Belief is a big word, it was for me anyhow... i told my sponsor about it , he told me what i now suggest to others, "just the willingness is enough to make a beginning"
That willingness, opened some ideas into why i found belief, god, faith , so objectionable.
The fact was i carried others ideas of god into my life...most of my life..
Ebby told bill to chose his own conception .... which is exactly what i did, .
Strangely ....i now have no idea about god lol ...but that's vastly more effective than everyone else's idea .

obviously, when you come into aa
you are new and don't know much

but everybody has their own program
and
you only take what you want
and
leave the rest
so no one is ever practicing everything

the main thing is
do you have the desire to stop alcohol,
that entitles you to a seat


frankie

There's only one belief in a higher power that matters and that's your own.

imo

i think first find out what type of alky one is, and then address the insanity bit.

if one's a real alcoholic, as defined in the BB

insanity is being in a 12 step program,

and not working all the steps

The only requirement for the fellowship is "a desire to stop drinking".

The requirement for the program is "willing to go to any length to get it..."
(page 58)

I'm an agnostic, sober 21+ years (and I do have a higher power). "The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking .........." according to Bill Wilson. It's not a cult, you can believe whatever you like!

My first decade or so in AA, all my understanding of God amounted to the saying "There is a God and I'm not it".

The fellowship and the program are two different things. You could get the impression from reading this thread that 'The only requirement to get sober is a desire to stop drinking" which is absolute nonsense.

A desire to stop drinking gets you into the fellowship and nothing more. The 12 steps, suggested as a program of recovery, are the program. While only suggested, nowhere in our basic text does it state that recovery can be accomplished by only taking "some" of the steps. But our text takes considerable pains to explain that our program is very roomy and can accomodate any individual beliefs, as long as they make sense to you.

Would you walk out of your house with your clothes partially on? =P I sure wouldn't. (not sober anyway, lol!)

The only requirement to get sober is determination enough to do so. The only requirement for AA membership, regardless of what anybody says, again, is a desire to stop drinking. AA offers a solution for those who are willing, or for whom nothing else has previously worked. That solution is the 12 steps. While I'm sure they exist, I don't personally know anyone who has honestly and diligiently worked the 12 steps, who they haven't worked for. I'm certain I wouldn't be sober without them. I have complete faith in the 12 steps being a solution to the problem of alcoholism.

The cofounders of AA never said that the 12 steps were required for anyone to be a member. And I've seen thousands of people get and stay sober, in AA, without working the steps.

Don't allow yourself to be bullied away from meetings because of a very small handful of over zealous people. They mean well, and they just want to share something that has worked miraculously in their lives, when nothing else did.

That is exactly that "bullied" & "over zealous people". It's not that I'm against the 12-steps but different people need different times to adjust. I feel pressured to jump in with both feet today. I'm not ready but hope to be one day. Until then I like the fellowship and support.

I'm sober (two weeks tomorrow) "Happy, Happy, Happy", but I'm still trying to figure out my HP beliefs which is something that I haven't faced in my life before.

I appreciate those that share what has worked for them so I don't discourge them to do so but dont' use pressure to get the point across.

Thanks to all that have replied.

IMHO you setup is maybe a little off. To directly answer your question... Yes you can, but you're setup is a little off (I got hung up on all the God stuff too at first, and AA does have its roots in the Oxford Religious movement from which Wilson adopted a bunch of ideas). Anyway, the higher power is Your Higher Power as defined by You. Just know that and try to roll with it IMHO. "completely agree to all the beliefs of the higher power?" I have no idea what all the beliefs of the higher power are, but I sure as heck know what My Higher Power is all about (kinda' how it works for me and a lot of other people). I would suggest just try it for a while, find a good sponsor that you relate to and try not to be too defensive or analytical and go with the flow.... Good luck!

The program of AA is meant to be suggestive only and it is also supposed to be a program of attraction, rather than promotion. When you go to a buffet, like most people, you probably don't serve yourself everything that is laid out. All of the previous posts, and mine too, are merely suggestions. If you like ham over roast beef, take a big portion of ham and let the beef eaters have their red meat.

This suggestion helped me a lot with the "God Thingy" :

Short version of the first 3 Steps =

Step 1.) I can't

Step 2.) He can

Step 3.) Let Him

That is a big problem with so called face-to-face groups, intimidating bullies. Just one more reason why I am beginning to prefer internet forums so as SR. Here you get to meet people with a far broader range of education and experience and more people in general than you possibly could in a meeting. Truthfully the help I get here is a lot more rewarding than I get in any AA meeting. :egypt:

http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...ons/icon14.gif Also an atheist like myself can work the steps w/o a HP of sorts. So the possibilities are unlimited.

I glad you find it so helpful here nef.. I do love it also.. But it does sadden me to hear you say that the people you meet here have more of a broader education and experience.. Because the same people at the meetings are here.. ;)

I personally if I had to choose I would never give up the real people in real life.. Over sitting on my computer with this screen and not looking at someones face..

And I am glad everyone is granted a membership with AA, because I get just as much from the bullies and people that try to intimidate others.. Because they show me exactly what I don't want to do.. And always make me cherish the people around me..

And the joy of gaining these frienships and being able to share them face to face, and see and touch each other, can't put a price on that.. :)

"It was only a matter of being willing to believe in a power greater then myself. Nothing more was required of me to make my beginning." - Bill's Story

I'd also like to say that there are many power's greater then me. The cop with the ticket book walking up to me is one, for he can do something I cannot. Take my freedom!
Or gravity
Or whatever helps the hummingbird stay afloat

Hope this helps