Blessings to you Jerri! Hope all is well with you.

Yes. The programs don’t hide that fact of who hijacked and bought out the two Dr. Bob & Bill W. My experience is this. If one works the 12 steps thoroughly and does a truthful 5th step with empathic breathren he can find himself and deprogram from bondage. But only with God’s leading in Jesus. Problem is AA will deprogram then reprogram an addict to fit the new bondage. Bondage of the program of parroting those in AA with disregard for Truth and the 12 steps. These people never really realized the “fear of people” in them. Others are able to deprogram from addiction and reprogram by another means of programming. That of Truth & the 12 steps by Jesus. If you take in only the Truth and leave out all the lies the people & sponsors dish out by parroting then a man can truly become who he really is. Courage at the forefront and Truth as the map. If a person deeply honors Truth they won’t fit in much with any large group or social gatherings. Granted the scars remain. Character patterns of dysfunction do not leave wholly. Fear is to be accepted as part of the human condition and overcome by awareness. Help others & do not harm.