Bill W. Speaks About Tradition Three

“The only requirement for A.A. membership is a desire to stop drinking.”

Doesn’t make any mention whether you are required to be a “real” or “recovered” alcoholic, now, does it? Here’s a very interesting quote from another recovery writing online: “Just because someone sits in a church basement on a Saturday night and says “I am an alcoholic when I say so” then says so — does not mean it is true or that they are correct.”

Oh - really?

I always find it interesting when those who are obviously more intelligent than the founders of Alcoholics Anonymous determine they have a need to undermine those founders to prove somehow that they know better, i.e., they re-write our long proven literature.

I choose to rely on Bill W. and Dr. Bob. Your book doesn’t offer any white light events to factually disprove either of them.

Here is what Bill said in his Grapevine writing permanently reproduced in the Language of the Heart for February, 1948;

“The Third Tradition is a sweeping statement indeed; it takes in a lot of territory. Some people might think it too idealistic to be practical. It tells every alcoholic in the world that he may become, and remain, a member of Alcoholics Anonymous so long as he says so. In short, Alcoholics Anonymous has no membership rule.”

Well, well, well. Bill W. even says it. And note, when he says alcoholic he doesn’t include any adjectives like “real” or “true” or “recovered.”

Furthermore, Bill goes on to tell us;

“Why is this so? Our answer is simple and practical. Even in self-protection, we do not wish to erect the slightest barrier between ourselves and the fellow alcoholic who still suffers. We know that society has been demanding that he conform to its laws and conventions. But the essence of his alcoholic malady is the fact that he has been unable or unwilling to conform either to the laws of man or God. If he is anything, the sick alcoholic is a rebellious nonconformist. How well we understand that; every member of Alcoholics Anonymous was once a rebel himself. Hence we cannot offer to meet him at any halfway mark. We must enter the dark cave where he is and show him that we understand. We realize that he is altogether too weak and confused to jump hurdles. If we raise obstacles, he might stay away and perish. He might be denied his priceless opportunity.”

Amazing…

[I used to be doing completely different things on a Saturday night lol]