When this booklet was first made public in 1986, our purpose was to present the Bible, and dictionary-supported fact, that A.A. (Alcoholics Anonymous) is a religion. What we did not know at that time, was that the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin had already recognized that fact in 1984 in a Summary Court judgment.

The following Excerpt, including that Court's decision on A.A., has been quoted from the Department of Health and Social Services, MEMO SERIES DCS-85-15/ACTION dated February 12th, 1985, regarding the Intoxicated Driver Program—Advisory Notice on Legal Issues and Recommendations On Procedural Safeguards. This State Advisory memo was directed to: Assessment Facility Contacts, Designated Coordinators for the IDP, and all State-Approved AODA Programs:

During 1984, an intoxicated driver client pursued a federal civil rights suit alleging abridgment of his first amendment right to freedom of religion. The suit was filed against five defendants: Price County Council on Alcoholism, Inc.; Unified Services Board of Ashland, Iron, and Price Counties; Ashland County; Iron County; and Price County. The suit contended that the client's driver licenses (including a chauffeur's license) were unreasonably suspended indefinitely by the Department of Transportation (DOT), based on the Price County Council's noncompliance report. This was unreasonable, the client claimed, because he was not able to complete his Driver Safety Plan requiring inpatient treatment, due to (allegedly) imposed religion. Examples were religious artifacts and activities such as required readings and prayer meetings involving Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) programming at a religiously supported hospital impatient-AODA treatment program.

The first trial before Judge Shabaz of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin ended in mistrial due to a deadlocked jury. Two days before the re-trial was to begin, the suit was settled with an out-of-court cash settlement arranged by the attorneys and insurance companies. Unresolved by the jury was whether or not the Price County Council (which made the IDP referral and filed the noncompliance report, but is not an impatient provider) had offered the client "the option of receiving impatient alcohol treatment at facilities that used non-religious treatment programs." The other question to the jury would have been whether or not religious activities, such as AA, were a mandatory part of the impatient treatment facility's alcoholism program.

Based on the final pre-trial conference before the scheduled re-trial,. Judge Shabaz issued several summary judgments dated November 19, 1984. He found that the two following issues were of "no genuine issue of material fact" and that the new jury would not have to make a determination, because the court had decided the following:

1) That the client's "choice to enter the treatment program was, . . . coerced, because it was made under threat of losing his license." .

2) "Religion was a part in the treatment program . . . Alcoholics Anonymous materials . . . and the testimony of the witnesses established without a doubt that religious activities, as defined in constitutional law, were a part of the treatment program. The distinction between religion and spirituality is meaningless," from a constitutional standpoint.

These statements by the court have had immediate impact on the IDP Procedures in Ashland, Iron, and Price Counties, since the summary judgments are binding on the five (5) parties named in the Federal suit. The Unified Services Board has, amended its 1985 contract language with its providers specifically prohibiting any mandatory religious programming, as defined by the court. The assessment facilities routinely inform AODA clients about this issue when explaining the treatment programs available to the client. Treatment providers are offering secular alternatives and informing all service recipients of their constitutional right to not participate in or be subject to any religious activities or elements.

The Department of Health and Social Services (DHSSS) recognizes AA's assertions that it has no religious affiliation and that it is not a religious organization. The Department also recognizes the inestimable support that AA membership and AODA programming have provided for many recovering people. However, since this court proceeding and several others have found religious and spiritual activities impossible to distinguish from a constitutional standpoint, the Department encourages programs to take a proactive stance and avoid unnecessary legal challenges. In addition to the discussion below, we do anticipate that there will be revisions in the code related to client rights and optional programming in the conflict of interest section of CH. HSS 62, Wis. Adm. Code, "Assessment of drivers with Alcohol or Controlled Substance Problems."

The Division suggests that all AODA programs review their treatment plans to see if they require participation in any program that can be construed as religious. If so, it is recommended that programs also offer optional parallel secular (non-religious and non-spiritual) programming. Minimally, community service boards and human services departments (CSBHSD'S) and IDP assessment facilities must assure accessibility to optional parallel secular programming. Optional secular programs may be structured individual or group therapy, counseling, or discussion sessions without AA involvement and without planned or religious or spiritual content. During secular programs, clients may initiate religious or spiritual discussion, but the program providers or group leaders should not present or require discussions of a spiritual or religious nature.

State certification of all treatment facilities requires adherence to client rights, under s. 51.61, Wis. Stats., which include freedom in religious participation. All IDP assessment agencies should also include this program information when assisting clients in choosing among the appropriate treatment providers in order to complete their Driver Safety Plan.

The Division is in the process of establishing a sale form that can be used by all IDP assessment agencies. It will be a form for client signature, which can be given to the client and kept in the IDP client file, to ensure client acknowledgment of receipt of this and other civil rights.

You are reminded that attendance at any (community) self-help group can only occur with the IDP client's consent. Self-help group involvement, alone, has never been acceptable as a complete Driver Safety Plan (DSP); approved AODA programs are the basic DSP for IDP clients with dependency findings. Self-help groups should (except when there has been prior membership and renewed agreement) only be considered for part of the individualized treatment plan (which is developed and agreed to between the client and the one who treats) when the DSP already includes AODA programs or treatment services and the client voluntarily agrees."

Recent findings concerning alcoholism, not being a disease, have also shaken up the AA system. Of course, students of the Bible have also been aware of this fact for quite some time. If you would like a copy of the DHSS MEMO on AA being a religion, or other information on alcohol or drug abuse counseling from a Christian Biblical perspective, or information on psychiatric drug abuse in our society, direct all inquiries to the address found on our contact page.
 

AA first formed as a help agency for people abusing alcohol, is now accepted nation wide in courts, communities, detention homes, prisons and jails. Most people committing alcohol related crimes are literally forced to at least be exposed to the tenets and teachings of the AA Religion: Now those involved with AA would immediately take issue with their organization being called a "religion". Yet, as English-speaking people, we are bound by the dictionary definitions of the words we use. The dictionary gives this definition of religion: "The beliefs, attitudes, emotions, behavior, etc., constituting man's relationship with the powers and principalities of the universe . . ." These excerpts from AA teachings, such as the 12.steps give us more than enough evidence of the fact that AA is most certainly and definitely a religion!
Step #2 ". . . believe that a POWER greater than us . . .
Step #3 . . . God as we understood Him . . .
Step #5 . . . Admit to God . . .
Step #6 . . . have God remove . . .
Step #7 . . . ask Him to remove . . .
Step #11 . . . improve our conscious contact with God, as we understand HIM, praying only for knowledge of His will . . ."
 

Should  born-again, Bible-believing Christians be involved with AA? Should they support AA or encourage others to be involved with AA? Before we make the correct choice, let's look at some more information.

AA is categorized, obviously, as a polytheistic religion. That is, in the AA scope of things, you may choose anything-.or anybody as your "Higher Power (or god)". The terms, "higher power" and "god" are used because of their ambiguity and could even include an Atheist, whose "higher power" is himself. Thus, the Atheist; the Islamic, the Hindu,, the Buddhist, the Moonie, the Mormon, the Jehovah's Witness, the Catholic, the 7th Day Adventist, the Christian Scientist, etc., may all gather together in prayer, fellowship and encouragement of those having common cause. Yet each has a different god.

The Bible encourages true Christians to study the Scriptures, so that they will not be "ashamed" Christians. Let's look at a few verses from the Bible concerning this polytheistic, religious thinking.

Exodus 20:3-5 — "You shall have no other gods before Me.  You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on earth beneath or in the water under the earth.  You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and fourth generations of those who hate me . . ."

Isaiah 45:5-6 — "I am the LORD, and there is no other; besides Me there is no god. I will gird you, though you have not known Me; That men may know from the rising to the setting of the sun that there is no one besides Me. I am the LORD, and there is no other . . ."

John 14:6 — Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me."

The Bible also refers to Jesus as ". . . our Great God and Savior", Titus 2:13. In fact, II John 9 warns that if Christ's teachings are ignored, the person ignoring them does not have the true God (or any other god, for that matter, since there are no other gods).

In John 4:22, Jesus responds to a woman who was religious, but did not know the one true God, "You worship that which you do not know."

In Acts 17:23, Paul, speaking to the polytheistic Greeks of Athens, states, "What you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you." Neither our LORD Jesus, nor His disciples had any problem understanding God's dislike of polytheism or correcting it when necessary. Polytheism, which is better defined as idolatry, is willful disobedience to God's commands, a crime against God—SIN, to be exact (Romans 1:19-23).

I Corinthians 10:28 teaches the Christian not to even eat meat offered to idols.

I Corinthians 10:14 commands us to flee from idolatry (or polytheism).

II Corinthians 6:14&17 requires avoiding a mixed "fellowship of unbelievers."

The obedient Christian has the following responsibilities to those involved in Alcoholics Anonymous:

1. Not to be involved with AA, if at all possible.

2. Warn them of their sin of idolatry.

3. Point them to the only true and living God, the Father of our LORD and Savior, Jesus Christ, and

4. Warn them not to join "religious fellowships" of unbelievers.

Polytheism, or idolatry is not the only error in AA's teaching. God, through His Holy Word—the Bible—puts His finger on another error in the AA philosophy.

AA would have, us to believe that alcohol abuse is a disease, an allergy, contracted at times, genetically. Although there is no cure, abstinence—they claim—can help keep it in remission. This theory, like the Theory of Evolution, claims scientific support, but none exists other than psychiatric "speculation."

The Bible teaches that the only reasons for abstaining from alcoholic beverages are "personal choice, vows, and fastings." Abstinence is not a method of advancing personal spirituality or spiritual growth, nor is it of any value against fleshly indulgence (Colossians 2:20-23).

The word used in the Bible to define the abuse of alcohol is "drunkenness," and the person, a "drunkard." "Drunkenness" is not a disease; it is a SIN—a "deed of the flesh." In fact, this sin, along with idolatry (polytheism) and some other sins, are listed in Galatians 5:19-21 and I Corinthians 5:11 & 6:10. Romans 13:12-14 also reveals that drunkenness is a behavioral problem—a SIN!

How does God's Word say that we, as Christians, should handle this sin that AA calls a disease? In Galatians 5:19-21, God states that if we "walk by the Spirit" we will be totally and miraculously cured of drunkenness! Literally millions have been cured of alcohol and drug abuse by this very method. It is God's method and the ONLY one that has lasting results. Drunkenness (alcoholism) is a spiritual problem and must be treated by the one true God's method, found in the Bible. "Walking by the Spirit" begins by recognizing these Biblical truths:

1. That you have committed crimes (sinned) against the one true God, and that you deserve to be punished in Hell forever. Romans 3:23, 6:23 and Revelation 21:8.

2. That the one true God, the Father, allowed His body part, the Word, to become a human being—Jesus Christ. This God/Man paid for all your sins with His body and blood on the cross, died, and after suffering three days in the flames of Hades, rose from the grave three days later (John 1:1-14; Acts 2:24-31; Philippians 2:6-8 and 1 Peter 2:24). And, that by faith in Jesus' work on the cross and in Hades, you now have received the free gift of total forgiveness and eternal life (1 John 5:13). If you believe these things, then His Holy Spirit is living in you to give you real power and victory over, not only drunkenness, but all your sins (Romans 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9 and Galatians 5:25).
 

To continue to "walk by the Spirit", God's Word, the Bible, must be studied,: meditated on and obeyed. This is how God speaks to us, showing us His will and TRUE PLAN for our lives.

We need to pray to the Father, through the blood and mediation of His Son, the LORD Jesus Christ. This is how we talk to the one true and living God.

We need to talk to others about Jesus, telling them that He is the ONLY way to the Father (John 14:6).

In the Beginner's Manual, published by AA, we find the following statement:  "If 'God' spoke to AA 'He' might have said:

"Into your (AA's) weak and feeble hands I (God) have entrusted a power beyond your estimate. To you has been given that which has been denied to the most learned of your fellows. Not to scientists or statesmen, not to wives or mothers, not even to My priests and ministers have I given this gift of healing other alcoholics, which I entrust to you.”  (parenthesis added)

There are many religions that claim extra-biblical revelation and power. Obviously, AA would like to join the ranks of those that make such claims, by this imagined speech from their god. The fantasy goes on to claim the AA organization as the ONLY hope of anyone abusing alcohol to the point of their definition as an alcoholic. Not even we born-again Christians, who are God's ministers and priests, are able to share in this gift given by AA's god to them, they say.

God in Deuteronomy 13:6-11, states that anyone encouraging someone to worship other than the one true and living God was to be put to death.

Jesus tells us in Revelation 21:8 that people having a higher power (god) other than the one true God (which is idolatry), will be in the Lake of Fire.

Yes, God takes a very dim view of idolatry; and so do all true followers of Jesus Christ.

Do not be deceived by "situation ethics"—which teaches that the "end justifies the means!" You do not have to become an idolater while you are being cured of your drunkenness. Christ NOT AA, has the ONLY power to properly cure the drunkard (alcoholic). We can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens us (Philippians 4:13).

This statement was made of the Apostle Paul in Acts 19:26, "This Paul has persuaded and turned away a considerable number of people, saying that gods made with hands are NO GODS AT ALL!"

Since this booklet on Alcoholics Anonymous as a religion was first distributed, in 1986, our investigation of NA materials also revealed that Narcotics Anonymous is also a religion! From the White book—an introductory booklet given to clients of NA, we quote from their FOREWARD: "Our Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions were adopted from those of Alcoholics Anonymous. We are deeply grateful to the AA Fellowship for showing us the way to a new life."

Like AA, NA calls itself a "fellowship" (p.1), and considers drug addiction a "disease" (p.3). Their list of "spiritual principles" (p.3-5), is identical to that in the AA Beginner's Manual (little blue booklet, p.46), except for the substituting of the word "drug" addiction in place of AA's "alcohol." On page xiii of the 290 page NA Basic Test black book, NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS states:

"With gratitude in our cleanliness, we dedicate our NA book to the loving service of our Higher Power. That through the development of a conscious contact with God, no addict seeking recovery need die without having had a chance to find a better way of life."
 

Reader, be not deceived! Both AA and NA are bedfellows in polytheistic, IDOLATROUS religious practices! We warn any Christian who fellowships with such a multi-god religion, that you are in disobedience to 2 Cor. 6:14-18. And we warn you again, even as Galatians 5:20-21 has warned you, that if you choose to practice idolatry by joining and staying in either of these two fellowships—AA, or NA, or both of them, rather than joining a one-God-only (Jesus Christ), blood-washed, born-again, once-saved-always-saved, Bible-believing church and fellowship, that you "shall not INHERIT the Kingdom of God." That is, you will suffer the discipline of your heavenly Father here on earth, and suffer the shame and loss of rewards in eternity, I Cor. 3:11-15.

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