Are all AA meetings faith based?
Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
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I heard another line a guy said to someone struggling with this I liked....Someone or Something hung that moon up there....And it wasn't you. Don't get caught up in it...Go and listen...Try to identify and not compare...The worst that can happen to you is you'll meet some amazing people...Just like you.
Practice Sobriety
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: KC missouri
Posts: 885
I would just be as honest as possible, I had to come clean about things in my life that were eating me up, no matter how small. I will beg you to get numbers of members and call them. It helps them more than it helps you most of the time
Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Posts: 218
Originally Posted by amandy 
I like the idea of the meetings, and meeting others going through the same things. But I have to admit that personally I'm not religious. I've never been to an AA meeting, so I don't know what they are like. But I know for sure that if I went and only heard people rave about how god or jesus saved them I probably wouldn't return, because I couldn't relate to that.
I hope this isn't taken the wrong way. My mom was an addict and was in NA and found god there. She says it helped her, and that she doesn't feel empty anymore and I think that if that helps you then amazing I'm very happy for those that do. I have to believe it worked because she has now been clean 8 years.
I just have my own beliefs and I'm wondering if all meetings focus on religion or if its something that is pushed, or if its there but not a major part.
I hope this isn't taken the wrong way. My mom was an addict and was in NA and found god there. She says it helped her, and that she doesn't feel empty anymore and I think that if that helps you then amazing I'm very happy for those that do. I have to believe it worked because she has now been clean 8 years.
I just have my own beliefs and I'm wondering if all meetings focus on religion or if its something that is pushed, or if its there but not a major part.
Not Alone
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: South East UK
Posts: 1,513
I have only ever met one Christian in AA and that was when I was in. Christian rehab. The notion is that a lot of recovering Christians don't like AA or NA because the word God is so diluted. That's good for the rest of us. Not so much for them.
Natom.
Natom.
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Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 6,947
"Faith Based" can mean different things, I think... It took on some political significance when George W. was in the white house... It was used to indicate community service done by churches... and such, I think, "religion based" would be a better phrase.
So, when we use that term here, when discussing AA, I would say no, it is not "Faith Based"... in that no particular faith, as in religion, is applicable.
AA is spiritually based, and for some, they do not see that as a difference... faith, religion, spirituality... all the same... I don't see that way, and neither do a lot of us AAs... Higher Power applies and that can be whatever concept or experience you have.
But make no mistake, AA is a spiritual program of recovery. "God" is used because it's one word, and easy to say. So, when I hear that word in AA... there is the implication that God is... "as you understand Him". Even if that understanding happens to be "Faith Based"... or not...
So, when we use that term here, when discussing AA, I would say no, it is not "Faith Based"... in that no particular faith, as in religion, is applicable.
AA is spiritually based, and for some, they do not see that as a difference... faith, religion, spirituality... all the same... I don't see that way, and neither do a lot of us AAs... Higher Power applies and that can be whatever concept or experience you have.
But make no mistake, AA is a spiritual program of recovery. "God" is used because it's one word, and easy to say. So, when I hear that word in AA... there is the implication that God is... "as you understand Him". Even if that understanding happens to be "Faith Based"... or not...
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