Video Clip of Ann N Discussion

Slides from Ann N on her discussion

Link to read the Preface & Forward

Big Book Preface & Forwards - by Ann N

Jan 18, 2023, Preface and Forwards Ann N Discussion 

Snippets from participants"

• "the fact that the word "HONEST" was removed from the Forward of the First Edition. Only Anne talked about that and she went pretty fast so I didn't fully get why. I assume either desperate people can't understand HONEST desire to quit drinking or maybe they were the only ones that could after we "raised the bottom" in the Second Edition 1955?"
• "I found the end of the Preface to be the most important to me: about how critical it is to feel understood and to be able to relate to peoples' stories that feel so similar to my own. Though it is the same book and the same stories, I never felt this way hearing these stories when I heard them at traditional meetings in the early part of my recovery: I felt too much like an imposter. In this meeting, however, I look forward to feeling that resonance and experience their strength and hope as I won't feel so excluded from the group. That is why this group is important to me.""From now on everything I write down in my notes from reading the Big Book will be from an agnostic point of view."
• "Anne mentioned something about the 12th Step I think it was, regarding"complete psychic change" and other words of something like "complete change of personality" were used but omitted. That's odd great interest to me because I don't have a clue WTF psychic change means, but personality change makes complete sense to me"
• "I got a great deal out of the 10 minute historical overview if the origin of the Big Book by Anne. Some awesome info that was new to me that was concise and yet thorough "
• "The first forward that was written provided the first mention of what is used in the responsibility statement, about no dues or fees and just a desire to stop drinking. I had heard that for years but didn't remember when it was from"
• I loved everything about it. The careful reading and secular interpretation along with the side dish of history. 
• "The Big Book Study Group was awesome! It was the meeting I've been craving since I found secular AA - a way to understand this fundamental text with respect for those of us who are atheists and agnostics. The meeting is also a safe space to express frustration with the book's masculine lens, white-centeredness, etc. while also respecting its history and value in recovery today."

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