Don't Tell: Stories and essays by agnostics and atheists in AA

by Roger C.

Don't Tell contains a total of 64 stories and essays mostly by agnostics and atheists in AA originally posted on the website AA Agnostica over the last three years. These were written by over thirty men and women from three countries, the United States, Canada and Great Britain. The book is a diverse and eclectic sampling of writings by women and men for whom sobriety within the fellowship of AA had nothing at all to with an interventionist God. "Don't Tell is an important book for anyone interested in the future of Alcoholics Anonymous and the future of alcoholism recovery." (From the Foreword by Ernest Kurtz, Author of Not-God: A History of Alcoholics Anonymous, and William White, Author of Slaying the Dragon: The History of Addiction Treatment and Recovery in America.)

290 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2014

Reviews

[Gary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Despite their Third Tradition. Despite their Responsibility Declaration. Despite their Founder's clarification in his article "Anarchy Melts". Despite the AA Preamble. Atheists, agnostics, freethinkers,even Jews, Muslims, and Buddhists will find that there is no room for them "in the rooms" unless they come to accept the Christian WASP god of the 1930's. So much for "Live and Let Live" and "To thine self be true"! The authors of this book are also the founders of the Canadian organization/website AA Agnostica created in an effort to counteract the calcified attitude of AA at large that unless you accept their WASP god, there is no cure for your disease. The excuse used time and again has been that taking "God" out of the Twelve (hallowed) Steps is in violation of the rules in general and will have a negative affect on the Fellowship. Forgetting also that the BB tells us that the Steps are only "suggestions". Somewhere along the line, promoting the WASP god of the 1930's as the only way superseded the mission of offering a helping hand to those wishing to stop drinking.
Anyway, this book is a collection of essay, articles, helpful hints for the alcoholic who finds himself the odd man out in an organization that the US Supreme Court has designated a religious organization. The members of AA Agnostica go through great pains to emphasize that they are not against religion but rather would hope AA would remember that the goal is to be there for their fellow alcoholics.
The book is at it's best when the contributors are allowed to tell their stories and make their points about the need for AA to relax and how it is possible to stay dry without a "Higher Power". It lost me when it went off subject and started reviewing books or writing about other organizations that are in the rehab business. One sidetrack that was enlightening was about how AA was initially against women being part of the fellowship-somewhat prescient in the context of the overall subject of the book.
Another underlying point that this book makes is that if AA doesn't find a way to welcome us WAFTs, then AA's days are numbered. As the 21st century moves forward, the Fellowship might find itself marginalized to the point, as one contributor put it, that they become like the Mennonites.

[Joe]

a collection of guest blogger essays at www.AAagnostica.org

A great resource of history, experience and a discussion about 12-Step stewardship and our collective future.