No Basis for Contention

The Big Book set out to give no one a reason to argue about medicine or religion, so nobody can use A.A. to settle those fights for you. Its writers knew (Big Book, p. 19): "Of necessity there will have to be discussion of matters medical, psychiatric, social, and religious. We are aware that these matters are, from their very nature, controversial. Nothing would please us so much as to write a book which would contain no basis for contention or argument." Psychiatric means about mental illness; contention means a fight. On health, the same book sends the reader outward, to the people whose work it is (p. 133): "Do not hesitate to take your health problems to such persons." A.A. holds no view on your prescription, your diagnosis or your church for anyone to quote. The long form adds sectarian religion to the fights the groups stay out of (p. 565). The drinker this protects is the one on a medication, or of a faith, who gets told at the door that A.A. is against it and goes back out. Today it is staff, or a member, telling a newcomer what A.A. believes about his pills. Test it tonight: if someone tells a newcomer what A.A. thinks about his medication or his church, ask them for the page.