Active Site?
40 views
Skip to first unread message
joe
Jul 13, 2010, 8:28:47 AM7/13/10
to Alcoholics Anonymous Agnostics
Hello, my name is joe and I'm an alcoholic. I'm trying to find my path
to recovery, I'm an atheist and am having problems with the
traditional A.A. meetings I attend. I've found alot of helpful info on
the sites home page and would like to be able to discuss with other
members how they find their way in AA-Thanks.
to recovery, I'm an atheist and am having problems with the
traditional A.A. meetings I attend. I've found alot of helpful info on
the sites home page and would like to be able to discuss with other
members how they find their way in AA-Thanks.
SkepticalDeb
Jul 14, 2010, 12:21:00 AM7/14/10
to Alcoholics Anonymous Agnostics
On this topic, I could go on and on. I've had 18 years to struggle
with the god-talk, and it still irritates me! Here's some
suggestions:
1) Find a sponsor who is willing to hear your atheism and NOT want to
change it. I think my sponsor is somewhat of a pantheist, or maybe
even a deist, but she has no desire to get down on her knees and pray
(for me or with me).
2) Find like-minded friends in the program. The only way to find them
is to share opening/honestly about your own nontheism and your desire
to meet people like you. It is so wonderful to look across a room and
share a knowing look with another atheist!
3) Rewrite the steps to your liking. It's helpful to know how YOU
interpret each step, and how you work each step. I share openly about
this whenever the topic is step-specific.
4) I have connected with freethinking, humanist, and atheist groups in
my area. They are non-AA, but they give me an outlet, and the
opportunity to discuss issues (and "outside" issues), near and dear to
my heart.
5) Practice humility and acceptance.
6) Practice tolerance....practice tolerance...practice tolerance...
7) I've done a few step studies using other literature...including
books by nonbelievers. What a relief to have someone NOT talk about
the god of Abraham! One book I especially enjoyed...One Breath at a
Time: Buddhism and the Twelve Steps by Kevin Griffin.
OK...have to stop for now. I wish you all the best Joe. I love the
fellowship, which is why I stay. OH...one more thing...check out this
article:
Secret of AA: After 75 Years, We Don’t Know How It Works
http://www.wired.com/magazine/2010/06/ff_alcoholics_anonymous/all/1
with the god-talk, and it still irritates me! Here's some
suggestions:
1) Find a sponsor who is willing to hear your atheism and NOT want to
change it. I think my sponsor is somewhat of a pantheist, or maybe
even a deist, but she has no desire to get down on her knees and pray
(for me or with me).
2) Find like-minded friends in the program. The only way to find them
is to share opening/honestly about your own nontheism and your desire
to meet people like you. It is so wonderful to look across a room and
share a knowing look with another atheist!
3) Rewrite the steps to your liking. It's helpful to know how YOU
interpret each step, and how you work each step. I share openly about
this whenever the topic is step-specific.
4) I have connected with freethinking, humanist, and atheist groups in
my area. They are non-AA, but they give me an outlet, and the
opportunity to discuss issues (and "outside" issues), near and dear to
my heart.
5) Practice humility and acceptance.
6) Practice tolerance....practice tolerance...practice tolerance...
7) I've done a few step studies using other literature...including
books by nonbelievers. What a relief to have someone NOT talk about
the god of Abraham! One book I especially enjoyed...One Breath at a
Time: Buddhism and the Twelve Steps by Kevin Griffin.
OK...have to stop for now. I wish you all the best Joe. I love the
fellowship, which is why I stay. OH...one more thing...check out this
article:
Secret of AA: After 75 Years, We Don’t Know How It Works
http://www.wired.com/magazine/2010/06/ff_alcoholics_anonymous/all/1
jo...@sbcglobal.net
Jul 14, 2010, 7:28:42 AM7/14/10
to weagn...@googlegroups.com
| Deb, Thank You So Much for Your reply, it's a great help to me. joe --- On Wed, 7/14/10, SkepticalDeb <4al...@cox.net> wrote: |
|
Atheist AA
Jul 14, 2010, 2:27:11 PM7/14/10
to Alcoholics Anonymous Agnostics
Dear Deb:
It is interesting you should say find a sponsor who doesn't want to
change you. My first 2 sponsors were both Christian men; the first was
devout, yet he was willing to help me find my own way. The 2nd one a
crazy (like a fox) liberal who had a card in his wallet that said "In
case of emergency, call God". !! He didn't care that I was atheist. He
cared that I was alcoholic, and that helped me alot.
Now I have two men I call my sponsors. One is atheist, one is not, and
the one who is not is even cooler than the one who is!
I live in a primarily Dutch-reformed community, and yet I'm accepted
in most of the groups here (54 I think.) I don't go to the ones that
make me uncomfortable.
But where some people live and they only have a few choices, it must
be tough.
Best of luck to both of you.
Curtis C
http://groups.google.com/group/atheist-aa
> Secret of AA: After 75 Years, We Don’t Know How It Workshttp://www.wired.com/magazine/2010/06/ff_alcoholics_anonymous/all/1
It is interesting you should say find a sponsor who doesn't want to
change you. My first 2 sponsors were both Christian men; the first was
devout, yet he was willing to help me find my own way. The 2nd one a
crazy (like a fox) liberal who had a card in his wallet that said "In
case of emergency, call God". !! He didn't care that I was atheist. He
cared that I was alcoholic, and that helped me alot.
Now I have two men I call my sponsors. One is atheist, one is not, and
the one who is not is even cooler than the one who is!
I live in a primarily Dutch-reformed community, and yet I'm accepted
in most of the groups here (54 I think.) I don't go to the ones that
make me uncomfortable.
But where some people live and they only have a few choices, it must
be tough.
Best of luck to both of you.
Curtis C
http://groups.google.com/group/atheist-aa
Reply all
Reply to author
Forward
0 new messages