AA for Atheists

Alcoholics Anonymous has faced many oppositions in its history, many of which have helped the organization grow, expand, and reach more people. Religion in AA has been disputed over the years, but groups of atheists and agnostics continue to put pressure on AA to change.

Recovery Without God

AA, while not officially linked to any specific religious group, is traditionally known to promote Christianity. Step 3 talks of “God as we understood him”, and how relying on God will help us overcome alcoholism.

For those who deny the existence of God, or follow a different god, the principles of AA are hard to embrace. “Some people aren’t comfortable with the idea of powerlessness,” said Shari Allwood, executive director of the secular group Smart Recovery. “Addiction can be overcome. We don’t expect you to attend meetings for the rest of your life. You can put these tools to use in your life and move on.” (1)

Some people, uncomfortable with traditional AA meetings, have banded together to form Agnostic AA groups. One such group’s preamble states “This group of AA attempts to maintain a tradition of free expression, and conduct a meeting where alcoholics may feel free to express any doubts or disbeliefs they may have, and to share their own personal form of spiritual experience, their search for it, or their rejection of it. Our only wish is to assure suffering alcoholics that they can find sobriety in AA without having to accept anyone else’s beliefs or having to deny their own.” (2)

Too Much Change

However, some of these groups do not sit well with traditional AA groups. Last year in Toronto, an Agnostic AA group was banned from all AA services and publicity because they did not conform. Because they wanted to change the 12 Steps to meet their own needs, other AA groups in that area asked them to be removed. One delegate of AA stated: “If a group chooses to use its own interpretation of our Steps and Traditions, they should have the freedom to do so. However, this should be kept within that group for those who agree and not placed in the public domain as representing or related to Alcoholics Anonymous.” (2)

Religion or a rejection of it is a topic that brings out strong emotions in people. AA has incorporated the aspect of religion because it is a benefit for those who believe in God to use this higher power to help in their sobriety. AA has also generalized the idea of God to be: god as we know him, or a higher power, or even the power of love or AA itself, because it is clear that people believe in different things. Those who still don’t feel they fit into the spiritual realm of AA are free to go elsewhere and start their own kind of support group, but AA itself doesn’t have to change. Those who believe in the core principles of AA and find the strength they gain from relying on their God should be allowed to continue to do so without being made to change the core principles of this group.

Sources

(1) AA: Is it only way alcoholics can go?

(2) Toronto Ban on AA Atheists Sparks Global Flap

We Agnostics

Worldwide Agnostic A.A. Meetings