Mentium

I go to several regular (as in 'spiritual') AA meetings a week and mostly I just ignore the overly religious bits. Here in the UK they are not overly emphasized in any case, though many members clearly view it as a spiritual program - fair enough - that's how it was set up.

However as an atheist and critical thinker I have started to opt out of bits that I don't feel comfortable with. Last night for example the chair asked me to read the thought and prayer for the day. I took the book and read it to myself, saw that it was very much a god focused passage and apologized and asked if someone else would mind reading it as I felt I couldn't - I didn't elaborate or explain. Nobody was bothered (too bad if they were!) and all went fine.

I am getting comfortable with opting out when I feel it would be less than honest to spout words that have no meaning for me. AA means a lot to me and I want to continue going. It means a lot and does a lot, despite, rather than because it seeks supernatural help.

Just wondered how others felt about cherry picking the bits that work for you.

biminiblue

AA is nothing if not an exercise in "To thine own self be true."

They even print it on the coins

Johnston

I cherry pick all the time. One size doesn't fit all.

Aellyce

Mentium, I do the same thing with nearly everything, not just recovery programs. I've never been much of a follower kind of person. I think it's a very good approach if you tend to trust your mind, like to explore and be critical about the result. And obviously, if it truly works and not just we fool ourselves in stubborn ways.

I also do appreciate that in some cases, for some people, it's best to follow a program as it is, when they are in a state where it's difficult for them to evaluate the process and make autonomous decisions. I was in such a state once when severely depressed, and then it was easier to just follow instructions for a while.

I think recovery is a bit similar to how relationships work in that whatever method(s) we choose, it has to be compatible with us one way or another, otherwise we won't be truly committed.