Why do people in 12step recovery become abusive and angry when thier religion is questioned in any way?

Question

I noticed those in 12 step recoery relgionm become very upset and abusivie when thier program is challenged or pople do nmot buy the diseasee excuse for all of the pewrsons behaviors . .
I thought that 12 tep rprams proscibed anger and resntment ?
It is perfectly legit and healthy to both question the effectivenes of the 12 step religion and if it is a cult or cult like .
If the 12 step relgion works for you fime but it should not be imposed on any one else . and yes it is by any measure a relgion despite whar AA /NA ect say it fits every defintion ofa relgion .
Sowhy te anger and insults i thought they were spritual peole whoio were peacful an lived and let live appernetly not so!
What is wrong with being in a religion if that what stops you from drink and but apperntly not your antisocial behavior or peronality .
So why the insults andanger or even calling a person who is studying movement a drunk or drug abuser with out knowing that person?

One they are a sub culter open to research as to why treatment isa utterfailure less than 5 % sabstain or moderate most who do quit or moderate sucessfully do so on thier own with out any support gruop at all the have a few thins in comon ,stabel employnmet that pays above the meain , arein a stable relationship or married they have strong family support andare between 25 - 40 and White males or females sww a patern thier . Just poitiong out my research opf the recovery relgion and it's influnce on our society . as aprt of my graduate work
and this is very informative .

Insutling a person is one of the frist signs that you do not have a argument . infact courts foce pople to attendAA and NA all th tine and it IS NOT a CHIOCE O or plea it is a sentace flat out you do not have a choice .
it is usedas a way to pretend ot do things about DUI with out spending money aNDand adding ot por over crowed prisons that cost alot to buld and operate

A itself is has document about coercion and how to get new members by plying the courts
http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org/en_pdfs/mg-05_coopwithcourt.pdf


Na too
http://www.na.org/bulletins/bull31.htm

AA is a religion acording ot 3fedral circut courts
thesupreamcourt letstand a ruling .against foreced AAand NA
this needsto inbeupdtedto include he most recent ruling
http://www.law.duke.edu/shell/cite.pl?47+Duke+L.+J.+785

The Notion of people have a choice is BS wht sane person isgoing ot choose jail over what pretends to be a self help gruop but is cult like religion

Answer 1

People get upset whenever you question their religion, and make no mistake about it, AA is a religion. If I remember correctly, the five things that determine a religion are:
belief in God or gods
sacred words or text
dogma
hierarchy
and ritual.

AA has all five.

People are sure that the program works even if they don't know why; questioning might break the magic spell. If you make sense, it might cause them to question their own shaky beliefs.

Answer 2

These people have come from rock bottom places. Most of them were abused is one way or another. They became suicidal towards the end. They blame god for their problems so it's very hard for some to even say the god word in the beginning. Most have to start out with a higher power until they can say god. Once they reach the place that they never thought they would reach (sobriety) they become believers of god and hold on tight to what they believe helped them get sober. It's not a religion, it's not a cult. It's what saved their lives and so yes, when you question them they can get pretty defensive. They aren't going to change what worked for them. And always remember, some are much much sicker than others. Those with a solid recovery program are the nicest people you will meet. It's those that don't have a solid recovery program that still live with their old behavior.

Answer 3

I can barely read what you wrote.

I attend 12-step, and I've never seen anyone get mad about this. If someone questions it, all I say to them is try it for 90 days and see. If they don't like it, we can refund their money. ($0).

No one is asking you to "buy the disease excuse." All I know is that alcoholism and addictions LOOK very much like illness. They are chronic, debilitating, and they don't "clear up" on their own without SOME kind of treatment or support.

If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, I'd take a wild guess and say it IS a duck.

AA does NOT "push" its program on ANYONE. It is there if someone wants it. No one is forced to go - although, sometimes COURTS make people go, but that is out of AA's control. Most times, AA would rather the courts did NOT send people their way, because most people forced by the courts to attend AA don't really want to be there, and they don't get anything out of it. But again, that is NOT in AA's control.

Love, Jack.

Answer 4

i was in a twelve step group for quite some time and i had to get out of them because of the hippocrits and dysfunction ,gossip, backstabing the talking in slogans krap JEEEZZZZ i took my inventory and found i wasnt a person that likes thease kind of folks messed up or not .. also told me i was in denial because i thought i could do it on my own welll my life is still clean and sober with out the confusing contradictions of the so called unity and payton place i have been to AA and NA and i went to several differant groups around the US and it was the same everywhere i learned some things yes but as far as what they try to make you think how messed up you are i was screeming inside but it doesnt mattter how much you call them on the bull your always wrong or in denial or relapse you know what i mean i cringe at the thought of going to any meeting now as they say some are sicker than others... i met alot of so called friends in the program at least thats what i thought but as soon as i quit going because of the krap i still am clean and sober in my mind and body -no religion - well as they tryed to assume i was out using again blah blah blah they even talked all thier smack all over the place well im a living example that it does work if you apply it get my drift .. and i have been thrown under the bus with my addictions but i dont think the program have a loving unity my so called friends never have been around since i dint graduate i just grew up and left as far as god gos and religion i dont think yours is my business and mine isnt either that should be respected by anyone in my eyes

Answer 5

How about leaving a recovering addict alone and letting them cope in whatever way works for them? I could care less if religion works for them. Just to not antagonize them okay? Let them do what makes them well okay? That is the goal right?

Answer 6

I know several people who are in 12-step programs, and have never experienced any abuse or anger from them. I have a hunch it might be your aggressive approach that produces hostility in return.

Answer 7

wow, do you lecture homeless people too?