Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

progree

(10,864 posts)
4. Kind of hard to endure the religious proselytization about a prayer-answering favor dispensing deity
Tue Jan 24, 2012, 10:48 PM
Jan 2012

Though they might not require belief in God; the whole program, Steps, and literature is proselytization about a prayer-answering favor-dispensing deity, one who will restore us to sanity, remove our shortcomings, manage our lives, care for us, love us, listen to our prayers, give us power, and guide our groups (this list from the 12 Steps and Tradition 2),

and who in Step 11 you pray to for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out - the same God that you turned your will and life over to in Step 3.

They pressure you to work the 12 steps -- AA's literature tells you that "Unless each A.A. member follows to the best of his ability our suggested Twelve Steps to recovery, he almost certainly signs his own death warrant" [12X12 p.174].

And whose Big Book spends a whole chapter (Chapter 4 "We Agnostics&quot demeaning non-believers as rather vain, foolish, prejudiced, perverse, and obstinant.

For these and many other reasons, four Federal Courts of Appeals (Second, Third, Seventh, and Ninth circuits) and Two State Supreme Courts (New York and Tennessee) have ruled that Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous are religious and that nobody can be coerced by government authority into attending these organizations (as that would violate the First Amendment's prohibition against the state establishment of religion). No Federal Court of Appeals and no State Supreme Court has ruled otherwise. To date, the United States Supreme Court has declined to consider any of these rulings, thus letting these ruling stand.

Here is a Duke Law Journal article that discusses the religious aspects of A.A. and the definition of religion for constitutional purposes (first amendment establishment clause). http://www.law.duke.edu/shell/cite.pl?47+Duke+L.+J.+785

Spirituality vs the "God" idea. [View all] Stuart G Jan 2012 OP
thanks Stuart NMDemDist2 Jan 2012 #1
Nicely put. Tripod Jan 2012 #2
Agreed and well said Old Codger Jan 2012 #3
Once I invited my higher power back into the driver's seat, tavalon Feb 2012 #15
My own opinion Old Codger Feb 2012 #20
Thank you for that post above. Stuart G Feb 2012 #21
That is cult talk - don't tell the truth, don't make waves. Don't try to make any changes progree Feb 2012 #23
easy there NMDemDist2 Feb 2012 #27
And what you just said, in a nutshell, tavalon Feb 2012 #38
Well Old Codger Feb 2012 #31
Maybe you need to be the next Bill tavalon Feb 2012 #33
Well spoken! tavalon Feb 2012 #36
When I was drinking I was an agnostic. Now after many years of sobriety I have Him with me. Every demosincebirth Feb 2012 #35
Yeah, I think you hit on a sticky spot for some tavalon Feb 2012 #37
I've been sober over three decades -- have met few who don't believe in a Higher Power and there demosincebirth Feb 2012 #39
Kind of hard to endure the religious proselytization about a prayer-answering favor dispensing deity progree Jan 2012 #4
I've met folks from County Drug Court in the rooms Rhiannon12866 Jan 2012 #5
It is a violation of the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution progree Jan 2012 #6
In answer to this quote...from above post.. Stuart G Jan 2012 #7
Your last line says it all tavalon Feb 2012 #16
It is not "playing God" to not believe in a prayer-answering favor-dispensing deity - NT progree Feb 2012 #24
There were lots of "I" statements in my post tavalon Feb 2012 #26
there has been much controversy about court ordered attendance for sure NMDemDist2 Jan 2012 #8
All the groups I've been to ... (2) Why I brought all this up progree Jan 2012 #9
i'm sure you're not the only one. i stated that in my first response NMDemDist2 Jan 2012 #10
Its not Bible thumpers that bother me... its the religious proselytization in the 12 Steps and Lit. progree Jan 2012 #11
i dunno NMDemDist2 Jan 2012 #12
What I resent is that it all these characterizations are directed at the agnostic / atheist progree Jan 2012 #14
I do not believe in this, and never have... Stuart G Jan 2012 #13
Prayer to me, is the time that I stop chattering tavalon Feb 2012 #18
Wow, nicely put. Tripod Feb 2012 #22
God in the Steps and literature sure sounds like a deity who does favors and answers prayers .... progree Feb 2012 #32
Wow, I've never been to a program tavalon Feb 2012 #17
The groups that I've been to end the meetings the exact same way Rhiannon12866 Feb 2012 #19
Well, I don't like a generic prayer-answering favor-dispensing deity being crammed down my throat progree Feb 2012 #25
i felt very much as you do NMDemDist2 Feb 2012 #28
Lord's Prayer..????? Stuart G Feb 2012 #29
FWIW, Stuart, my heart heard you loud and clear dixiegrrrrl Feb 2012 #30
Since you asked... progree Feb 2012 #34
A.A. Members In My Experience mrjackshuman Apr 2013 #40
this post is completely inappropriate for this group and this topic NMDemDist2 Apr 2013 #41
Your experience has not been mine. cordelia Apr 2013 #42
Your rant sounds like a personal problem and not my experience with and in AA. Lil Missy Apr 2013 #43
Nor has this been my experience Rhiannon12866 Apr 2013 #44
As long as you don't question the program, especially its "not religious" claim, you'll be fine n/t progree Apr 2013 #45
Again, not my experience. cordelia Apr 2013 #46
Question if you like..here is what happened last Sunday...at a 12 step meeting........... Stuart G Apr 2013 #47
Thanks for this, terrific answer! Rhiannon12866 Apr 2013 #48
Did he or she question the "not religious" claim or the program, other than ask a question about it? progree Apr 2013 #49
Latest Discussions»Support Forums»Addiction & Recovery»Spirituality vs the "...»Reply #4