 469-399 B.C.E.
Conscious Contact with a Higher Power Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous: "These were revolutionary and drastic proposals, but the moment I fully accepted them, the effect was electric. There was a sense of victory, followed by such a peace and serenity as I had never known. There was utter confidence. I felt lifted up, as though the great clean wind of a mountain top blew through and through. God comes to most men gradually, but His impact on me was sudden and profound." (P. 14)
Pagan and Pre-Christian: "As large as all space is, so large is that spiritual essence within the heart. Both heaven and earth are contained within it, both fire and air, both sun and moon, both lightning and stars; and whatever there is of him, the Self, here in the world, and whatever is not, namely, whatever has been or will be, all that is contained within it. " --Upanishads, 700 B.C.E.
"At first there is wandering, and wearisome roaming, and fearful traveling through darkness with no end to be found. Then, just before the consummation, there is every sort of terror, shuddering and trembling and perspiring and being alarmed. But after this a marvelous light appears, and open places and meadows await, with voices and dances and the solemnities of sacred utterances and holy visions." --Plutarch, 25 A.C.E. "It is impossible that even the least of particulars can fall out otherwise than in accordance with the will of God, with his word, with law, with justice and with providence." --Chrysippus, 279 B.C.E.
--Cleanthes, 330-232 B.C.E.
"If the radiance of a thousand suns were to burst forth at once in the sky, that would be like the splendor of the Mighty One (Krishna)." ---Bhagavad Gita, 300 B.C.E.
Nightly Inventory of Character Defects Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous: "When we retire at night, we constructively review our day. Were we resentful, selfish, dishonest, or afraid? Do we owe and apology? Have we kept something to ourselves which should be discussed with another person at once? Were we kind and loving toward all? What could we have done better? Were we thinking of ourselves most of the time? Or were we thinking of what we could do for others, of what we could pack into the stream of life? But we must be careful not to drift into worry, remorse, or morbid reflection, for that would diminish our usefulness to others. After making our review we ask God's forgiveness and inquire what corrective measures should be taken." (P. 86)
"Never let slumber approach thy wearied eyelids, ere thrice you review what this day you did: Wherein have I sinned? What did I? What duty is neglected? All, from the first to the last, review, and if you have erred grieve in your spirit, rejoicing for all that was good. With zeal and with industry, this, then, repeat; and learn to repeat it with joy. Thus wilt thou tread on the paths of heavenly virtue. Surely, I swear it by him who into our souls has transmitted the Sacred Quaternary [the Tetraktys], the spring of eternal Nature." --Pythagoras, 569-475 B.C.E.
"Every day I plead my case before myself. When the light is extinguished, and my wife, who knows my habit, keeps silence, I examine the past day, go over and weight all my deeds and words. I hide nothing, I omit nothing: why should I hesitate to face my shortcomings when I can say, 'Take care not to repeat them, and also I forgive you today?'" --Seneca, 3 B.C.E.-65 A.C.E.
Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous:
--The Teaching of Buddha
"Rage and lust; the ravenous, the deadly: --Bhagavad Gita, 300 B.C.E
"The greatest griefs are those we cause ourselves."
"Anger is a short madness." --Horace, 65-8 B.C.E. Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous: "And acceptance is the answer to all my problems today. When I am disturbed, it is because I find some person, place, thing or situation--some fact of my life--unacceptable to me, and I can find no serenity until I accept that person, place or thing, or situation as being exactly the way it is supposed to be at this moment." (p. 417) Pagan and Pre-Christian: "There are things which are within our power, and there are things which are beyond our power . . . "Men are disturbed not by things, but by the views they take of things. . . "Wish things to be just as they are." ---Epictetus, 55-135 A.C.E.
Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous: "This was our course: We realized that the people who wronged us were perhaps spiritually sick. Though we did not like their symptoms and the way these disturbed us, they, like ourselves, were sick too. We asked God to help us show them the same tolerance, pity, and patience that we would cheerfully grant a sick friend." (P. 66,67)
"Those who wish to live the fullness of life must accumulate good deeds, be kind to others, practice charity and have compassion even for the creatures that crawl."
"For kindness begets kindness evermore, --Sophocles, 495-406 B.C.E.
--Bhagavad Gita, 300 B.C.
"Instill the love of you into all the world, for a good character is what is remembered." --The Teaching for Merikare, 2135-2040 B.C.E. Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous: "By every form of self-deception and experimentation, they (alcoholics) will try to prove themselves exceptions to the rule, therefore non-alcoholic." (P. 31)
"Nothing is easier than self-deceit. For what each man wishes, that he also believes to be true." --Demosthenes, 384-322 B.C.E.
Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous: "We had long talks when I would still her forebodings by telling her that men of genius conceived their best projects when drunk; that the most majestic constructions of philosophic thought were so derived." (P. 2) Pagan and Pre-Christian: "When men drink, they are rich and successful and win lawsuits and are happy and help their friends. Quick, bring me a beaker of wine, so that I may wet my mind and say something clever."
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