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Old 09-20-2009, 08:07 PM
  # 29 (permalink)  
McGowdog
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Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Southern Colorado
Posts: 1,167
Originally Posted by hendershot View Post
The third tradition is pretty clear, AA membership is limited to those with a "Desire to stop drinking" not "Desire to stop drinking and believe in God."
The Third Tradition states, "Our membership ought to include all who suffer from alcoholism. Hence we may refuse none who wish to recover. Nor ought A.A. membership ever depend upon money or conformity. Any two or three alcoholics gathered together for sobriety may call themselves an A.A. group, provided that, as a group, they have no other affiliation."

So, it's true you don't have to believe in God to be in A.A. and/or do steps. You really really don't have to believe in God. Those steps are suggested. The suggestion on Step 2 is that you merely become "willing" to believe there is a God. But... God shows up again and again. You're asked aka suggested to make a decision that God is...everything. You're asked to make a decision and take responsibility for seeking God and following a few simple rules... writing an inventory, sharing it, asking God to remove a few things, make those amends, some prayer and meditation stuff... Being a channel for God once you get your pipes cleaned out...

That's A.A. But... I'm sure you can find a meeting where the actual doing of the steps is often talked about but seldom done.
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