weighing in on the "to AA or not to AA, that is the question" seems silly. the OP was asking different reactions to the 12 steps, AA, etc. it seems to me that posting that question on the secular board is going to bring about secular responses. but-i'm not an agnostic, and i'm here anyway.
i don't believe in organized religion. none of it. there will not be a day where i will be convinced that christianity/judaism/islam/buddhism/hinduism/etc. is the way to go. there is no "right" way. just like there's no "wrong" way. there are just different ways. i get that from AA. yes, the big book was based on christianity. it was written in the 1930s, when christianity was just about all they could base a spiritual program on. despite that, there are some remarkably open-minded ideas in the big book. no, you won't find them in the chapter "to wives" (i am not a fan of "to wives", to say the least), but they're there if you read it. "to agnostics" is my favorite part of the big book, because it's about being open-minded. nothing more, nothing less.
i respect the idea of not wanting to be powerless, in the traditional sense of the word. i can definitely sympathize with fringe AA kids who get skittered off by some blowhard going on and on about "God God God." but, the beauty of AA and AA meetings is this-the only requirement is a desire to stop drinking. that's it. you don't want to drink? you want to hang out with people who don't drink? the fellowship you crave is found in the rooms of AA. will that keep you sober? no, but if you're an agnostic or an atheist it doesn't matter 'cause you're keeping yourself sober, apparently.
here is my truth, about AA and the 12 steps and Bill and Dr. Bob and the whole shebang-it has saved my life, and it continues to help me save my life. i love AA. i owe more to my working an AA program than anything else. i am 22, undisciplined, egocentric, bumbling, selfish, silly, and disrespectful. because i meditate, because i pray, because i make my meetings, i learn how to be disciplined. i reach out to others and ask them how they are. i volunteer my time to serve others. i work on thinking before i open my mouth, and i know how to apologize and not repeat the same behavior. i got into AA through the book The Places That Scare You by Pema Chodron and i love that she was quoted earlier... for me, this program has helped me let go, experience life on life's terms, and get by one day at a time. and that's my experience, strength, and hope.
one more thing-all the times i've heard things that didn't click with me, all the repeats and snoozy shares, all the offending statements... it comes back to the fact that they're here for the same reason i am-to quit drinking-and who am i to judge them? we're all trying to help each other, some more selfless than others, but they have as much right to be in the rooms as i do.
thanks.