blkgayatheist

The show included discussion with Christopher Kennedy Lawford, Mariette Harley, the brother of Chris Farley, Robert Shapiro and his wife (they lost their son to OD), and a Mr Califano from the National Center on Substance abuse and addiction

The overall informative show was marred for me by the usual deference given to 12 step as the supreme recovery method, and Mr Califano twice mentioning the importance of religion/spirituality in avoiding drug abuse and assisting in recovery. Kennedy Lawford agreed that there is something "spiritual" that he observes in the recovery process. Shapiro tried to bring up the point that even 12 step programs have a low success rate, but he was largely ignored.

I wrote to the show stating that I was disappointed that the spirituality/religious comments were not balanced by a discussion of secular approaches to substance recovery, particularly given the fact that several US courts have ruled that mandated 12 step attendance violates the establishment clause because of the obvious religious tendencies of AA and 12 step (and the whole "its not religious, its spiritual" argument is completely specious).

i wonder if anyone else saw it and I'd be curious to read your feedback. The transcript is here:

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIP...05/lkl.01.html

I also found the article below by John Larsen to be informative on this issue:
http://www.americanatheist.org/spr97/T2/piety.html

801live

The deference to 12 step programs is generally a lack of knowledge of secular ones like SOS, Rational Recovery ect...12 Step "spirituality", (dubious) is not great with results. They only focus on successes. Believe me I know. And the courts sending people to a "spiritual" program, cult, or whatever the garbage is, is illegal. (Of course it's done though).

blkgayatheist

Thanks for that response. I did some quick research on this guy Califano and his credentials are really questionable and his agenda is undeniably religious. Amazing that LKL would have this guy come on as an expert. check it out

http://www.alcoholfacts.org/CASAAlco...ticsAbuse.html

801live

He just comes off as a hypnotized 'stepper' himself. No doubt about it AA and it's many cousins are big only because they're the biggest game in town. They have their roots in Moral Rearmament, and The Oxford Group. Both fundy groups. I saw Stanton Peele's name in the critique list on Califano.





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