CatFry,
Skepticism is perfectly acceptable and welcomed. I had serious doubts as to whether the twelve steps (and a Power greater than myself) would make any difference in resolving my problem with alcohol. But I followed the directions given to me by my guide/mentor and did the work that was asked of me. I found the actual progression to be: I came. Then I came to. And finally I came to believe. Coming to believe was a result of working the rest of the steps rather than a condition of doing the steps.
Actually the 2nd step question is: "Do I now believe or am I even willing to believe that there is a Power greater than myself?" The rest of the paragraph goes on to say, "As soon as a man can say that he does believe, or is willing to believe, we emphatically assure him that he is on his way. It has been repeatedly proven among us that upon this simple cornerstone a wonderfully effective spiritual structure can be built." p. 47 BB of AA, 1st Ed. If you can answer "yes" to the question, you are on your way.
To summarize: Step One is a description of the Problem (lack of power) and Step Two is a statement of the Solution (a Power greater than ourselves). By the way, if you don't have a sponsor guiding you through the process of taking the steps, I would strongly advise and encourage you to find someone to work with you. It is very difficult to do this work alone; I benefited immensely from having a knowledgeable guide.
Susan