Would an Atheist Drug Addict Have Issues With the NA or AA 12 Step Program?
Question by Diver Down: Would an atheist drug addict have issues with the NA or AA 12 step program?
part of the program to recovery is believing that a “higher power” will help you. But what if you don’t believe? and you want “recovery”?
One thing that is frowned upon in these programs is referring to a “God”, the word is just Higher Power, it is open to the individual to interpet. They didn’t pray either, we all just merely admitted that we had issues that we wanted resolved. Their is no religion in the program, if it is handle by the 12 step “book”.
Has anyone who answered ever been to a meeting?
Best answer:
Answer by Julien
We’re scientifically minded people. I doubt we’d ever become slaves to Alcohol or drugs. At least, no Atheist I’ve ever known would.
But instead of a higher-power, we’d have to look to the best in ourselves.
Answer by NECROMOMICON
I believe there actually is a secular Alcohol/Drug program. Give me a minute and I’ll look it up.
Just skimming around the Internet I pretty much came to the realization that 99% of alcohol/drug programs are a bunch of lunatics.
For one thing I had no idea that Narconon is a Scientology front.
Your question gets a star from me just because I learned that fact.
Still looking…
The only one I found was this:
International. Founded 1999. Secular community of persons who are building lives free of dependency on alcohol and other drugs. Group activities are not associated with religion or spirituality. Members practice complete abstinence from alcohol and other addicting drugs. Peer support, literature, information, referrals, and advocacy activities. Guidelines available for starting similar groups. Large online email support group and several smaller special interest groups (women, weight loss, stop smoking, etc). Online chats, forum. Publishes sobriety literature.
Write:
LifeRing Secular Recovery
1440 Broadway, Suite 312
Oakland, CA 94612-2029
Voice: 1-800-811-4142 or 510-763-0779
Website: http://www.unhooked.com
E-mail: [email protected]
Verified: 09/19/2006
I can’t vouch for them, but they aren’t a religious group.
I know I saw a few years ago a group that was an alcohol/drug recovery group that made a point of not being a religious brainwashing cult but for the life of me I can’t remember the name. It seemed back then it was probably a pretty small group that was technically a national group but probably only had like 5 people per state. I’m really annoyed that I can’t remember the name.
Either way, after looking into all of this it made me realize – why is it that SO many of these groups are religiously based? Is it that they just looking to brainwash people in their weakest moments? Or is it that the believer types are overwhelmingly the ones who the addicts? I hadn’t thought about it before, but I think it might be a bit of both.
Ah ha! I finally found it:
Secular Organizations for Sobriety (Save Ourselves)
International. 20000 members. Founded 1986. Mutual help for alcoholics and addicts who want to acknowledge their addiction and maintain sobriety as a separate issue from religion or spirituality. Newsletter. Guidelines and assistance available for starting groups. Real-time online chats and e-groups available.
Write:
S.O.S.
4773 Hollywood Blvd.
Hollywood, CA 90027
Voice: 323-666-4295
Fax: 323-666-4271
Website: http://www.cfiwest.org/sos
E-mail: [email protected]
Verified: 09/12/2006
More Drug Addiction Newsletter Information…
10 Responses to Would an Atheist Drug Addict Have Issues With the NA or AA 12 Step Program?
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You can believe in yourself at your highest state of being. It does not require belief in God or any Source.
And if anyone there tells you it does, then go to a different meeting group.
Good luck to you or to whomever you are asking this question for.
You can make drugs your higher power
There is a wonderful chapter in the A.A, “Big Book” called “To the Agnostic” that answers many questions….
I know many Atheist Twelve-steppers. The Higher Power does not necessarily have to be “God” – it can be “the group itself”
An atheist is far less likely to be addicted to drugs than a religious person. Want proof? my secret bible says so.
Funny, I know alot of Christian Alcoholics and Drug Addicts that have failed the program just the same….but the underline theme is helping yourself and getting over your addiction. I see not what God has to do with anything here…
When you are at your lowest, your beliefs don’t matter so much anymore. It was your beliefs that got you to that point. All you want at that point is for the addiction to be gone!
I would go to a private therapist or another center that didn’t have a “higher power” theme if I were an addict. I don’t think it would bother some to use those programs but I’m not inclined to it.
ROFLMAO! Geesh! What else can I do but laugh? I guess you got them, didn’t you?
In my group (s) the ‘higher power’ thing works like this:
(from the AA 12 steps & 12 traditions book) – “First off, AA does not demand that you believe anything. The 12 steps and 12 traditions are merely suggestions.” In fact, if you would like to check out the atheist thang, they address the issue quite openly in the AA “Big Book” and the “12×12”.
I’ve quite a few friends who are atheist and agnostic in AA or NA – one of them uses a Jack in the Box attenae ball as his higher power. tee hee !
Step 3 – “Made a decision to turn my will and my life over to the care of God, *as I understand Him* – This confuses alot of people on the point, and I’m sure it was debated over mucho before they worded this step. Given the exigency of the matter, they must have opted for the simplest concept, ie; “God” at the time (circa 1930’s) –
-leaving it to the individual to decide whether “God” means him, her, it, them, or The Great Void.
The idea is this : your own BEST thinking got you to AA/NA. You need a ‘higher power’ to help you on this one – whether it’s God, Shango, your psychiatrist, or even the group itself.
You get to pick.
edit – ps – there is a genetic setup for addictive disorder, similar to diabetes. Unless one has experienced this, there’s no explaining. The closest analogy – Next time you have diarrhea, try using “will power”. 🙂 *bless*SJ
Would any one have trouble with the NA or AA 12 step program? Not only atheist! Chronicles 4:9-10. Does any one have trouble with sin? Any one have trouble with doubt? Any one have trouble with the issues of life? Any one have troubles with the cares of this world? Anyone having trouble thinking God can not help them? Anyone wonder if there is a God? Has anyone came out with the victory over anything and then went right back to it days months years later? Frustration? Painful? Disappointments? Just how bad do you want to change? How bad do you need to get over it? Are you doing it for yourself or someone else? If you are left alone will you still want too? Recovery what does that mean to you? 1 John chapter 1 2 3. Do we all not sin? The word of God is recovery. Pray and keep on praying if you fall get up and keep on walking. Walk until you see God. Like the prodigol son. His father ran when he seen him a far off. Luke 15:11-32.
Can anyone change by their own will once addicted? Strongholds what does that mean? Psalms 33.