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Probably a stupid question... What does secular mean? I've been looking for a definition of it on here and not seeing one. Does it mean non-religious? Or non-spiritual all together? Or something else? Even the dictionary definition confuses me. Thanks! |
Secular means apart from and/or unrelated to religion. It doesn't necessarily mean atheist but lots of people use it in that manner. Secular recovery would imply a method that doesn't rely on "grace" or help from supernatural entities (ie God). |
In my most general understanding and in the context of this site, secular simply means "not AA". Using a greatly over simplified interpretation, there are two general recovery approaches: 1) the AA/12 step approach that is based on admitting powerlessness over alcohol and on turning one's life and will over to the care of God; and 2) everything that is NOT the traditional AA/12 Step approach, which includes rational recovery, SMART, LifeRing, etc. The secular approaches are generally favored by those who want to be empowered, are atheist or agnostic, and/or prefer a rational/logical recovery method. This gets confusing because it is applied along a range of adherence. There are atheists in AA and there are religious people who follow a secular recovery approach. There are secular interpretations of the twelve steps. There are people in AA who use the secular recovery tools and people following secular approaches who use AA tools. People put together an approach that works for them. |
For me it means non religious and not based or focused on any belief in the supernatural. I believe that I have a spiritual aspect, and that spirituality is a function of the brain. I can use that brain function to my benefit in recovery as well as in other areas of life, but it does not connect me to some supernatural power. |
Originally Posted by Riverbird
(Post 4457610)
What does secular mean? I've been looking for a definition of it on here and not seeing one. Does it mean non-religious? Or non-spiritual all together? Or something else? |
Maybe this can help, Riverbird. 1. We accept the fact that all our efforts to stop drinking have failed. 2. We believe that we must turn elsewhere for help. 3. We turn to our fellow men and women, particularly those who have struggled with the same problem. 4. We have made a list of the situations in which we are most likely to drink. 5. We ask our friends to help us avoid those situations. 6. We are ready to accept the help they give us. 7. We honestly hope they will help. 8. We have made a list of the persons we have harmed and to whom we hope to make amends. 9. We shall do all we can to make amends, in any way that will not cause further harm. 10. We will continue to make such lists and revise them as needed. 11. We appreciate what our friends have done and are doing to help us. 12. We, in turn, are ready to help others who may come to us in the same way. B.F. Skinner |
Webster’s definition of secular is “of or relating to the worldly or temporal”. In other words, to things that exist in space and time. The only thing that we know of, which inhabits a world outside of space and time, is light. |
Originally Posted by freshstart57
(Post 4458163)
Maybe this can help, Riverbird. 1. We accept the fact that all our efforts to stop drinking have failed. 2. We believe that we must turn elsewhere for help. 3. We turn to our fellow men and women, particularly those who have struggled with the same problem. 4. We have made a list of the situations in which we are most likely to drink. 5. We ask our friends to help us avoid those situations. 6. We are ready to accept the help they give us. 7. We honestly hope they will help. 8. We have made a list of the persons we have harmed and to whom we hope to make amends. 9. We shall do all we can to make amends, in any way that will not cause further harm. 10. We will continue to make such lists and revise them as needed. 11. We appreciate what our friends have done and are doing to help us. 12. We, in turn, are ready to help others who may come to us in the same way. B.F. Skinner Thanks everyone for your help. :) |
It sounds as if your Higher Power is similar to mine. There's nothing wrong with that and never had an issue with a sponsor. |
Means Higher Power, not a religion. Your own conception of a higher power, unrelated to a church, or the bible, priest etc or organized religious organizations. There are well over 500 organizations that follow exactly the original 12 step program. Some of the few off the top of my head are. NA, CA, Nicotine Anonymous, Debtors, Sex, Gambling, Alanon, Alateen, Co-Dependancy, Enablers, Over Eaters, Bulemia. So you got internet, type in in the search field. Takes 2 seconds. Define Secular. sec·u·lar /ˈsekyələr/ adjective adjective: secular 1. denoting attitudes, activities, or other things that have no religious or spiritual basis. "secular buildings" synonyms: nonreligious, areligious, lay, temporal, worldly, earthly, profane; More formallaic "secular music" antonyms: holy, religious 2. Christian Church (of clergy) not subject to or bound by religious rule; not belonging to or living in a monastic or other order. 3. Astronomy of or denoting slow changes in the motion of the sun or planets. 4. Economics (of a fluctuation or trend) occurring or persisting over an indefinitely long period. "there is evidence that the slump is not cyclical but secular" 5. occurring once every century or similarly long period (used esp. in reference to celebratory games in ancient Rome). noun noun: secular; plural noun: seculars 1. a secular priest. |
The only stupid question is the one that goes unasked. As for your question, what's the difference? Take what you need and leave the rest. |
Worldly works for me. As for recovery, all my experiences indicate that its up to me to find (worldly) resources to stay sober. I seek no outside help from the supernatural because I have found none there to seek. The quote below rings true with me. "Non-theism is relaxing with the ambiguity and uncertainty of the present moment without reaching for anything to protect ourselves. ... Nontheism is finally realizing there is no babysitter you can count on." -Pema Chödrön |
As #3 in your tag line suggests Zencat, AA spirituality does not necessarily imply the supernatural. http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...where-god.html |
Lol, I'm watching Cash Cab as I type. Immediately (seconds) after I submitted that last post, the following question was asked: Q) What ideology maintains the existence of God is unknowable. A) Agnostic. Coincidence? I dunno, lol. |
Originally Posted by dSober
(Post 4601838)
As #3 in your tag line suggests Zencat, AA spirituality does not necessarily imply the supernatural. http://www.soberrecovery.com/forums/...where-god.html "God as you understand Him" IMO, has nebulous possibilities, some of them involve a secular understanding of Him. I go with: "God and Good are synonymous and found in all of us". From there My HP is my inner ability to have a Higher Potential for spiritual growth. With that 'understanding' I'm well on my way through the steps. :ring |
[QUOTE=Zencat;4607526I go with: "God and Good are synonymous and found in all of us". [/QUOTE] Someone in another thread noted: devil == evil but the devil stole a "d" for himself. God == Good but He gave us something extra with the "o". Sounds Good to me. |
Good question i actually never knew what the secular 12 steps were |
Originally Posted by 13unluckyforsom
(Post 4616355)
Good question i actually never knew what the secular 12 steps were sec·u·lar adjective \ˈse-kyə-lər\ : not spiritual : of or relating to the physical world and not the spiritual world : not religious I'm afraid I don't see how step 3 can work with this. I tried for years. In retrospect, I worked around it and stopped drinking for short periods but could never feel stopped, feel like the obsession had been lifted, until I finally bought into step 3 as it is written in the Big Book. |
What is step 3 in the big book? I was referring to the 12 secular steps as shown in page 1 - I'd never read them before. |
Originally Posted by dSober
(Post 4616413)
I still don't. According to Webster's: sec·u·lar adjective \ˈse-kyə-lər\ : not spiritual : of or relating to the physical world and not the spiritual world : not religious I'm afraid I don't see how step 3 can work with this. I tried for years. In retrospect, I worked around it and stopped drinking for short periods but could never feel stopped, feel like the obsession had been lifted, until I finally bought into step 3 as it is written in the Big Book. |
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