Hi again Daphne. I attended some court-ordered AA meetings a few yrs. ago & the word "God" was never mentioned in any of them. I think the 'higher power' reference puts some people off & it's too bad, since so much good can come from that fellowship. I use SR for my support & for me it's been enough - but I feel bad when AA is misunderstood. It has been a life saver for many & was intended to include everyone, not just those who believe in God.
Whether alcoholism is a disease or not has been debated here before & there are some interesting observations - (sorry I'm not clever enough to find or post the threads!) I personally have never felt like a victim or used it as an excuse for my terrible behavior or the chaos I've caused. I agree that deciding to quit has to come from within ourselves, but I for one needed all the help I could get. Struggling with it all alone didn't work for me.