Atheism in AA and the Intellectual Pride of the Skeptic – Russell S.

About This Speaker Tape

A phone call from the IRS or a screaming match with a parent—the wreckage of a life usually feels like a knot that cannot be untied. Russell S. argues that most alcoholics settle for the "Stop Drinking Club," a place of quiet desperation where they rely on "good orderly direction" and the "wisdom of the rooms" to survive. He calls this a watered-down philosophy, a form of intellectual pride that keeps a man in spiritual kindergarten.

For Russell, the real deal is "inspirational thinking." It is the moment you say the perfect thing in a crisis and realize, "That is not me." He describes the 12 steps not as the goal, but as hammers and nails used to build a house; worshiping the hammer is a mistake. He challenges the skeptic to abandon the pride of the analytical mind and seek a Higher Power, warning that relying on human resources is a recipe for a relapse after twenty years. To Russell, recovery is not about a medallion, but about the fourth dimension of existence.

Topics

Timestamps

• 0:00 Russell S. introduces himself and sets the stage for a talk on the 11th Step.
• 3:15 Discussion on the 'not drinking club' versus experiencing 'much of heaven' and the fourth dimension of existence.
• 7:40 Explanation of 'inspirational thinking' and how it manifests as saying the perfect thing in a crisis.
• 13:20 Russell S. reads from 'Chapter to the Agnostics' and argues that intellectual pride must be abandoned.
• 17:10 Critique of 'good orderly direction' as a 'watered down' version of the program.
• 21:45 Discussion on the 'men and the boys' and the transition from spiritual kindergarten to the fellowship of the spirit.
• 26:30 Laughter: Russell S. talks about alcoholics being codependent chameleons who just want to be liked.
• 31:10 Russell S. discusses the importance of surrounding oneself with religious organizations and mentors.
• 36:40 Personal account of moving from a New York kid interested in Playboy to a deacon in a Presbyterian church.
• 41:15 Final warning against resting on one's laurels and the danger of a precarious sobriety.