Episode 1109: You Got Questions? We Got Answers!Episode 1109: You Got Questions? We Got Answers!
Take 12 Recovery Radio
YOU GOT QUESTIONS? WE GOT ANSWERS. The Montyman and Roger open the Take 12 Recovery Mailbag and a...
1:10:10•29 Jun 2026
Tough Questions, Straight Answers on AA, Faith and Recovery
Episode Overview
- Intensive retreats with small groups can deepen understanding of the Twelve Steps and encourage honest, personal sharing.
- Take 12 Recovery Radio states it is not affiliated with any Twelve Step fellowship and avoids claiming membership on air to respect AA traditions.
- Both hosts describe always believing in God, with sobriety tied to accepting personal responsibility rather than blaming God.
- Alternative programmes like Rational Recovery and SMART Recovery are outlined, with the hosts questioning approaches that exclude a higher power or service to others.
- Harm reduction strategies are strongly criticised where they are seen as enabling ongoing substance use rather than supporting full abstinence.
“What I didn’t do is I didn’t fear him.”
What can we learn from those who have battled addiction? This Q&A instalment of Take 12 Recovery Radio throws open the mailbag and lets tough questions set the agenda, with Monty Dale Meyer (the Monty’man) and co-host Roger McDermott answering with a mix of humour, candour, and strong opinions. You’ll hear them start with a recap of a Malibu retreat at the Serra Retreat Center, where around 70 people were taken through the Twelve Steps in just two days.
The pair highlight how small groups of three to seven people allowed deep, personal sharing, with Roger describing how “miraculous things happen” as people work the steps together. From there, the emails get spicy. One critic accuses the show of breaking AA’s Eleventh Tradition.
Monty responds by reading the short and long forms of the tradition, then explains why the show doesn’t claim affiliation with any fellowship and why, in his view, you can’t break traditions of an organisation you’re not representing. Spiritual questions follow: has either of them ever stopped believing in God or told God to go away? Both describe a lifelong belief, moments of anger and disappointment, and a strong sense of personal responsibility.
A striking moment comes in Monty’s recounting of Jim Bakker’s reflection from prison: “What I didn’t do is I didn’t fear him.” The episode also looks at alternatives to AA, including Rational Recovery and SMART Recovery, outlining what they teach and where Monty and Roger agree or strongly disagree, especially on higher power questions and helping others. Harm reduction gets a firm critique, especially supervised use and needle exchanges, which Monty contrasts with abstinence-focused recovery.
They also address rumours about Bill Wilson’s personal life and challenge the idea that a founder’s alleged sins erase the value of AA’s principles. If you like frank talk about recovery, faith, and different recovery paths, this one might leave you thinking about what really matters in your own sobriety journey.
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