We Agnostics

1. Read the Chapter, “We Agnostics”.
2. Has the book made clear the distinction between the alcoholic and the non-alcoholic?  If so, what is that distinction?
3. If you are truly alcoholic, what is the only thing that will conquer it for you?
   1. Why is this important to understand?
4. What are the two (2) alternatives we must face?
5. What percent of the first 100 alcoholics were atheists or agnostics?
6. Why didn’t a code of morals or a better philosophy of life actually help us?
   1. What was missing?
7. What is the main object of the book, Alcoholics Anonymous?
8. Hope rises in the newcomer when we discuss the disease and our fellowship, but what happens when we talk about God?
   1. Why does this happen?
9. What does the phrase “re-open” mean?
10. Why were the feelings of awe and wonder “fleeting” in your case?
11. Can we “fully define or understand” God?
12. What is our inadequate conception of God sufficient to do?
13. What does it mean to seek God?
14. Who is the Realm of the Spirit open to?
15. Page 47:  “When, therefore, we speak to you of God, we mean your own conception of God.  This applies too, to other spiritual expression which you find in this book.  Do not let any prejudice you may have against spiritual terms deter you from honestly asking yourself what they mean to you.”
    1. Let us follow these directions.
       1. “Spiritual Terms” can be whatever you decide are “spiritual terms”.
          1. Examples of other members “spiritual terms”.
             1. God
             2. Love
             3. Forgiveness
             4. Prayer
             5. Sex
             6. Marriage
             7. Anything that you determine to be a “spiritual term” can be added to your list, remember it’s YOUR list.
       2. To begin, get a piece of paper and write at the top “Page 47: Spiritual Terms List”
       3. Next search the book, Alcoholics Anonymous, for 40 spiritual terms.
          1. “40” is a subjective number, if you want to do more or less fell free to do so.  Our experience has taught us that 100 is too many and 10 is not enough.  The number is terms is completely up to you.
       4. In the margin, write the page number that contains your chosen spiritual term.
       5. Next, write the chose spiritual term.
       6. Now, as best you can define that term in your own words.
       7. Finally, once your list is complete, take a moment and think or pray about it.  Now, fold your list and place it in the back of your Big Book.  We will reexamine it after Step 12.
16. When will “we accept many things which seem entirely out of reach”?
17. How will you know you are “on your way”?
18. What are we handicapped by?
19. What does the phrase, “alcohol was the great persuader” mean?
20. Give examples of how “outward appearances are not inward realities at all”.
21. What did you do, if anything, to convince yourself that God didn’t exist?
22. How do you feel about the sentence, “Were our contentions true, it would follow that life originated out of nothing, means nothing, and proceeds nowhere.”?
23. Do you have prejudice against organized religion?
    1. Why or why not?
24. What does this sentence mean to you, “We missed the reality and beauty of the forest because we were diverted by the ugliness of some of the trees.”?
25. What are these men and women “strikingly agreed” upon?
26. The American statesman who is quoted as saying, “Let’s look at the record.”
27. What three (3) things do they flatly declare has brought “a revolutionary change in their way of living and thinking”?
28. Leave the drink question out of it, why was living so unsatisfactory for you?
29. What presents a powerful reason why one should have faith?
30. Were the ancients less intelligent than we are?
    1. Why was material progress so slow?
31. Does our culture disregard the old for the new?  Give five examples of this.
    1. Do you disregard the old for the new?  Give five examples of this.
32. List the “bedevilments”.
    1. Which ones do you suffer from?
    2. What haven’t we been ready to change on these human problems?
33. On page 53, out text says, “God either is, or He isn’t.”  What is your choice to be?
34. Has “faith” been involved in your life all along?  Explain.
35. Who was the first person you ever “loved”?  Describe your emotions/experience.
36. Who was the first person to ever “loved” you?  Describe how you knew they loved you.  Describe how the experience of actually being loved changed you.
37. Have you ever “worshipped” anything or anyone?  Why did you see in that thing or person that made you feel you should worship them?  How did you “worship” them?
38. Have you ever “believed” in something?  Explain why you chose to believe in that something?
39. Have you ever had “faith” in something?  Describe why you trusted that something or someone so deeply.
40. Is there a difference between the “fundamental idea of God” and actual “faith in God”?  If so, describe what you mean.
41. Define “Calamity” – “Pomp” – “Worship”
42. What did we see was “part of our make-up”?
43. What did we have to do to find out “He was there”?
44. What are the four (4) reasons the first 100 gave us there testimony?, according to page 55?
45. The following story is about an early member of A.A., named Fitz M.  You can read his story here as it was published in the 1st Edition of the Big Book.
46. What does the phrase “thought he was an atheist” mean?
47. What do you think Bill and the first 100 meant by the phrase, “change of heart”?
48. What brought this man to the “point of self-destruction”?
49. While confined in the hospital, this man was approached “by an alcoholic who had know a spiritual experience”, rather than an AA member.  What are some of the potential reasons for describing this man in those terms?
50. Have you ever had a spiritual experience?  Describe your experience.
51. Define:  Vicissitude
52. Describe what you believe this sentence means to you, “His alcoholic problem was taken away.”
53. Was he ever tempted to drink again?  What kept him from doing so?
54. Write your thoughts about this sentence, “He humbly offered himself to his Maker – then he knew.”
55. Who has God always come to?
56. What happen when we “draw near to God”?

**Big Book Study:  Chapter 5: How It Works (Opening)