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Pagekeeper · 01-29-2009, 09:51 PM

I’ve been in and out of AA for years. I’d drag myself in, tired and broken from the pain of alcoholism, only to realize that the religious dogma of AA made it impossible for someone like me to get sober. I am an atheist. My atheism has nothing to do with drinking or not drinking. It is based on my having done research, evaluated the evidence, and found religion to be severely lacking. I’ve tried “faking belief.” Faking it did not keep me sober. Praying to my sponsor’s God did not keep me sober either. All it did was make me feel like a phony and a hypocrite. I had to find something I could truly believe, and that is when I began thinking about the similarities between the 12 steps and the process of evolution.

I wanted to share my ideas just in case anyone else can use them or would like to get a different perspective of the 12 steps. I’m in no way trying to push the steps on anyone. I know there are other ways to get sober and to be happy in recovery. But for those who want to try the steps, and who have struggled with the same obstacles I have, maybe my experience can help (or maybe not!)

I’m not a scientist, but I have always been fascinated by the Theory of Evolution, and I’ve read somewhat extensively on the subject, so I do understand a few things. The first thing I understand is that evolution is a cumulative process, meaning many small changes occur over a very, very long period of time. These changes are often so slight as to be unnoticeable. Natural Selection is the process in which certain traits become more common or less common. So evolution happens as a result of natural selection.

I find the 12 steps to be very compatible with evolution. I believe the steps are a form of "intelligent design” in the sense that they are man-made. I also believe natural selection and evolution are powers greater than myself. The steps, to me, are a form of natural selection which results in the evolution of character, or a personality change. They are also a cumulative process--it's many small changes that gradually take place over a very long period of time. Of course, the amount of change depends on how much effort I put into it. In step 4, I’m essentially looking for those personality traits which cause me problems. Through steps 5, 6 and 7, I use a process to remove them—first, I become aware of them consciously, then I begin to notice when I’m acting those traits out, next I begin to change my behavior so that the trait becomes unnecessary, and finally I’m free from the behavior or very rarely having as much trouble with it. Essentially I’m getting rid of those personality traits which benefited me while I was drunk but that no longer benefit me if I want to live sober. If I don't try to get rid of these traits, or at least make vast improvements upon them, I may drink again because I often use the consequences of these behaviors as excuses to pick up a drink, and the fewer excuses I have to drink, the less of a chance that I will.

So in order for me, as an alcoholic, to "survive" the harsh environment of my illness (alcoholism) I’ve tried to select and discard (or vastly improve upon) those traits which make me vulnerable to the elements of my illness: having the obsession, the emotional triggers, and those insane moments of rationalizing my drinking.

Thanks for reading.

01-29-2009, 09:51 PM	#1 (permalink)
Pagekeeper Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Posts: 574	A Darwinist Approach to the 12 Steps I’ve been in and out of AA for years. I’d drag myself in, tired and broken from the pain of alcoholism, only to realize that the religious dogma of AA made it impossible for someone like me to get sober. I am an atheist. My atheism has nothing to do with drinking or not drinking. It is based on my having done research, evaluated the evidence, and found religion to be severely lacking. I’ve tried “faking belief.” Faking it did not keep me sober. Praying to my sponsor’s God did not keep me sober either. All it did was make me feel like a phony and a hypocrite. I had to find something I could truly believe, and that is when I began thinking about the similarities between the 12 steps and the process of evolution. I wanted to share my ideas just in case anyone else can use them or would like to get a different perspective of the 12 steps. I’m in no way trying to push the steps on anyone. I know there are other ways to get sober and to be happy in recovery. But for those who want to try the steps, and who have struggled with the same obstacles I have, maybe my experience can help (or maybe not!) I’m not a scientist, but I have always been fascinated by the Theory of Evolution, and I’ve read somewhat extensively on the subject, so I do understand a few things. The first thing I understand is that evolution is a cumulative process, meaning many small changes occur over a very, very long period of time. These changes are often so slight as to be unnoticeable. Natural Selection is the process in which certain traits become more common or less common. So evolution happens as a result of natural selection. I find the 12 steps to be very compatible with evolution. I believe the steps are a form of "intelligent design” in the sense that they are man-made. I also believe natural selection and evolution are powers greater than myself. The steps, to me, are a form of natural selection which results in the evolution of character, or a personality change. They are also a cumulative process--it's many small changes that gradually take place over a very long period of time. Of course, the amount of change depends on how much effort I put into it. In step 4, I’m essentially looking for those personality traits which cause me problems. Through steps 5, 6 and 7, I use a process to remove them—first, I become aware of them consciously, then I begin to notice when I’m acting those traits out, next I begin to change my behavior so that the trait becomes unnecessary, and finally I’m free from the behavior or very rarely having as much trouble with it. Essentially I’m getting rid of those personality traits which benefited me while I was drunk but that no longer benefit me if I want to live sober. If I don't try to get rid of these traits, or at least make vast improvements upon them, I may drink again because I often use the consequences of these behaviors as excuses to pick up a drink, and the fewer excuses I have to drink, the less of a chance that I will. So in order for me, as an alcoholic, to "survive" the harsh environment of my illness (alcoholism) I’ve tried to select and discard (or vastly improve upon) those traits which make me vulnerable to the elements of my illness: having the obsession, the emotional triggers, and those insane moments of rationalizing my drinking. Thanks for reading.