Plain Language Big Book - AA's more comprehensible message

What’s Different?

• The first 164 pages are now 122 pages – by simplifying the language.
• More “gender-balanced” – e.g. jaywalker is female; but not gender-neutral using “they”.
• The wording of the Steps has not changed from Him/His, but in other places,gender-balanced He/Him/His “may have changed to God”.
• Only “Dr. Bob’s Nightmare” is included in the stories (more on some problematic Doctor Bob language to follow).

Plain language interpretation reduced 164 pages by 25%—a noteworthy reduction. How Bill wrote does not fit in as far as a contemporary discussion about alcohol use disorder or addiction in general. Here’s an example: it is unimaginable to expect to hear or read this abstract and flowery description of alcohol use disorder at your doctor’s office:

“But with the alcoholic, whose hope is the maintenance and growth of a spiritual experience, this business of resentment is finitely grave. We found that it is fatal. For when harboring such feelings we shut ourselves off from the sunlight of the Spirit. The insanity of alcohol returns and we drink again. And with us, to drink is to die. 

If we were to live, we had to be free of anger. The grouch and the brainstorm were not for us. They may be the dubious luxury of normal men, but for alcoholics, these things are poison (“How It Works,” p. 66).”

Referred to in this show:

 THE BLOG POST (Read on PDF or Website) includes AA membership from 2002 to 2020, which changed (+/-) over 20 years and more.

https://rebelliondogspublishing.com/blog/blog/7425695/plain-language-big-book-coming-soon-who-what-where-when-why

Biographies of the 28 AA stories in the first edition of Alcoholics Anonymous (and other AA stories)Referred

https://library.iusb.edu/search-find/archives/gcarchive/docs/ref-bb-authors.pdf 

2020 Membership Survey from Great Britain General Service Office+ 

81% of newcomers and 94% of people sober 10+ years believe in a higher power (Great Britain and English-speaking Central Europe). Of those who believe, ⅓ believe in a religious god, ⅔ believe in a secular higher power. See page 11.

https://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/AA-Membership-Survey-2020.pdf

Other show notes....
https://rebelliondogspublishing.com/rebellious-radio/blog/7438907/plain-language-big-book-episode-76-rebellion-dogs-radio

Please join the conversation; for social media, contact info, links and show notes, info on Beyond Belief: Agnostic Musings for 12 Step Life and other great books etc, visit:

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