A question about meetings and God

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03-18-2018, 03:26 PM

# 21 (permalink)

blueberry2015

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Join Date: Jul 2015

Location: UK

Posts: 1,074

Quote:

Originally Posted by GirlScreaming

I went to my first meeting today. It was every bit as awkward as I thought it would be, but I met some nice people and received some help literature. I plan on returning. That said, I'm a non believer, and a lot of the literature/meeting was uncomfortable for me. They start and end each meeting with the serenity prayer and a lot of the 12 steps reference God.
The literature states several times that the group isn't religious, but spiritual, and all are welcome including atheists, but it doesn't feel like it.

My question is, how am I going to take a program seriously when it so often brings up a topic I don't believe in? Does anyone have any tips for how to use the 12 steps in a way that isn't about God?

Thanks for reading

I too felt the same, I dont believe in god. I still attend meetings and work the steps. All you need to do is find a power greater than yourself, that could be rooms of AA, the universe, a loved one who has passed over, angels, spirit guides, buddha or Elvis... it doesnt matter. Think of the word God as a generic term to a power greater than you x

03-19-2018, 12:56 AM

# 22 (permalink)

Cosima11

Guest

Join Date: Jan 2018

Posts: 675

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andante

Kicking around ideas about what a "higher power" means to you is all well and good, but if we're talking about AA, even a cursory reading of the Steps suggests that to call alcohol your "higher power" is to get things a bit muddled.

Step Two is believing that "a power greater than yourself" can restore you to sanity. That power is definitely not alcohol.

I think it's meant to show alcoholics who don't believe in a higher power that they've been living as if they do all along.

The spiritual higher power is meant to be a replacement of sorts? People do in fact get "high" off of God. It's a real thing. People also do horrendous, cruel and illogical things in the name of God. So it's all relative.. Be careful who and what you give your power to I guess.