I was reading on the internet that there is a movement to make AA more secular, but that hasn’t happened here yet. There is one group that closes the meeting with the seven-step prayer which only refers to my creator. Most AA meetings here close with the Christian Lord’s prayer which I’m uncomfortable with.
Yeah can relate. Not sure it’d work for me either but they do have a good program a lot round here swear by. I think it’s more the peer pressure and having others who’ve done the journey is the more active parts. I don’t think you have to sign your mortal soul away but I think if your an addict running out of options then peer support is necessary. That is something they seem to do well.
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I think of GOD as Good Orderly Direction. I also stand back and refuse to participate and link hands during the LP. Anyone who b1tch3s at me over it is told to work their own program and keep their nose out of mine, usually bluntly (privilege of being an Old Timer).
Nearly 28 years of sobriety as an agnostic d00fus and I’m doing fine.
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I’m an agnostic too. I now have two years and eleven months of sobriety, but I didn’t get it inside the program. I’m sober mostly because the two stores in town that sold beer went out of business, but I would stay sober even if there were stores in town that sold beer. When it comes to praying, I am willing to wordlessly join hands and bow my head, but I won’t be praying.
I ask to be guided to what I need and steered past what I want, especially if it is selfish. It doesn’t hurt to repeat that to yourself constantly whether there’s someone on the other end of the line or not. Prayer is a form of behavioral programming or – in the case of AA – reprogramming. As long as you’re aware of what you’re trying to achieve, it’s okay I think?
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I have 29 years clean and sober. I could get into a long spiel about the difference between “religion” and “spirituality” in the AA program. But I won’t. But that is the basic tenet of AA; it is a spiritual program not a religious program. You don’t have to believe that some guy parted the Red Sea or that Jesus rose from the dead.
But believing that there is some force in the universe that cares for you and wants the best for you and that will give you support and strength to beat alcoholism or addiction is paramount in the program. You get to pick your own belief in what that power is.
I’ll say this though, atheist’s or agnostics are welcome in the program and can have as good a recovery as any other member while keeping their own beliefs or non-beliefs and principles about god.
The AA program (or most other 12-step programs) rely on a belief of a higher power. The higher power is of your own choosing, it can be God or nature or a doorknob or just a belief that “there’s something out there”. Whatever it is, it just means believing that there is something greater than yourself that you can pray to or lean on or rely on.
It ties in with accepting that you can’t stop drinking or doing drugs on your own and that you are powerless over alcoholism or addiction but God or whatever you want to call your higher power, can offer you strength and guidance. You don’t have to believe in God to be successful in the AA, CA, or NA programs. As @shutterbug and @crimby point out you can work your own program and you’re free to believe what you want though believing in a higher power is a core of the program and highly recommended.
My view of prayer is not novel or unique. I’m sure many people would understand or have a similar view. Prayer is not magic, AA and my sponsor told me to not pray for specific things. Praying for a new car, or to win the lottery or to be instantly cured of alcoholism is not what prayer is about.
Prayer is used in AA to ask for guidance or support. Prayer is productive in my opinion because the act of getting on your knees when you get up in the morning or right before you go to bed at night and saying a short prayer instills faith, it fosters discipline and gives comfort. That is the usefulness of prayer. I got out of the habit but I did it for years and years and I felt a lot better when I did it.
I can’t cover everything about AA here. The Big Book (the basic text of AA) explains in detail about the nature of alcoholism and the program itself. But AA does not force you to believe in religion or God. Good luck to anyone who wants to try it, it doesn’t work for everyone but it sure worked for me and a thousand other people I’ve met or heard talk in meetings.
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I never liked the AA meetings I attended;
Half of the sessions were filled with people substituting alcohol with marijuana, evidently coming to group all stoned and shiit.
Fun times sure, just not good for my recovery process.
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But not necessary. I think the main thing is to admit that if there is a Higher Being, it aiin’t you.
I’ve never had a lot of faith since leaving the church. I don’t pray to things I can’t see. I’m okay with mantras. Mantras can keep you sober.
A lot of other AA members will. There’s a lot of peer pressure from the religious members. I’ve noticed over the years that many newcomers have been discouraged from having me as a sponsor because I, “don’t do it right.” (I’m agnostic tending towards athiest.) If you’re super religious, I’m not a good fit for you. If you belong to the apostate group, I’m your guy. Not that I’m sponsoring much these days, trying to focus on my own health challenges.
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