Cecil Andrews
Discover the “4 MARKS of a CULT” *TODAY* on “IRON SHARPENS IRON”with my guest Cecil Andrews, Director of “Take Heed” Ministries in Northern Ireland.
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Thank you Cecil for your excellent contribution to the program on identifying the four marks of a cult. Your exposition of the scriptures is always such a blessing to listen to. Great program.
Lorraine, thank you so much for your gracious comments – they are a great encouragement not only to me but I’m sure to Chris also. God bless you and yours.
I was wondering about the group Alcoholics Anonymous and the 12 steps in regard to scripture. Many followers celebrate this group as their new found religion. What is your take on this?
Sandra, thank you for your question. I have to confess that I have never had occasion to examine the ‘beliefs and methodology’ of Alcoholics Anonymous so personally do not have a “take on this”. However I did some ‘surfing’ and came across an article that I think may well prove helpful to you. It is located on http://alcoholicsvictorious.org/faq
Excellent question, Sandra. I have personally been delivered by the grace & mercy of God from the sin of drunkenness & enslavement to alcohol, & I have come to believe that “AA” & its subsequent cousins “NA” & many other addiction recovery based groups are indeed another religion. These groups have the majority of the elements of a religion: specific teachings about their god (a god determined by each individual, which is, itself, a “teaching” of theirs about god) & ways their god operates, prayer, a vital book documenting their beliefs including their code of ethics & practices, the belief that their organization is vital to the “salvation” of addicts (even if “salvation” is merely freedom from addiction & its consequences), that frequent & ongoing attendance to their meetings for the remainder of one’s life is crucial to the maintenance of right living, and more. The only thing lacking from most of their meetings that is typically found in religions is singing. I may, God willing, write a book on this topic, especially if after thoroughly researching other things written on the recovery movement, I find another book is needed. I don’t want to reinvent the wheel if someone else has done a sufficient job on the subject. Thanks for listening & writing!!