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+ Last updated:
February 27, 2014 |
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FREEDOM RANCH MAUI
INCORPORATED
ESTABLISHED 2003
THE PROGRAM
A Faith-Based Christian Educational Training Program for those at
risk, afflicted with alcoholism, addictions, and other
life-controlling problems, including homelessness, abuse, and
imprisonment. Our program offers "A New Way Out" for attaining a new
life in Christ through reliance on the Creator – YHWH our God.
Founded on the principles, practices, and teaching methods of “Akron
Group Number One” – the Pioneer AA Christian Fellowship of Akron,
Ohio, as led by Dr. Robert Holbrook Smith of Akron, Ohio, and also
on the successful practices of the Salvation Army and Christian
Endeavor.
THE PROGRAM OF
FREEDOM RANCH MAUI INCORPORATED
·
In the
words of A.A.'s Founders:
“We already had
the basic ideas, though not in terse and tangible form. We got
them…as a result of our study of the Good Book.”
- Dr. Robert Holbrook Smith,
Co-Founder of Alcoholics Anonymous, 1948
From Dr. Bob and the Good Oldtimers, 1980, p. 97
“Henrietta
[wife of AA Number Three, Bill Dotson, as Bill Wilson addressed
her:], the Lord has been so wonderful to me, curing me of this
terrible disease, that I just want to keep talking about it and
telling people.”
- William Griffith Wilson,
Co-Founder of Alcoholics Anonymous, 1935
From Alcoholics Anonymous, 4th Edition, 2001, p. 191
·
The
situation today was described many years ago:
“We have grown
in numbers, wealth, and power as no other nation has ever grown. But
we have forgotten God…Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have
become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and
preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God that made us!”
- Abraham Lincoln, 1863
THE PROGRAM OF
FREEDOM RANCH MAUI INCORPORATED
“Bringing alcoholics and addicts to reliance for cure on the
Creator through prayer and study of His Word and becoming a new
person in Christ.”
A School for
Training Leaders, Teachers, and the Afflicted in Recovery,
Rehabilitation, and Bible Principles
MISSION STATEMENT
Freedom Ranch
Maui Incorporated is a non-profit charitable, religious and
educational organization established to bring alcoholics and addicts
to reliance on the Creator for cure through prayer and study of His
Word and becoming a new person in Christ. By Internal Revenue
Service ruling, dated May 9th, 2006, and effective August 5th, 2003,
Freedom Ranch has been ruled to have a Public Charity Status under
section 170(b)(1)(A)(vi); and is exempt from Federal Income Tax
under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. And as to
which contributions are deductible under section 170 of the Code. It
is also qualified to receive tax deductible bequests, devises,
transfers, or gifts under section 2055, 2016, or 2522 of the Code.
Freedom Ranch Maui Incorporated is founded on the premise that the
Christian Fellowship of early Alcoholics Anonymous [aka. “Akron
Group Number One”, led by Dr. Robert Holbrook Smith] provided the
model and answer to alcoholism and other addictions through its
Christian program developed and utilized between 1935 and 1938. The
pioneer program was thoroughly and accurately reported to
philanthropist John D. Rockefeller Jr. by his associate Frank Amos.
The Frank Amos report explicitly stated how “medically incurable”
alcoholics had achieved “permanent cures” utilizing this practical
program.* The cures and the astonishing success rates of yesteryear
are not even remotely paralleled today. The Freedom Ranch Maui
Mission has been and is: (1) To research, study, report on,
publicize, and enable utilization of the exact methods and sources
employed by the Akron A.A.’s pioneer program; (2) To demonstrate
conclusively to our school and learning audience the potential for
outstanding efficacy today through a simple and practical
utilization of the early principles; and (3) Through school classes;
online education, radio and TV and and analog presentations.; as
well as lectures, retreats, seminars, and conference addresses, to
educate and train leaders, teachers, and the afflicted themselves
about the early A.A. program of recovery, rehabilitation, and Bible
principles.
* The Frank Amos description of the program of “Akron Group Number
One” has been more fully reported by Alcoholics Anonymous World
Services, Inc. in the book Dr. Bob and the Good Oldtimers, 1980, pp.
130-136, to which readers are referred for details.
Freedom Ranch Maui Offers
“A New Way Out” Right Now
HISTORY IS OUR FOUNDATION
The history of the early A.A. Christian
Fellowship, its Bible focus,
and the compelling success factors from its historical sources
YOUR BUILDING ON THIS HISTORY IS OUR TARGET
Put a segment in your library, program, center,
group, and your life.
Here are the specifics we offer
·
Nineteen years of solid research, documenting the early
recovery programs and successes of A.A. Predecessors: Christian
Endeavor; the Salvation Army; the Gospel Rescue Missions; the YMCA;
the revivals and evangelism; and the “Great Awakening of 1875” that
transformed the town, people, churches, schools, and lives of those
who lived in Dr. Bob’s home village of St. Johnsbury, Vermont. And
most assuredly, the Akron AA Christian Fellowship. We’ve got the
evidence, documents, and histories that make the facts known.
·
All of A.A.’s real forerunners embraced similar ingredients:
Abstinence, Reliance on the Creator, converting to Christ,
Obedience to God’s will, Resisting temptation, Growing in
fellowship with God and His Son Jesus Christ through Bible study,
prayer, God’s guidance, and reading. And topping it off with
unselfish, unpaid, compassionate love and service.
·
Some A.A. parent sources were huge and widely known for
their successes: 3,500,000 in worldwide Christian Endeavor; many
millions assisted by the Salvation Army, hundreds of thousands by
the Gospel Rescue Missions, and a 41,000,000 YMCA membership today.
The children of our Heavenly Father who really tried in these
agencies were delivered from the power of darkness because their
early leaders uniformly studied God’s Word, promoted salvation,
prayed to the Creator in the name of His son for help, and witnessed
to others the freedom from fear, guilt, shame, alcoholism, bondage,
substance abuse, addictions, homelessness, and criminal behavior His
love, strength, guidance, power, and careprovided.
·
Several related websites tell the important facts free—
http://www.dickb.com/index.shtml;
http://www.dickb-blog.com;
http://recoverylife.com;
http://freedomranchmaui.org;
http://DrBob.info
·
We have posted 170 articles—70 audio talks—two radio
programs—links—all free. Free so you can see for yourself accurate
records and discussions of historical facts.
·
Order books as a set, in bulk, at discount from through
Amazon.com; Book Surge; and Lulu; see title pictures and details on
http://www.dickb.com/titles.shtml
Our Websites Yesterday and Today
Our earlier focus
was on adopting a mission statement and founding an actual recovery
ranch program called Freedom Ranch Maui. The idea of starting with
an actual ranch with resident students has, for several reasons, now
given place to a much broader vision. Hence our program is now fully
presented on:
We
decided to focus directly on training people on how the early A.A.
fellowship and others before it conquered the terrible curse of
alcoholism and addiction. The focus was to be on the curse exactly
where it lies—with the new people just entering recovery or
treatment or 12 Step groups.
This new site is directed at telling you how to bring to the still
suffering alcoholic or addict full, accurate, and useful information
on the priceless cures in the Alcoholics Anonymous Christian
Fellowship program developed in Akron between 1935 and 1938.
This will be done primarily through online teaching and education
that will be available to teachers, facilitators, counselors,
clergy, medical practitioners, and most assuredly the newly
afflicted alcoholics and addicts and their families who seek direct
help through the ever-expanding Internet Super Highway. In addition,
this will be done through media outreach on radio, television,
press, CD’s, and instructional films. Later, we hope, some of our
work will be done through core classes on the island of Maui, which
will train qualified students and teachers, who want to revive the
successes achieved through reliance on Yahweh our Creator and the
Lord Jesus Christ.
THE PROGRAM OF
FREEDOM RANCH MAUI INCORPORATED
WHO WE ARE
Freedom Ranch Maui Incorporated is a non-profit 501[c][3] charitable, religious and
educational corporation, duly organized and incorporated in, and in
accordance with, the non-profit corporation laws of Hawaii, USA on
August 8, 2003.
1. Its principal office, headquarters, and school are located at:
2960
South Kihei Road
Unit 509
Kihei, Maui, Hawaii 96753 USA
2. Its
officers and directors are:
Karen
A. Plavan, Ph.D., – Pennsylvania -President, Director
Charles P. Mau, MRE – California - Secretary-Treasurer, Director
Scott
Craven – Oahu, Hawaii –
Director
3. Its
corporate file number in Hawaii is 20514202
Its Hawaii GE number is 20131261
Its FEIN number is 73-1676072
4. Its mailing address is:
Freedom Ranch Maui Incorporated
P.O. 837
Kihei, Maui, Hawaii 96753-0837 USA
5.
Qualifications of principal program leaders:
Resume
Richard Gordon Burns, J.D.
Executive Director
(Principal Freedom
Ranch Program Director and Teacher)
Personal:
Education:
A.A.
(with Honorable Mention) U.C. Berkeley, Economics - 1948
B.A. Leland Stanford Junior University, Major: Law - 1949
J. D. Leland Stanford Junior University, Law – 1951
Career:
Sergeant, U.S. Army 1943-1946, Information/Education Specialist
Attorney, Clausen & Burns, San Francisco, 1951-1961
Solo Practitioner, Corte Madera, CA, 1961-1986
Advisor to God’s Way Ministry, Inc., a Christian Church, Hawaii,
1998 -
Author/Publisher, 1990 –
Honors:
Phi
Beta Kappa, Junior Year, Univ. of Calif. Berkeley;
President of Inter-Fraternity Scholastic Honor Society, U.C.
Berkeley
Case Editor, Stanford Law Review
Who’s Who in the World, Who’s Who in America, Who’s Who in The West,
Who’s Who in Law, Who’s Who in Finance
Gale’s Contemporary Authors
Lecturer:
125th
Anniversary of Christian Endeavor International, 2006; Archives
International, 2000 (Minneapolis, Minnesota); Nationwide A.A.
History Conferences in Delaware and Arizona; Tampa Bay Clean and
Sober Conference; Pittsburgh Leadership Foundation; Youth With A
Mission (Hawaii), The Wilson House (Vermont); Conventions of
Alcoholics Anonymous, Alcoholics Victorious, Shepherding the
Shepherds; Hope Chapel, Oahu; Overcomers Outreach, Inc.; The N.E.T.
Ministries; and numerous spiritual retreats for alcoholics and their
families in Florida (1), Wisconsin (2), California (4), and Hawaii
(1)
Publications:
23
published titles on the History of Alcoholics Anonymous, Its
Spiritual Roots, and Its Early Successes
Listed in Books in Print and
http://www.dickb.com/.titles.shtml
170 published articles on this subject:
http://www.dickb.com/articles.shtml
Membership:
American Historical Assn., Organization of American Historians,
Alcohol and Drugs History Group, Association for Medical and
Education Research in Substance Abuse, International Substance Abuse
and Addiction Coalition, Christian Assn for Psychological Studies,
Research Society on Alcoholism, Coalition of Prison Evangelists,
Stanford Alumni Assn., Phi Beta Kappa, Delta Tau Delta, Phi Delta
Phi.
Religious, Civic, and Community Activities:
President: Mill Valley Community Church; Redwoods Retirement Ctr.;
Corte Madera Chamber of Commerce, Corte Madera Center Merchants
Council, Almonte Improvement Club; Vice President and Secretary,
Lions Club of Corte Madera; Director of Almonte District Sanitary
Board; Member, Maui Writers Guild; Advisor to God’s Way Ministry,
Inc., a Christian Church.
Resume
Rev. Ken Burns, M.A.
(Teacher of Biblical Matters, Freedom Ranch Program)
Personal:
Education:
University of California, Berkeley, B.A., Rhetoric
San Francisco State University, M.A., Speech Communication
Career:
Major
Account Sales, personal computer diagnostics companies
Director of Marketing and Research, Ethanol Research Hawaii, LLC
Lecturer, Fundamentals of Oral Communication, San Francisco State
University
Bible student and Bible fellowship teacher since 1972
President, Good Book Publishing Company
Vice
President, Paradise Research Publications, Inc.
Minister, God’s Way Ministry, Inc., A Christian Church
Resume
Charles P. Mau, M.R.E.
(Secretary-Treasurer, Director)
Personal:
Married
Residence:
Manhattan Beach, California
Education:
University of California at Los Angeles – B.S. (Physical
Education)
Fuller
Theological Seminary – M.R.E. (Master Religious Education)
Career:
Veteran, United
States Army
Educator –
Public Schools
President,
Wyoming Pacific Oil Company
Resume
Karen A. Plavan, Ph.D.
(President, Director, Chemical Dependency & Counseling Teacher)
Karen A.
Plavan, Ph.D.
Dr. Plavan is a professional educator and counselor. She served on
the Graduate Faculty at Penn State University teaching courses in
addiction in the Counselor Education Department. She has directed
many projects in the field of addiction for a variety of social
service organizations and is active in the international community.
Currently, she serves as Vice President of the Allegheny County
Alcohol and Drug Planning Council in Pittsburgh where she resides.
Dr. Plavan is in charge of all GOAL counseling and training. She
travels widely in the United States and abroad.
Email:
kap10@verizon.net
RESUME
Scott Craven
(Director, Founder and Leader, Men’s Step Study,
Oahu, Hawaii)
Scott
Craven is an Oahu businessman, active in Christian church affairs,
and the founder and leader of a Men’s Step Study on the Windward
Side of Oahu. This group, has for several years, brought alcoholics
and addicts together from treatment facilities, offered them group
training in the Twelve Steps and in other matters pertaining to
their recovery. In addition, Bible study, prayer, and religious and
recovery literature are part of their classes. At the end of two
years, those who have faithfully pursued the class and training are
awarded a “graduation” certificate and urged to do likewise with
others needing spiritual recovery. Scott works in collaboration with
Hope Chapel, Kaneohe, HI
FREEDOM RANCH MAUI INCORPORATED
COMPLETE LIST OF OFFICERS, DIRECTORS,
VOLUNTEERS, COALITION CONTACTS
Karen A.
Plavan, Ph.D., 143 Hawthorne Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15209 - President
and Director
Charles P. Mau, M.R.E., PO Box 3757, Manhattan Beach, CA 90266-1757
- Secretary-Treasurer and Director
Scott
Craven, 1338 Kaihee Street, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822 - Director
STAFF
Richard G.
Burns, J.D., PO Box 837, Kihei, HI 96753-0837 – Executive Director
and Program Director
Rev. Ken C. Burns, M.A., –
Faith-based consultant
Michael Lee
Adams, B.S. (Computer Science), 1985 Sherington Place E 301,
Newport, California 92663 – Business Development Consultant, Systems
Analyst.
COALITION VOLUNTEERS
Pastor Ed
Gazmen, PO Box 1555, Wailuku, HI 96793 Homeless Outreach Program
Manager; MCCC Prison Ministry
Capt. Daniel J. Cretton, PO 562, Haiku, HI 96708 Maui Prison
Visitation and Programs
Scott Craven, 1338 Kiheei St., Honolulu, HI 96822 Leader, Men’s Step
Study Group, Oahu
Patience Boersma, 45-532 Waikalua Place, Kaneohe, HI 96744,
Coordinator, Homeless, Addiction Faith 0utreach, Windward Side, Oahu
NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL COALITION CONTACTS
Timothy Eldred,
Executive Director, ALLFORONE, The Youth Ministry Movement, a
Ministry of Christian Endeavor International, PO Box 377, 424 East
Main St., Edmore, MI 48829
Bishop Frank Constantino (just deceased), Coalition of Prison
Evangelists (COPE) and Bridges of America, 2055 Mercy Drive,
Orlando, FL 32808-5613
The Rev. Dr. Robert Hughes, Professor of Theology, President of GOAL
Darvin
Smith, M.D., Addiction Medicine Specialist, Director of YWAM
Addictive Behavior Training, Colorado
Robert Turner, M.D.,
Professor of Neurology, Medical University of South Carolina
Bonnie
Lepper, Managing Director, The Wilson House, East Dorset, Vermont
Ray G.,
Archivist, Dr. Bob’s Home, Akron, Ohio
Rev. Jay
Sprout, Pastor, North Congregational Church (UCC), St. Johnsbury,
Vermont; and Bob Swartz, archivist; stewards of the Dr. Bob Core
Library at that church.
Senator Daniel K. Akaka, Chair, Committee on Veterans Affairs, 143
Hart Senate Building, Washington, D.C. 20510
Lt. Governor James R. Aiona, Jr. Office of the Lt. Governor, State
Capitol, PO Box 3226, Honolulu, HI 96801
THE PROGRAM OF
FREEDOM RANCH MAUI INCORPORATED
OUR PROGRAM
Program Sources:
·
History of early
Alcoholics Anonymous
·
Teaching materials
of Karen Plavan, PhD, Professor, Penn State McKeesport, in Chemical
Dependency and Counseling
·
Coalition of Prison Evangelists, Prison Directory
·
A Twelve
Step Guide for those who want to Believe by Three Clarence Snyder
Sponsee Old-Timers and their Wives
·
Publications of Dick B. on History and Roots of A.A.
·
History
Publications of Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc.
·
The Good
Book-Big Book Guidebook
·
Holy
Bible
Library Sources:
·
The Griffith
Library, Wilson House, East Dorset, Vermont USA
·
St. Paul’s
Episcopal Church, Akron, Ohio USA
·
Calvary Episcopal
Church, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
·
Dr. Bob Core
Library, North Congregational Church, St. Johnsbury, Vermont
·
Good Book
Publishing Company, Kihei, Maui, Hawaii USA
Publications of:
Paradise Research Publications, Inc; Golden Text Publishing Company;
Baker Book House; The Bishop of Books; Glen Abbey Books; Hazelden
Publishing; Came to Believe Publications
·
33 titles by Dick
B.
·
1 Title
by Three Clarence Snyder Sponsees
·
170 published
articles
Public Addresses by officers at:
·
Archives 2000
International Alcoholics Anonymous conference, Minnesota
·
Nationwide
Alcoholics Anonymous History Conferences, Phoenix and Delaware
·
Alcoholics
Anonymous History conferences and seminars open to the public at
Mill Valley, California; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Minneapolis;
Covington, Kentucky; Tampa, Florida
·
ISAAC, Indian
River, Florida
·
N.E.T. Ministries,
Okeechobee, Florida
·
Alcoholics
Victorious, New Jersey
·
Lutheran Seminary,
St. Paul, Minnesota
·
YWAM (Youth With a
Mission), Kailua Kona, Hawaii
·
Overcomers,:
Florida, Minnesota
·
Overcomers
Outreach, Inc., California
·
Research Society
on Alcoholism Pre-Conference Workshop, Vancouver, BC
·
Shepherding the
Shepherds, Costa Mesa, California
·
Stan Hywet Hall
and Gardens Gate Lodge Opening in Akron.
·
Various Retreats
conducted in California, Florida, New York, Hawaii, and Wisconsin
·
CLEAR (Coalition
for Leadership, Education and Advocacy for Recovery)
·
Wilson House
Heritage Seminars, East Dorset, Vermont – 9 seminars.
·
Christian Endeavor International.
Bibliography Database:
·
Reference: Making
Known the Biblical Roots of Early AA, by Dick B.
·
Catalogued Titles at Griffith Library, East Dorset, VT
Multi-Media Dissemination:
Websites:
Television:
·
Cornerstone
Television (Christian Television Series)
·
Hawaii Community
Television (all islands) – 30 one-hour broadcasted program
presentations
Radio Talks:
·
Radio talk shows,
news interviews, specials [Christian and secular]
News Media:
·
Interviews
·
Press releases
·
Journal articles
·
Columns
Audio/Video Talks:
·
Over 60
Dick B. Audio Talks
·
Over 15
Maui Community Television Presentations
·
Seminar
Tapes by Glenn K. Audio Tapes and Smile God Loves You Tapes
Research:
·
Open Ended
Intern Training:
·
Maui Community Television Network
·
Websites mentioned
above
·
Class and
individual instruction at headquarters in Maui
Prospective Collaborative Partnerships:
·
Jean LaCour, Ph.D,
Dean, Net Training Institute, Orlando, Florida
·
Karen
Plavan, Ph.D, Vice President, GOAL Project, Pittsburgh
Membership:
·
AHA (American
Historical Association)
·
ADHS (Alcohol and
Drugs History Society
·
COPE (Coalition of
Prison Evangelists)
·
CAPS (Christian
Association for Psychological Studies)
·
AMERSA
(Association for Medical Education & Research in Substance Abuse)
·
RSA (Research
Society on Alcoholism)
·
ISAAC
(International Substance Abuse and Addiction Coalition)
·
AKAKU (Community
Television Network of Hawaii)
·
N.E.T. Ministries
Previously Proposed Spirituality Survey Project by Richard K. and
Dick B.:
·
See the
Callahan-Knipe Research Institute materials immediately following
The Callahan-Knipe Research Institute
SPIRITUALITY SURVEY PROJECT
The primary purpose of the Callahan-Knipe Spirituality Survey
Project is to research and analyze the efficacy and potential for
cure of alcoholism of a recovery group or organization. This project
will compare the spiritual program and practices of the early
Alcoholics Anonymous “Akron Group Number One” Christian Fellowship,
developed and utilized between June 10, 1935 and April 10, 1939,
with various “recovery” fellowships today.
Spirituality Defined:
“The great fact is just this, and nothing less: that we have had
deep and effective spiritual experiences, which have revolutionized
our whole attitude toward life, toward our fellows, and toward God’s
universe. The central fact of our lives today is the absolute
certainty that our Creator has entered into our hearts and lives in
a way which is indeed miraculous. He has commenced to accomplish
those things for us which we could never do by ourselves…We never
apologize to anyone for depending upon our Creator. We can laugh at
those who think spirituality the way of weakness. Paradoxically, it
is the way of strength. The verdict of the ages is that faith means
courage. All men of faith have courage. They trust their God.”
- William Griffith
Wilson, Co-Founder of Alcoholics Anonymous,
From Alcoholics Anonymous, 1st Edition, 1939, pp. 35-36, 81
SURVEY ASSUMPTIONS
Assumptions:
1. The original
“Akron Group Number One” AA program is thoroughly and accurately
described by Frank Amos in the historical narrative Dr. Bob and the
Good Oldtimers [NY: Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc; 1980]
2. Spirituality as defined by William G. Wilson in the textbook
Alcoholics Anonymous, 1939:
“The great fact is just this, and nothing less: that we have had
deep and effective spiritual experiences, which have revolutionized
our whole attitude toward life, toward our fellows, and toward God’s
universe. The central fact of our lives today is the absolute
certainty that our Creator has entered into our hearts and lives in
a way which is indeed miraculous. He has commenced to accomplish
those things for us which we could never do by ourselves…We never
apologize to anyone for depending upon our Creator. We can laugh at
those who think spirituality the way of weakness. Paradoxically, it
is the way of strength. The verdict of the ages is that faith means
courage. All men of faith have courage. They trust their God.”
3. The “real alcoholic” is and should have:
a. The desire to quit alcohol and other illicit substances forever
b. The desire to be cured
c. The willingness to go to any lengths for cure
d. The decision, determination, and discipline honestly to concede
to his innermost self that he is an alcoholic and that an alcoholic
cannot have a reservation of any kind that he will be immune to
alcohol.
Belief Assumptions:
1. The Creator has
a personal name, YHWH, revealed in the Holy Bible, and usually
pronounced “YHWH,” and so appearing in many modern Bible versions.
2. The only way to establish a Father-son relationship with our
Creator YHWH is through Jesus Christ as the way, the truth, and the
life [John 14:6]
3. To be a child of the Creator, one must be born again [from above]
of the Spirit of God [John 3:1-8; John 3:16]
4. One must be saved and is born again only by a belief in, and
confession of, Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior:
·
Acts 2:36-40;
4:10-12
·
Romans 10:9
·
John 3:16; 4:2;
4:15; 5:1
5.
Jesus was crucified, buried in the ground for three days [per Jewish
custom], was raised from the dead by YHWH his Father [Romans 10:9],
was seen by over 500 witnesses, promised to deliver the gift of the
Holy Spirit through his Heavenly Father, ascended to Heaven, and is
seated at the right hand of the Creator
·
Acts 1:3; 2:22-24;
2:30-32; 4:10; 10:36-40; 13:26-39
6.
The Apostles’ Creed has been reported in English in a variety of
ways, but the most likely version accepted as a rule of faith among
the Akron AA believers between 1935 and 1939 is as follows:
I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth; And
in Jesus Christ, His only son, our Lord; who was conceived by the
Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, dead, and buried; He descended into Hades; the third
day he rose from the dead; He ascended into heaven and sitteth on
the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come
to judge the quick and the dead. And I believe in the Holy Ghost;
the holy Catholic church; the communion of saints]; the forgiveness
of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting.
[For the variations, see The History of the Christian Church, Volume
Two; Ante-Nicene Christianity. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm D Eerdmans
Publishing Co., 1910, 1981, pp. 534-537]
7. Becoming a child of the living Creator does not require religious
affiliation, church membership, liturgical observances, accepting a
creed, or sacraments
8. The Holy Bible is the only standard for faith and practice
9. Access to faith and God’s will is through:
·
Revelations in the
Word
·
Revelations
received from God via the Holy Spirit
·
Revelations
received through prayer
·
Revelations
received through the assistance of devotionals and other Christian
books
10.
Cure of alcoholism and addiction can be and has been accomplished by
reliance upon the Creator
11. Reliance also requires obedience of His Word
12. Witness is essential
13. Fellowship with like-minded believers is important
14. Church attendance is favored
15. CURE means:
·
Abstinence,
primarily as defined by Bill Wilson in Alcoholics Anonymous, 1st
edition, p. 97 [ceased fighting; sanity has returned; seldom
interested in liquor; if tempted, recoiling from it as from a hot
flame; reacting sanely and normally; a new attitude toward liquor;
the miracle of it; a position of neutrality – safe and protected;
problem removed; neither cocky nor afraid”]
·
The “Double Cure”
as perhaps Dr. Robert Holbrook Smith saw it in terms of the Bible in
two Christian healing books in which he was very interested:
From the Holy Bible:
“[Christ]: Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the
tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness:
by whose strips ye were healed.” [1 Peter 2:24]
“And [Yahweh] said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of
the LORD thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and
wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will
put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the
Egyptians: for I am the LORD that healeth thee.” [Exodus 15:26]
From “Heal the Sick,” frequently studied by Dr. Bob:
“…Our Lord co-ordinated, with His ministry of Healing the soul, His
Ministry of Healing the body….We need to come to God with the
humility of little children, definitely accepting Christ as He has
revealed Himself to us, as the Saviour of our spirit, soul, and
body, desiring earnestly to ‘forsake our own thoughts’ wheresoever
they are opposed to His, and to learn of Him. Then Christ will
manifest Himself to us, and by the power of the Holy Spirit we shall
be changed until that mind is in us which was also in Jesus
Christ….Christ’s ministry was to deliver humanity from the bondage
of sin, sickness, and disease, and as He draws us to Him to find
forgiveness, so He draws us to Him to find healing.” Hickson, James
Moore. Heal the Sick, 1924, pp. 240, 245
From Healing in Jesus Name, frequently studied by Dr. Bob:
“A Promise of God – Salvation and Healing: And all down through the
ages this promise was spoken of by the prophets, even as far back as
the days of Moses. It was understood that salvation and healing were
to be provided for in the atonement, through the slain Lamb of
God....The Psalmist David spoke of the double cure in Ps. 103:2-3 –
‘Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits; who
forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases.’ The
trouble with people today is that they have forgotten the benefits
of Calvary – the double cure, salvation for the soul and healing for
the body.” Willitts, Ethel R. Healing in Jesus Name, 1931, pp.
183-184
·
Belief in YHWH the
Creator [Hebrews 11:6]
·
Complete in Christ
[Colossians 2:6-10]
·
Successfully
resisting temptation [James 1:12-16; 4:7-10]
·
Observing the two
“Great” commandments [Mathew 22:35-40 – Love God and thy neighbor]
·
Prosperous and
being in good health [3 John 2]
COMMUNITIES TO BE SURVEYED
1. “Akron Group Number One,” the original pioneer Alcoholics
Anonymous group
2. Born-again Christian members of Alcoholics Anonymous
3. Roman Catholic members of Alcoholics Anonymous
4. Members of Alcoholics Victorious
5. Guests of the Saint Jude Retreat House, New York
6. Clients of the Salvation Army
7. Clients of Teen Challenge
8. Members of the general Alcoholics Anonymous population
9. Members of Narcotics Anonymous
Sub-Categories:
·
Men
·
Women
·
Young adults and
tens
·
Older adults
·
Minority
populations
·
Hawaiian
population
·
Other
miscellaneous special sub-groups
REGARDING THIS PROPOSED SURVEY: Richard K. of Mass. is no longer
connected with Freedom Ranch; and it was he who framed the original
survey and also the items listed above. Therefore the survey has
never been conducted. On the other hand, it seems clear that most,
if not all, present-day surveys of the effectiveness of a “spiritual
solution” based on belief in God and often called “faith based”
simply omit the scope mentioned above, ignore the basic assumptions
connected with a belief in God’s ability, power, and will to
alleviate healing and eliminate sinful conduct, and hence fail to
survey those who have actually “recovered,” been healed, and been
cured of their malady by what once was conceded to be, and called
“religious means.”
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