Unfortunately, AA is not a consistent or universal experience. It is different everywhere.
The adoption of its principles as a rehabilitation program by many commercial interests and telling people that its ok if you use a doorknob as your higher power don't help credibility much either.
I've been to my share of AA meetings, open and closed, and I have a pile of literature that I find about as contradictory as the Bible. I get nothing from reading any of it. At an AA meeting I generally feel as if I'm a puppy that is being taught not to poop inside the house.
Perhaps it might benefit AA to update and secularize its literature\traditions\teachings\etc for real and quit pretending that a higher power stops the drinking for the alcoholic.