Aa Beyond Belief

In today's episode, we meet Petrina S., who helped found the Curl Curl Secular ID meeting located about 18 kilometers from the central business district in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, and about 10 kilometers from the other secular AA meeting in metropolitan Sydney—the Brookvale Secular ID meeting.

Jennifer grew up in an alcoholic home and had all the characteristics of an alcoholic before she even had her first drink. An Alateen at 13 and a member of Alcoholics Anonymous at 15, it was the 1980's when she first got sober. This was a time when young people's groups were flourishing and she felt right at home in AA. During the next 16 years, she went to meetings and was active in the Fellowship. Eventually, though, she drifted away from attending meetings and after several moves around the country, she put AA behind her. Seven years later she had a glass of wine and was off to the races.

In this episode, Benn and I discuss the 2012 film Smashed, starring Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Kate, a young woman coming to terms with her addiction to alcohol. Kate recognizes that "sober Kate" is a much different woman than "drunk Kate." The movie centers on Kate's relationship with her husband and her fear that she can't stay married to him and stay sober. It's a great film that I highly recommend.

Paul started drinking excessively while in his teens and lost control early on. He tried various ways to get his life and drinking under control, but nothing worked. He was feeling hopeless and had no self-esteem. After getting arrested for driving under the influence and violating probation, he finally had enough.

In today's episode of AA Beyond Belief the Podcast, we meet Garth R., a co-founder of the We Agnostics Group in Johannesburg, South Africa. The group started up in March of this year, and meets every Wednesday night at 7:30. Our conversation centers on what led him to help start a new secular AA meeting, and how things are progressing.

Glenn G. a co-founder of the Beaches Agnostics AA group in Jacksonville, Florida hosted a workshop at the Florida State AA convention held in Jacksonville from July 27-30, 2017. The speakers included Ashley, who attends meetings at Beaches Agnostics and myself. Ashley and I shared a little of our stories and then spoke of experiences as an agnostic and atheist in Alcoholics Anonymous. 

In this episode of AA Beyond Belief The Podcast, we speak with Don M. from The Broader Path Group in Odessa, Ontario. Don shares a little of his story, his thoughts on spirituality, his upcoming speaking engagement at the Secular Ontario AA Roundup, and much more. Don was also kind enough to provide this insightful essay about his thoughts on spirituality.

I met Carmen at my home group, and have always enjoyed her thoughtful comments, intelligence, and her honest, open, and warm personality. This podcast features a portion of her story followed by an interesting conversation based on her experience as a transgender woman and a freethinker in Alcoholics Anonymous. 

PJ started drinking as a teenager in his native Ireland, and to this day, he can remember the effect of that first drink he had at a pub in Dublin when he was 19 years of age. It seemed everything that was once impossible, was now possible. Alcohol helped draw him out of his terrible shyness, and he suddenly found himself easily joining the conversation and feeling that he was part of the crowd. He absolutely loved this, and for the first five years of his drinking, he didn't experience many problems, but over time, alcohol gradually took over more and more of his life. 

This week's podcast features a conversation with Jack V., one of the organizers of the Secular Ontario AA Round up or SOAAR. The event will take place on September 16, 2017 at the United Steelworkers Hall, 25 Cecil Street, Toronto, Ontario M5T1N1.  

In this week's podcast, Benn and I have a conversation inspired by the movie, Thanks for Sharing; a film that describes 12 Step culture through the experiences and relationships of recovering sex addicts. The movie was directed by Stuart Bloomberg who also co-wrote the screenplay with Matt Winston and features performances by Mark Ruffalo, Tim Robbins, Gweneth Paltrow, Josh Gad, Joely Richardson, Patrick Fugit, and Alecia Moore (Pink).

This week's podcast features an interview with Steve K. who discusses his book The 12 Step Philosophy of Alcoholics Anonymous: An Interpretation by Steve K. Inspired by Stoic philosophy and the liberal principles embedded in AA history, Steve interprets the Steps from a humanistic perspective. It's an approach that will be welcomed by many of us who struggle with the God bit of AA.

This episode of AA Beyond Belief the Podcast features an interview with William Porter, author of Alcohol Explained. William lives in London, England with his wife and two young children. He is currently a lawyer and previously served with the 4th (Volunteer) Battalion of the Parachute Regiment. I found the book Alcohol Explained to be an interesting examination of alcohol addiction, and I believe the book would be helpful to anyone who may be coming to grips with a drinking problem or has a friend or loved one struggling with alcohol addiction.

Our podcast this week is an interesting interview I conducted with Archer Voxx, author of the book The Five Keys – Twelve Step Recovery Without A God. This short book is getting attention in the agnostic, atheist, and freethinker communities because of its fresh approach to introducing the secular newcomer to AA. The content of the book would also be eye-opening to many veterans of the fellowship.

In this week's episode of AA Beyond Belief the Podcast, I speak with Courtney S., the webmaster for Secular AA, a new service organization created by the Board of Directors of ICSAA that consolidates the functions previously performed by WAAFT Central, Agnostic AA NYC, and WAAFT IAAC.

Hello. My name is Dale, and I'm an alcoholic. Also, I’m what many call an atheist. That label is for you. I don’t find a personal label necessary. In fact, I don’t like the term “Atheist.” It has too much negativity connected to it. I’m not anti-theist. I couldn’t care less what others believe. In fact, I’m a believer, too! I believe in science. That ever growing knowledge of this place I live in and how I fit into it. That’s wonderfully positive! There is plenty of emotion that colors my thoughts, but my core beliefs are science based. I really don’t need a label for all this. I’m just a guy struggling through life like everyone else. Much of what I hold to be true is a temporary truth. With time new discoveries will shed light on new truths that may, also, be temporary. The one truth that I believe to be permanent is love. So, if you must label me, call me a lover.

Kayleigh P.'s drinking crept up on her seemingly out of nowhere. It was a problem long before she knew it was a problem. This is her story. As a young girl, Kayleigh was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, a painful disease that for periods of time made it impossible for her to walk. But it was more than physical pain that she endured, there was also emotional damage as the disease eroded her self-esteem. After a decade of treatments that never worked, she had had enough. Frustrated, she convinced herself that she no longer had the disease; and she began to self-medicate with drugs and alcohol.

Telling one’s story can be daunting. While sharing at meetings, I have felt pressure to make my life sound completely awful so there could be a wonderful chance to praise AA and the steps at the end. Others times I found myself denying certain facts about my drinking out of embarrassment.

In recording this podcast, I was interviewed by my co-host, Benn B. and thanks to his excellent interviewing skills; I shared my story in perhaps more detail than ever before. This turned out to be a valuable exercise, leaving me with a renewed sense of gratitude for Alcoholics Anonymous and particularly thankful for my involvement with the agnostic, atheist and freethinking community of AA.

When I first heard the story of the Toronto Intergroup of Alcoholics Anonymous removing the agnostic groups from the Greater Toronto Area meeting directory and preventing them from having a voice at intergroup meetings, I couldn't help but ask myself how I would feel if I were faced with those circumstances. I would feel, in a word "rejected," and it would be one of the more painful rejections that I could imagine.