Despite assurances from rrmoderator that he gets no complaints from families and relatives about loved ones in AA, there are many educated experts in the field who do find AA to be "cult-like". For instance, Jeffrey Schaler,Phd.
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www.schaler.net]
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There are ways of applying this idea to individuals under the "spell cast by others" (Becker 1973). One way of testing the cult nature of a group is by challenging the ideology binding the group together. We can discover something about the nature of a group by how well its members tolerate opposition to the ideology that holds the group together. How well do members tolerate difference of opinion, opinion that challenges the very ideological heart of the group?
Extensive research supports the idea that addiction is a voluntary process, a behavior that is better explained by individual psychological and environmental factors, than physiology and the chemical properties of drugs, (Alexander 1987, 1990).
[b:34bde41c76]Presenting those findings to people holding opposing points of view, i.e., addiction is a disease characterized by "loss of control" (Jellinek 1960), often elicits a vituperative response. That response aroused the writer's curiosity as to the cult-like nature certain groups within the addiction field hold dearly.[/b:34bde41c76] The bolder the presentation of ideas in opposition to the prevailing disease-model ideology, the clearer the characterizations of criticism directed back in return. Patterns of response are clear.
Schaler also opposes the disease theory of addiction. Viewing addiction as a behavioral problem does little to let the alcoholic off the hook; rather, it holds them more responsible for their actions.
This should, but in actuality does not, fit in well with stated 12-step attitudes towards personal responsibility.
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www.schaler.net]
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If people are willing to break the law to get money to buy drugs, they should be punished for breaking the law. Drug use is not a valid excuse for law-breaking. Many illegal drug dealers are neither violent nor drug users. Why do they need treatment? Treatment for what? They're in jail for illegal, consensual business transactions.
As they say in AA, "The first thing to go is the truth." The truth is that drug users complain and lie about how they can't control their behavior. The truth is there's no such thing as an involuntary behavior. The truth is that comparing drug users to people with real diseases is cruel to people with real diseases.
[b:34bde41c76]A final point to consider is that treatment for addiction is increasingly viewed by courts as a religious activity. When the state entangles itself in treatment, it violates the free exercise and establishment clauses of the First Amendment.[/b:34bde41c76]
He also discusses treatment in terms of our legal rights, as does Peele.
Both men believe, as do I, that our right to religious freedom is worth defending.
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www.peele.net]
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The notion that drug and alcohol abuse are inevitably progressive, a holdover from the Temperance view, is one example of how modern addictionology is really moralistic and theological rather than scientific and pragmatic.
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In response to rrmoderator's suggestion that I cite individual court cases, I'll try to keep this short:
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www.fed-soc.org]
Article citing first amendment cases and opinions by Jendi B. Reiter, attorney and clerk to a justice in the Appellate Division of the First Department in the New York Supreme Court.
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New York Penal Law ยง 65.10(2)(a) authorizes courts to order offenders to participate in alcohol or substance abuse treatment programs as a condition of probation or parole. Quite recently, this seemingly uncontroversial requirement has been limited by successful Establishment Clause challenges to forced participation in Alcoholics Anonymous programs, which have significant religious content.
Warner v. Orange County Dep't of Probation ("Warner II"), 93 Civ. 1544, 1997 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 9300 (S.D.N.Y. June 27, 1997);
Griffin v. Coughlin, 649 N.Y.S. 903 (1996).
There are several other cases, including the Supreme Court's test of the 1st amendment establishment clause in Lemon v. Kurtzman
Reiter also adresses cases involving AA, the courts, and freedom of speech.
Further elaboration on these important court cases can be found here:
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www.law.cornell.edu]
(I do not feel that I have the right to divulge information about people I know personally who were required to attend AA meetings as a condition of probation. )