To me, religion and spirituality are two different things. I have no interest in scripture and structured religion, but I'm willing to open myself up to spirituality to get and stay sober. I discovered a meaningful part of life that I was missing out on. I'm grateful to be introduced to the idea of spirituality. I never was able to separate the two concepts before.
When I first got sober, I hated the slogans, hated them all. Soon, they started making sense to me and I moved on and accepted the fact that some people may find comfort in them when they are struggling. For me, they mostly bugged, but everything isn't all about me. Certainly we can sit down and pick a part any slogan. "Where's the Beef?" Remember that one with the little old lady? It wasn't my favorite, but never really felt the need to sit down and pick it apart with my cohorts.
I was a drunk. I needed help. I found my way to AA. I really didn't like anything about the program, but wanted to get sober and my way wasn't working. I stuck with it because my life was hell. Yes, you don't have to be an alcoholic to experience hellacious experiences. Life is difficult. Alcoholics contribute to their own hell. They do it by choice. Most bad experiences are by chance. Picking up the next drink and continuing to get drunk every day was not by chance, it was by my choice. Therefore I was living a self-imposed hell.
When AA got to be to much for me to handle, I left. I got sober in AA and still practice the structure, but have not attended a meeting in over a year. I have not slipped back into hell and damnation, I'm still sober. Yet, I have no desire to bash and ridicule the program for my entertainment. I'm grateful for the program and getting sober. Someday I may find my way back. I do not close the door to it, but today, it is not for me. For all of those who still attend AA, I say "good on ya!!!" I hope you find what you need to get and stay sober. Today, I'd rather trash talk the price of gasoline and the greed of the oil companies instead of a program that was established to help those who are still suffering.