In this episode, we meet Andy F., an agnostic who got sober in AA and is now writing a book about his experience overcoming his initial objections to the Twelve Steps.
Key points and topics discussed
- Andy’s experience as a child in foster care.
- First doubts about God and religion.
- Mental illness and alcoholism.
- Time in prison.
- First impressions of AA.
- Obstacles with the Twelve Steps.
- Why therapy wasn’t working.
- Andy’s view of victimization.
Memorable quotes
By the time I was 13 years old, I had a massive chip on my shoulder about the way I was treated by my foster mother, I was very angry at my mother for giving me up for foster care, so I became angry and bitter as a young man at the age of 15 or 16. While this was going on, my mother became an active alcoholic. – Andy
I was an alcoholic from the moment I picked up my first drink. I had to get as out of my head as possible so that I wouldn’t feel the pain and the confusion and the rage that I felt both towards my mother for abandoning me, to God if he did exist, and my foster mother. – Andy
I loved the meetings because, for the first time in my life, I felt that I belonged somewhere. Coming to the Fellowship was a homecoming. – Andy
Resources
Andy’s website AA for Agnostics
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