llenroc66

"Remember that we deal with alcohol- cunning, baffling, powerful! Without help it is too much for us. But there is One who has all power- that one is God. May you find Him Now!"

This was presented from another site, and was seemingly quoted from the Big Book (I'm too lazy to research). I don't practice as I should, but I've been baptized and believe but this is off-putting.

I looked into local AA and this is what I read. Religion alone may be the answer, and I'm okay with that, but that's not what I have been told again, again, again....

When I search on Youtube for AA I only get jokes or parodies. I guess it fits the baffeling.

Anna

AA works for many, but there are other recovery methods. I am not an AA person but I am very spiritual in my recovery. It's a big part of me.

Here are some other recovery methods:

Alcoholics Anonymous
http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org/?Media=PlayFlash

LifeRing Secular Recovery
http://www.unhooked.com

SNART
http://www.smartrecovery.org/

SOS - Secular Organisations for Sobriety
http://www.secularsobriety.org

Women for Sobriety
http://womenforsobriety.org/


Information and analysis about addiction treatment and harm reduction:

http://www.peele.net/

A useful AA reference:
Online AA resources (not official AA):
http://www.recovery.org/aa/

Moderation Management, the one group that deals with moderate drinking; useful for the guidelines:
http://moderation.org/

Some variations on 12 Step:

Agnostics AA:
http://agnosticaa.org/

Alcoholics Victorious (Christian 12 step):
http://www.alcoholicsvictorious.org/12-steps.html

Pagan approach to 12 steps:
http://members.aol.com/JehanaS/recovery.html

Another Christian recovery site:
http://www.celebraterecovery.com/message.asp

Rabbi Twerski's interpretation of the 12 Steps from a Jewish perspective:
http://www.a-1associates.com/AA/jacs_journal_2.htm
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posterboy

I'm a big proponent of AA. Having grown up in church and tried many different options, I found AA was the only thing that works for me. Though we do not claim to have the ONLY way to recover we do have a method that's worked for many people over the years.
As far as AA and religion. My understanding from what I've been able to find and read is that strong AA, the way it was when it started is religious as well as spiritual. The purpose of the steps is to help you find god, and learn to live with other people.
Hope that helps

Jersey Nonny

I'm sorry you find this "off-putting". I, too, was baptized and believe; but, I guess I was just so desperate for help, I didn't question or look for reasons the AA way might not work for me...only ways in which it would help me, as I was told it had done for many others who found a way to stay sober. God knows, I knew how to stop...I had done so numerous times over the 32 years I drank...I just never learned how to stay stopped...and, thankfully, I did through many AA meetings over the next 22 years.

AA's often refer to a "God of our understanding" or a "Higher Power"...you'll also see Good Orderly Direction used in the place of GOD...whatever works for you. Alcoholism is an equal opportunity disease, and AA is flexible enough to suit every alcoholic. Please don't dismiss it out of hand, until you've tried it and can speak from personal experience.