Dr. Keith Humphreys

Some of those people might be happier than in programs like SMART Recovery, which doesn't have that component to it.

But yeah, it is incredibly

flexible, you know, in terms of household.

That's why it's really a spiritual, not religious organization.

It is, you know, it says in the texts, the 12 steps are but suggestions, okay?

Can you imagine that in a Christian church saying, you know, Jesus was the son of God, or maybe he wasn't, who knows, it's really up to you, right?

You know, that's what, in a religion, no, he was, period, that's not a negotiable point.

A, everything is negotiable other than what you believe.

It's like, it's what you do, you know, you go to meetings, stay sober.

They don't really care.

My friend, Barry Rosen, passed away too young.

Unfortunately, he was an addiction psychiatrist.

He said, would say to people, look, the God in AA can be anything.

It could be Buddha.

It could be Jesus.

It could be your group.

It could be the doorknob.

It just can't be you, you narcissistic SOB.

And that's what they were really concerned about with the people founded is that it was the hubris, the ego of I am in control and I don't need any help.

I am the God basically.