>>Hmm, I can definitely see where you're coming from and respect the view point you have now...in fact, I felt/feel the same as you're now describing! I grew up catholic, but long abandoned those ideals and was *sincerely* put off by the idea of a "higher power" or any of that mumbo jumbo...in addition, the idea having to go around apologizing to people or whatever also didn't sit well with me...but to be honest, the way I felt about alcohol and drugs, I was so sick and tired, I felt pretty desperate for anything to help me get clean and sober, and once I decided to go to NA with an open mind and an open heart, everything figured itself out...
>>It's unfortunate, but I assure you, if you walk into the meeting already on the defensive, it will be truly hard to find anything but fault with the program and how its run...As you stated, there are certain people that are over zealous, who are AA/NA "fundamentalists" if you will, but please, don't let these few individuals spoil the entire experience for you, or, at least, what it could potentially be...
>>As for the reservations I mentioned earlier, I found them all to be more of a figment of my imagination, or, better put, the whole program never turned out to be what I had previously chalked it up to...in NA (I know you must be rolling your eyes as I quote the basic text) all the references to "God" or a "Higher Power" is only "...as we understood him". The fellowship is supposed to maintain secularity, and anything besides that would be corrupt. And all the apologies, I realized that the whole process would only aid in my emotional healing..
>>And, lastly, as with anything, it works at your own discretion...you don't have to look at the program as "all or nothing", perhaps, even if you decide against working a program, you will still be able to take certain positive things away from its ideologies.
Good luck in your sobriety no matter which road you decide to take towards it!