Episode 1096: Service Work / Is A.A. a Cult?

Episode 1096: Service Work / Is A.A. a Cult?

Curious about how others tackle big questions about recovery, faith, and service? This episode of Take 12 Recovery Radio brings plenty to chew on, plus a fair bit of humour. Host Monty Dale Meyer welcomes co-hosts Dion Miller, Roger McDermott and Justin, who’s celebrating four years sober alongside Dion’s ten. The chat kicks off with a fiery online critic accusing Alcoholics Anonymous of being a cult and branding long-time members as abusive and manipulative.

The crew play his comments in full, then calmly – and sometimes cheekily – respond point by point. Roger’s key line sums up his stance: “A person with an experience is never at the mercy of a person with an opinion.” Rather than trading insults, they lean on their own years of sobriety, quote directly from the AA Big Book, and unpack what “going to any lengths” actually means.

They challenge the idea that AA blocks other approaches, talk about the spiritual side of the illness, and clarify that AA as a fellowship has “no opinion on outside issues”, including methods like the Sinclair Method. The conversation then shifts into the heart of Step Twelve: service.

The team ask whether genuine service is limited to pouring coffee and opening doors in meetings, or whether it really shows up in everyday life – helping a struggling stranger, supporting family, or simply making one person laugh each day. Dion points out that most of his service happens outside the rooms, while Monty jokes that if AA were truly a cult, “people in cults do what they’re told” – which hardly fits most meetings.

Along the way, a grateful listener voicemail reminds everyone why they keep showing up: people are still getting help. If you’ve ever wondered whether AA is too controlling, or what “real service work” looks like once the meeting ends, this conversation might get you thinking about how you show up for others.