Hi QuitforSon. I am atheist. I do not know what a "hard core" atheist is <looking askance at Meraviglioso>. I find AA helpful, even though I think the praying and religiosity is silly.
Most people I meet in meetings are not as you describe. Most were functioning alcoholics who held down jobs, were self-supporting, etc. Their input is valuable to me.
I never even got in trouble with alcohol. No DUIs or legal trouble, nothing like that. Alcohol was just quietly eating my life away, like most people in AA.
Especially since Toronto has AA Agnostica, I hope you give it another go. I am green with envy and wish we had that here.