Atheist jailed for denying ‘higher power’ in Calif. drug rehab gets $2M

[Warren DeMontague]

25. Good. 12 Step Programs work for some people, don't work for others. People- particularly Atheists-

in court mandated recovery programs need to be offered secular alternatives. It is patently obvious to any Atheist who has sat in a AA meeting, that the religious/spiritual component is central to that program. Certainly there are semantic gymnastics which some 12 steppers can engage in to get around the "G" word, nevertheless it is fundamentally a religious-spiritual program; which is fine, for the people who want and need that.

And there are alternative options beyond the 12 steps which work for some people, just as the 12 steps work for some people. Rational Recovery, Secular Orgs. for Sobriety, SMART recovery, etc.

Anyone who tries to argue that there is only ONE way to do it, is wrong, and wrong-headed. Unfortunately that is a piece of dogma that still gets floated.

It's also worth noting that many 12 steppers don't want or appreciate the court-mandated people, because they realize that forcing someone to go is counter-productive.