Getting Sober Without God is Absolutely Possible

Recovery
#1

A lot of people, like myself, are/were skeptical of programs like AA because of all of the "god stuff". This is perfectly reasonable, and in my experience many people have been afraid to voice this. Also, many people are completely unaware that there are alot of AA groups that are completely void of religious ceremony and mention of "god" and focus soley on sobriety. These groups are also much more tolerant of all addictions. It is also to be noted that many of the fellowship in the groups are also believers, all are welcome, we do not oppose or reject the beliefs of anyone.

These are legit AA groups. I have found them to be very helpful.

To the newcomer, you do not need to believe in god or even have an understanding of one or anything of the sort. Please do not be discouraged by people telling you otherwise. Some people are just so happy they have found something that works for them and they wanna share it. Some people are just nuttier than squirrel shĂŽt.

Come and hang out with sober people doing sober things. That's the best step you can take after deciding that your life isn't working the way you've been doing it.

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#2

Amen my brother preach. :person_in_lotus_position::v::sun_with_face::blush::yin_yang:

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#3

Hahaha

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#4

I use the phrase “power greater than myself” most of the time. Simply because there are tangible examples. I know nothing about the car I drive. When something needs to be fixed, I go to a mechanic-that mechanic is a power greater than myself because they know something I don’t. If I am sick I trust a doctor, if I need help on my math homework, I seek “a power greater than myself” in the math department to help me.
When I have found myself In “god Heavy” meetings, I simply ignor the word god in the literature and replace the word “god” with something more palatable when people share. It took work when I was newly sober and offended by everything, but worth it.

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#5

I love this!! Same here. I love that AA has allowed me to choose to believe what feels good for me, and that I don’t have to define, justify, explain, or even understand it. I feel comfortable in not knowing or understanding

#6

Exactly. It seems to be a difficult concept for people, the idea that A. A. Doesn’t require a single soul to believe in any particular god, higher power, or power greater than yourself. A. A, in my opinion, only presses the issue of having a HP so that we learn that we aren’t the center of the universe, there is reason, and to give people the sense that no matter who, what, where, when or way-we are not alone.

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#7

I like that you spoke on not needing to “define, justify, explain or even understand” the high power that’s been chosen and works for the individual. I once had a sponsor ask me to, in writing, define my high power, my god. In addition to defining it, I was asked to describe it in detail. I was really taken back. I simply wrote down “My higher power knows things about me, my life And the meaning of everything. My HP is so great and complete that trying to describe and define it would be like putting infinite space, or the ocean in its great depths, in the styrofoam coffee cup we all use at meetings. It’s impossible and I can’t, and will never be able to find the right words to evoke the feeling my HP gives me when I am plugged in.”

Needless to say, she was not pleased with my response and that sponsor didn’t last much longer. :joy:

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#8

I throw up a flag for those that are struggling and not into the god concept, ya know? There are enough people representing the god stuff.

Personally I dont have a fixed "higher power". I don't need some thing to know I'm not the center of the universe or whatever.

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#9

Really?? I think that’s a great answer!

#10

She wanted to hear things like “my higher power looks like a ball of light and exudes an accepting and all loving, nonjudgmental vibe. If my higher power was a person it would be female, have the greenest eyes and black and read snakes for hair….” She was, or is, one of those Disney freaks and wanted me to come up with a fairytale version of a high power. Ridiculous.

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#11

There are alternatives to AA that are more cognitive/behavioral based and science -based such as SMART (Self -Management and Recovery Therapy that are all over the country and have zoom meetings as well. That's the one I'm going with and there's a program based on Buddhist philosophical principles called Refuge Recovery that's growing too...AA is great and it's whatever works, just a few examples of alternatives. I'm doing SMART

#12

I have resisted AA for a while, one for the god thing but really it was because I didn’t want to be sober. I have found some great meetings that are step based not god based

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#13

It always includes God even if you don't.

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#14

Wait... does that mean im not the center of the universe?

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#15

Hahaha guess not

#16

What do you mean by that?

#17

Hahaha amazing.

#18

Thanks for the link, Taylor. And Sam, you Do have a Center in my Universe! Cue the corny orchestral mood music :notes: :sunglasses::grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes::grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes::grinning_face_with_smiling_eyes:

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#19

AA doesn’t say God it simply says your higher power, whatever that may be.

#20

Just willing to believe in something…. Or that someone believes. My HP is universal energy, vibration. Works quite well. I follow and don’t label much today. I actually left my strict religious org when I started AA.
Some make a list of what they would imagine their best friend to be…. That is their HP.