I hear shares from people in the rooms who have said they didn't believe in God or a Higher Power when they first started AA, but when they were told by their sponsors just to pray anyway--just to take that action everyday. These same people said that praying as well as working the steps really changed them and has helped them stay sober. Some of them have been sober for years.
Great responses and I love "...in a meeting sitting right next to me", Pappy and "In any chair you choose", Mike B.
-- Edited by betterthanyesterday52 on Wednesday 23rd of October 2013 08:17:33 AM
TLH what's up! how's your boy? It's been a couple years. I was in Hawaii in May, no way to look you up. Sober Strummer many many atheists do well in AA by various means. The only requirement for membership is a desire....
-- Edited by StPeteDean on Wednesday 23rd of October 2013 11:59:55 AM
Can someone tell me where the Atheists place is in AA? Just curious.
In a 'meeting' sitting right next to me ... ... ...
It's only there that one can observe the results of the effect of having a 'higher power' has on other 'hopeless cases' ... ... ... it's only there that one can witness the miracles of having a faith in something 'spiritual' ... Usually only blind, cold hearted people cannot see the amazing recoveries before them when they go to meetings ... if they come with an 'open mind', then they learn they can attain what we have through working the steps ...
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'Those who leave everything in God's hand will eventually see God's hand in everything.'
Often times in the where and when you will find a group called "Free thinkers" or something like that. They often meet at Unitarian churches. Those are commonly meetings of AA that are largely atheist.
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Keep coming back. It works if you work it. So work it. You're worth it!
Though a critical element of AA is to believe in something so that you start having a more positive shift in attitude rather than just focusing on what you do not believe. So....as you know, it doesn't have to be "God" but for AA to work, you have to start believing in something....
Make sense?
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Keep coming back. It works if you work it. So work it. You're worth it!
In any chair you choose. There's many folks who attend AA regularly that are Atheist. I have a friend who's been sober 25+ years that struggles with the HP thing. Meetings are his HP. His life has changed dramatically by going to meetings and practicing the Spiritual Principles on a daily basis. Everyone has their own path and what works for them.
