AA Religion?
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Fredericksburg, Va.
Posts: 9,730
AA Religion?
So many folks I hear say AA is religous?
If it is then a few questions if I may ask them.
1. What religion does AA practice?
2. What religion allows aethiest to openly participate?
3. What religion does not care if you believe in Buddah, Krishna, Christ, Agdistis or Angdistis, Ah Puch, Ahura Mazda, Alberich, Allah, Amaterasu, Anansi, Anat, Andvari, Anshar, Anu, Aphrodite, Apollo, Apsu, Ares, Artemis, Asclepius, Athena, Athirat, Athtart, Atlas, Baal, Ba Xian, Bacchus, Balder, Bast, Bellona, Bergelmir, Bes, Bixia Yuanjin, Brahma, Brigit, Camaxtli, Ceres, Ceridwen, Cernunnos, Chac, Chalchiuhtlicue, Charun, Chemosh, Cheng-huang, Cybele, Dagon, Damkina (Dumkina), Davlin, Dawn, Demeter, Diana, Di Cang, Dionysus, Ea, El, Enki, Enlil, Eos, Epona, Ereskigal, Farbauti, Fenrir, Forseti, Freya, Freyr, Frigg, Gaia, Ganesha, Ganga, Garuda, Gauri, Geb, Geong Si, Hades, Hanuman, Hathor, Hecate (Hekate), Helios, Heng-o (Chang-o), Hephaestus, Hera, Hermes, Hod, etc. ?
4. What religion is practiced that in one place they may say no prayer at all, in another place the may say a Christian prayer, in another place an Islamic prayer, etc. ?
5. What religion does not promote worship of some type of Diety?
6. What religion beleives that one should find a Higher Power of thier own choosing and understanding?
7. If a person of the Jewish faith had written the BB would one not expect them call thier HP Yhwh when writing of thier HP?
8. If a person of the Islamic faith had written the BB would one not expect them call thier HP Allah when writing of thier HP?
9. If a person of the Buddist faith had written the BB would one not expect them call thier HP Buddah when writing of thier HP?
10. Would not simple logic lead one to beleive that the primary reason the word God is used in the BB is probably due to the fact that the writers of the BB were Christians?
11. Is there any religion that has no rituals they practice?
12. What Church, Mosque, Temple, etc. do AAs practice this religion in?
Please I am not trying to start an argument, all I am doing is asking those that claim it is religous to answer the above questions and see what conclusion they come to. I have been to several thousand AA meetings and several conventions as well. Here are the answers for the above questions in regards to AA from my experience at several thousand AA meetings.
The main purpose for this post is to try and clarify that AA is not religous, spiritual, yes, religous... no.
I do not care what the topic is, when one pulls religion into it, people are going to get POed.
1. None, I have NEVER heard one person in AA state that if you are not of a certain faith you can not get sober.
2. AA not being a religous orginization at all could care less if you are an athiest.
3. None that I am aware of. (I could be wrong on this) I do know for a fact that AA as a whole could care less what an individuals HP is or is not, in reality the entire program if one reads the BB is strictly SUGGESTED, nothing is mandantory.
4. No religion that I know of allows prayers of another faith in thier services, if one is a Christian, no matter where the Christian church is located Christian prayers will be said there.
5. None that I know of, I do know that AA does not push worsip of any type, they do suggest one maintain a conscience contact with thier HP of thier choosing & understanding.
6. None that I know of, each religion I know of preachs that the followers should worship the HP of thier particular faith. AA instead encourages each member to find a HP of thier choosing and understanding.
7. I would.
8. I would.
9. I would.
10. It is spelled out in the BB that is the very reason that the word God was used in the BB.
11. None that I am aware of.
12. None, because AA as a whole does not pratice ANY religion at all.
There is not a doubt in my mind that some AA meetings are religous in nature, but AA as a whole is in no way shape form or fashion religous or a religion, AA is a spiritual progam, not a religous program.
There is a program called "Celebrating Recovery" which is a Christian based off shoot of AA, I have never been to one of thier meetings, but I know a guy who has gone, he said it is basically AA with Christianity thrown in for good measure.
If it is then a few questions if I may ask them.
1. What religion does AA practice?
2. What religion allows aethiest to openly participate?
3. What religion does not care if you believe in Buddah, Krishna, Christ, Agdistis or Angdistis, Ah Puch, Ahura Mazda, Alberich, Allah, Amaterasu, Anansi, Anat, Andvari, Anshar, Anu, Aphrodite, Apollo, Apsu, Ares, Artemis, Asclepius, Athena, Athirat, Athtart, Atlas, Baal, Ba Xian, Bacchus, Balder, Bast, Bellona, Bergelmir, Bes, Bixia Yuanjin, Brahma, Brigit, Camaxtli, Ceres, Ceridwen, Cernunnos, Chac, Chalchiuhtlicue, Charun, Chemosh, Cheng-huang, Cybele, Dagon, Damkina (Dumkina), Davlin, Dawn, Demeter, Diana, Di Cang, Dionysus, Ea, El, Enki, Enlil, Eos, Epona, Ereskigal, Farbauti, Fenrir, Forseti, Freya, Freyr, Frigg, Gaia, Ganesha, Ganga, Garuda, Gauri, Geb, Geong Si, Hades, Hanuman, Hathor, Hecate (Hekate), Helios, Heng-o (Chang-o), Hephaestus, Hera, Hermes, Hod, etc. ?
4. What religion is practiced that in one place they may say no prayer at all, in another place the may say a Christian prayer, in another place an Islamic prayer, etc. ?
5. What religion does not promote worship of some type of Diety?
6. What religion beleives that one should find a Higher Power of thier own choosing and understanding?
7. If a person of the Jewish faith had written the BB would one not expect them call thier HP Yhwh when writing of thier HP?
8. If a person of the Islamic faith had written the BB would one not expect them call thier HP Allah when writing of thier HP?
9. If a person of the Buddist faith had written the BB would one not expect them call thier HP Buddah when writing of thier HP?
10. Would not simple logic lead one to beleive that the primary reason the word God is used in the BB is probably due to the fact that the writers of the BB were Christians?
11. Is there any religion that has no rituals they practice?
12. What Church, Mosque, Temple, etc. do AAs practice this religion in?
Please I am not trying to start an argument, all I am doing is asking those that claim it is religous to answer the above questions and see what conclusion they come to. I have been to several thousand AA meetings and several conventions as well. Here are the answers for the above questions in regards to AA from my experience at several thousand AA meetings.
The main purpose for this post is to try and clarify that AA is not religous, spiritual, yes, religous... no.
I do not care what the topic is, when one pulls religion into it, people are going to get POed.
1. None, I have NEVER heard one person in AA state that if you are not of a certain faith you can not get sober.
2. AA not being a religous orginization at all could care less if you are an athiest.
3. None that I am aware of. (I could be wrong on this) I do know for a fact that AA as a whole could care less what an individuals HP is or is not, in reality the entire program if one reads the BB is strictly SUGGESTED, nothing is mandantory.
4. No religion that I know of allows prayers of another faith in thier services, if one is a Christian, no matter where the Christian church is located Christian prayers will be said there.
5. None that I know of, I do know that AA does not push worsip of any type, they do suggest one maintain a conscience contact with thier HP of thier choosing & understanding.
6. None that I know of, each religion I know of preachs that the followers should worship the HP of thier particular faith. AA instead encourages each member to find a HP of thier choosing and understanding.
7. I would.
8. I would.
9. I would.
10. It is spelled out in the BB that is the very reason that the word God was used in the BB.
11. None that I am aware of.
12. None, because AA as a whole does not pratice ANY religion at all.
There is not a doubt in my mind that some AA meetings are religous in nature, but AA as a whole is in no way shape form or fashion religous or a religion, AA is a spiritual progam, not a religous program.
There is a program called "Celebrating Recovery" which is a Christian based off shoot of AA, I have never been to one of thier meetings, but I know a guy who has gone, he said it is basically AA with Christianity thrown in for good measure.
Member
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: The Swish Alps, SF CA
Posts: 2,144
I do not care what the topic is, when one pulls religion into it, people are going to get POed.
I hear religious crap in meetings I become an instant proctologist, it may require surgery I will crawl so far up yer butt
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Fredericksburg, Va.
Posts: 9,730
what was your point again taz.............lol..lol..lol
I forgot!!! Something along the lines of how many people think AA is religous or even a religion!!!
Those of us that have gone to more then 10 or 12 meetings know that AA is not religous, and it sure is not a religion!!! LOL
Some folks just hear the word God mentioned and they freak out that it might be religous!!! Most sporting events in the US are opened with a Prayer from either a preacher or a Rabbi.......... Does that make them religous events or worse yet a RELIGION!!! LOL
We all have fears, when I was out there fear ran my life, religion translated to RUN!!!!
Forum Leader
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Scottsdale, AZ, one big happy dysfunctional family!
Posts: 23,020
Hear hear!! 
I didn't find religion in the rooms of AA, I found spirituality. And here's what The Spirituality Of Imperfection has to say about that......
Religion is for those who are afraid of Hell. Spirituality is for those who have been there.
I didn't find religion in the rooms of AA, I found spirituality. And here's what The Spirituality Of Imperfection has to say about that......
Religion is for those who are afraid of Hell. Spirituality is for those who have been there.
Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 25
Lol Astro and Ago (though my buttocks might be a bit tired from being tightly flexed for 40-60 minutes in an AA meeting with you).
After I started going to AA, my Catholic priest said that it was a good thing and he recommended all his parishners with drinking issues go. Good recommendation, but I wonder what he would think if he heard some of the higher power theories that I heard in meetings.
Perhaps the confusion about the religious aspect is due to the Lord's prayer (otherwise known as the "Our Father" --that does have religious roots.) Also the early influences of the Oxford group with its Christian background might be another reason.
Individuals in AA are best served by taking a spiritual perspective to the steps and their recovery. Religion is best served in churches, synagogues, mosques, and temples --by experts in the rituals and traditions of their religion.
After I started going to AA, my Catholic priest said that it was a good thing and he recommended all his parishners with drinking issues go. Good recommendation, but I wonder what he would think if he heard some of the higher power theories that I heard in meetings.
Perhaps the confusion about the religious aspect is due to the Lord's prayer (otherwise known as the "Our Father" --that does have religious roots.) Also the early influences of the Oxford group with its Christian background might be another reason.
Individuals in AA are best served by taking a spiritual perspective to the steps and their recovery. Religion is best served in churches, synagogues, mosques, and temples --by experts in the rituals and traditions of their religion.
Member
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: uk
Posts: 2,548
i entered AA with a pre-installed religion......well a fear of god lets just put it that way.
Religous beliefs and concepts sewn into my brain when i was a young un..
It wasnt like i had to find a higherpower......more of letting go of old concepts...ie i was gonna burn in hell.
i had to unravel some ...bs notions........and childhood fears.
and get a new concept of a loving ..forgiving....god.
so for me..religion didnt work for me...or the concept i had anyhow.
i chose a new concept.....and that has opened a door to a new connection ...a beautiful connection.....a fearless connection..
i get that connection through doing certain things......my half hour in the morning.......silence.....pray.
in the wilderness......the countryside.
and doing something for someone else.........taking time with people and not focusing on me....me and more me.
there you go.........thats my experience.
Religous beliefs and concepts sewn into my brain when i was a young un..
It wasnt like i had to find a higherpower......more of letting go of old concepts...ie i was gonna burn in hell.
i had to unravel some ...bs notions........and childhood fears.
and get a new concept of a loving ..forgiving....god.
so for me..religion didnt work for me...or the concept i had anyhow.
i chose a new concept.....and that has opened a door to a new connection ...a beautiful connection.....a fearless connection..
i get that connection through doing certain things......my half hour in the morning.......silence.....pray.
in the wilderness......the countryside.
and doing something for someone else.........taking time with people and not focusing on me....me and more me.
there you go.........thats my experience.
Disposable Hero
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Being, ME
Posts: 3,758
And yet, most (if not all of them) who have a major coniption when they hear the mention of "God" in a meeting,
are sitting there with money in their pocket which states; "In God We Trust". It's a little ironic, don't you think??
are sitting there with money in their pocket which states; "In God We Trust". It's a little ironic, don't you think??
Member
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: The Swish Alps, SF CA
Posts: 2,144
Originally Posted by Wolfchild 
And yet, most (if not all of them) who have a major coniption when they hear the mention of "God" in a meeting,
are sitting there with money in their pocket which states; "In God We Trust". It's a little ironic, don't you think??
are sitting there with money in their pocket which states; "In God We Trust". It's a little ironic, don't you think??
All others pay cash
The Irony actually is the truth is most people worship money more then God or spiritual principals anyway, so they have God on their lips but money on their mind.
Talk of God and spiritual principals is appropriate in meetings
I quote Buddha, Lao tzu, Jesus, even Winnie the Pooh in meetings
His point is AA is a spiritual program, not a religious one
I got nothin'
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: My house.
Posts: 4,890
Originally Posted by Wolfchild
And yet, most (if not all of them) who have a major coniption when they hear the mention of "God" in a meeting,
are sitting there with money in their pocket which states; "In God We Trust". It's a little ironic, don't you think??
are sitting there with money in their pocket which states; "In God We Trust". It's a little ironic, don't you think??
That's not something that's under my control. I would like to see "In God We Trust" removed from the currency. "God" does not apply to me.
Not all better, getting better
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: The Beautiful Inner Banks of NC
Posts: 1,702
Some of the reason's people go away with the perception of AA as a "religious" program.
The constant references to God, and the need to turn your "will and life over to Him". While I understand it is a "God of your understanding", it is still God.
The Big Book is read and poured over very much like the Bible is, with people quoting their favorite passages and oftentimes reading meaning into them that wasn't necessarily there.
The frequent recomendations to "get on your knees and pray" as a method of dealing with issues.
The saying of The Lords Prayer at the end of many AA meetings (at least in the US).
These are just a few of the obvious ones. I'm sure that there are others. I'm also not bringing these up to start an argument, only because the topic was raised and the question was asked. While I personally don't believe AA is a religious organization, it definately has religious overtones. That doesn't make it bad, it is just how it is. It is still a program that has helped and continues to help thousands of addicts and alcoholics. However I think people are putting on blinders when they deny what are obvious religious overtones that make some people uncomfortable. That's about all I have on that. Thanks.
The constant references to God, and the need to turn your "will and life over to Him". While I understand it is a "God of your understanding", it is still God.
The Big Book is read and poured over very much like the Bible is, with people quoting their favorite passages and oftentimes reading meaning into them that wasn't necessarily there.
The frequent recomendations to "get on your knees and pray" as a method of dealing with issues.
The saying of The Lords Prayer at the end of many AA meetings (at least in the US).
These are just a few of the obvious ones. I'm sure that there are others. I'm also not bringing these up to start an argument, only because the topic was raised and the question was asked. While I personally don't believe AA is a religious organization, it definately has religious overtones. That doesn't make it bad, it is just how it is. It is still a program that has helped and continues to help thousands of addicts and alcoholics. However I think people are putting on blinders when they deny what are obvious religious overtones that make some people uncomfortable. That's about all I have on that. Thanks.
Cause no harm
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Missouri
Posts: 596
i believe in the hearts of good people, the minds of rational individuals, and the basic inner power that each one of us possesses. That power is hidden by our own blindness to its existence. Blindness caused by our prejudices, fears, and addictions. The people in which I believe helps me to undergo the process to remove what hinders my power. We all have those obstacles and we all have the ability to tap into our power. It has always been there and will remain until our last breath. It is our quest to reach in and bring it on.
Member
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico
Posts: 565
So Taz...would you like to have a conversation about how Jesus can help you? 
I've heard everything in meetings, from "The Lord" to "Mohammed" to "spiritualiy is AA"
I don't judge. I accept. You're an addict too, I get it. Let's talk about our shared issues. Let's talk about it. AA, as I've found, is an inclusionary program. Give me your sick, tired, and poor; yearning to be free. I'm an alcoholic statue of liberty. Come with us, it's not a religion, it's a way of living our f'ed up lives.
I've heard everything in meetings, from "The Lord" to "Mohammed" to "spiritualiy is AA"
I don't judge. I accept. You're an addict too, I get it. Let's talk about our shared issues. Let's talk about it. AA, as I've found, is an inclusionary program. Give me your sick, tired, and poor; yearning to be free. I'm an alcoholic statue of liberty. Come with us, it's not a religion, it's a way of living our f'ed up lives.
Member
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: UK
Posts: 4,682
Funny you should have posted this yesterday, we had a newcomer who was, as he described, a militant athiest (?!)...so after much chatting after meeting and some good orderly direction and group of drunks i think he is kind of ok enough to come back to another meeting...he's got some numbers too...let's see:-)
Member
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: LA - Lower Alabama
Posts: 5,068
Yes many people think Buddha is a deity. It is not, Buddhists have some specific ideas on meditation and spiritual enlightenment. Buddha means "the enlightened one, and there have been several Buddhas over the centuries.
It is also possible to be Buddhist and at the same time be christian/jewish/muslim/pagan/hindu/atheist/fill-in-the-blank, etc..Any Buddhists out there feel free to correct me
It is also possible to be Buddhist and at the same time be christian/jewish/muslim/pagan/hindu/atheist/fill-in-the-blank, etc..Any Buddhists out there feel free to correct me
Last edited by Taking5; 10-23-2009 at 02:04 AM.
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