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Old 11-15-2007, 06:06 PM
  # 3 (permalink)  
Yardbird
Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Northern California
Posts: 57
I call myself "secular" just because it helps me to clarify where I am in my recovery program--outside of recovery programs, I don't feel the need to call myself secular.

Secular works as a label for me because I don't attribute my sobriety or any events in my life to a deity; that doesn't mean that I'm an atheist, just that I don't feel confident enough to say my "higher power" made this or that happen. I have no idea how or why the world is the way it is, and no confidence at all that any higher power has any particular interest in us. It's not that I alone made anything happen either (which seems to be the understanding some people have of secular). I don't think I'm in charge here; I just don't think I know who is--or that anyone else really knows who is, or that it's possible to know who is.

That said, I'm a (sometimes) student of Buddhism and practice meditation; I also find much of the Bible inspiring, particularly the New Testament, though I can't call myself a Christian. I even used to say the third step prayer every morning. I've had a hard time doing that lately becuase I feel so odd about calling on a deity, but I may start doing it again. It's a powerful prayer to me, but I see it as asking to be free of "the bondage of self" in order to serve life, to be compassionate.

I go to AA meetings and find much I can relate to, though I often have a very hard time relating to people who attribute everything in their lives to a deity. Don't dislike 'em...just can't relate.

Just my little ramble...hope it's of some use.
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