Those of us that are in AA don't have to be sober for too long before we make the acquaintance of the Big-Book thumpers. These are the members that know the AA Big Book inside out and back to front. These are the members that can correct our halting half-memory of the "first 164 pages" when we try to recall them in meetings. These are the members who seem to insist that the words of the Big Book should be taken quite literally if we are to recover ....

Until it comes to Steps 10, 11, and 12. That's where the thumping often seems mysteriously to stop. The AA Big Book gives very specific suggestions for doing Steps 10 and 11. The Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions offers additional supplementary information on all three Steps. But somehow the literalists of Program don't seem to be as enthusiastic when it comes to doing exactly what the AA literature says about the last three Steps.

The Catholic church has frequently been criticized for its unwillingness to translate the Bible into the vernacular. But at least part of its reluctance was the fear -- only too justified in the case of certain Christian denominations -- that ready access to the words of the Bible would cause believers to start venerating the Bible instead of doing what it says.

We may know the contents of the AA Big Book word for word. We may have copies of the first, second, third, and fourth editions on our bookshelves. But -- as one of the great teachers said -- "whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock." It's all about doing, not just hearing and talking. And when we've been around a little time, it's about doing Steps 10, 11, and 12.