Christmas, Christians, Lepers and Alcoholics

By bob k

All AA members, both Christians and non-Christians, so easily joined together during the recent holidays in shared sentiments of kindness, selflessness and the love of our fellow man. Above all is our gratitude for having undergone “miraculous” transformations, as the result of our twelve step process.

Like Ebeneezer Scrooge of Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, the alcoholic in AA “realizes that he has undergone a profound alteration in his reaction to life… our more religious members call it ‘God-consciousness.'”

It is our gift that we are able, in our gatherings, to remind each other to experience these feelings of “Christmas spirit” throughout the year. This we accomplish, I think, better than most.

In the Twelve and Twelve’s discussion of the third tradition – “The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking” – early members were faced with a difficult decision regarding admittance of an “unconventional” seeker of recovery. Potentially, this “pariah” could do great harm to the reputation of the fledgling organization thus affecting “AA as a whole.” The simple thought, “What would the Master do?” decided the matter. “Not another word was said. What more indeed could be said?”

Our current issue of some controversy concerns the possible re-listing of two agnostic AA groups. It may be timely to once more pose the question, “What would the Master do?” The answer is obvious – Christ “de-listed” no one. He even walked among the lepers!