12 Steps to the Highest Power?

[YahKid777]

Here's yet another possibility -- or not.

There are millions of addicted people, of various persuasions, in recovery programs (such as Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, Emotions Anonymous, Over-eaters Anonymous, Gamblers Anonymous, etc.).  The 12 Steps of each program are 99% the same, with the identity of the addiction being the only real difference.

For example, in AA the 1st Step says "Admitted we were powerless over alcohol and that our lives had become unmanageable", while NA replaces the word "alcohol" in its First Step with "addiction".  Another minor difference is in the 12th Step which mentions alcoholics in AA, and addicts in NA.

Looking closely at the wording of the general 12 Steps, we can see that there is a progressive growing of trust in a "Higher Power" as the basis of recovery from addictions over which the person seems to have no personal control.  And millions of people claim to find freedom from their addiction(s) and a new way to live, which can be "spiritual" but not necessarily "religious".

So, what if the most generic approach to "God" (as the individual understands God), in the 12 Steps, reveal a better "God-concept" than organized religions, at least in practical terms of recovery.  I will elaborate if anyone is interested in this idea.  Or perhaps there has been a previous topic which covers the area well, that you could refer me to?

Thanks.

[Chad32]

The real help comes from community support. No higher power needed. I went to one of these programs once. Honestly sometimes I feel like I should go back, to settle some repressed anger issues. But I don't like how they want to stick a "higher power" in where it isn't needed. Then again, that's what people do all the time. Take their cultural higher power, and stick it wherever they can force it to fit.

If you have a circle of friends and family to support you through your problem, you can find freedom from just about anything. It would certainly help more than praying alone to your higher power.

[Simon Moon]

The real help comes from community support. No higher power needed. I went to one of these programs once. Honestly sometimes I feel like I should go back, to settle some repressed anger issues. But I don't like how they want to stick a "higher power" in where it isn't needed. Then again, that's what people do all the time. Take their cultural higher power, and stick it wherever they can force it to fit.

If you have a circle of friends and family to support you through your problem, you can find freedom from just about anything. It would certainly help more than praying alone to your higher power.

Yep.

There are secular 12 step programs, where the "higher power" is specifically defined as the group.

[vorlon13]

I find the "Higher Power" concept to be a necessary fiction in regards to how the chemically addicted mind works.

And if one could put on their 'pious religiousite hat' for a second, how could a "12 Step Program" possibly be a compatible add-on to any/every faith ??

At the very very best, it's just ludicrous (keeping that hat of piety on!) and in regards to virtually all faiths, it's blasphemy/heresy/apostasy.


"Atheism®" has better things of greater import to attend to than "Higher Powers" at 12 Steppers.

[Thumpalumpacus]

There are aspects of 12-step that have been very helpful to me in my recovery. HP isn't one of them. But steps regarding inventory and amends hold true, to me, even without some numinous overlay.

[Lucanus]

12 Steps to Unlimited Power:

1) Get trained by a Dark Lord of the Sith so powerful and so wise, he can manipulate the force to influence the midichlorians to create... Life.

2) Use your innate abilities in the dark side of the force to establish a successful career in politics.

3) Train a young zabrak as your personal assassin.

4) Concoct a political intrigue with your master to blockade a planet and use this crisis to become Supreme Chancellor of the Republic.

5) Ironically kill your master in his sleep.

6) Play both parts in a civil war that pits your greatest enemies against some more puppets you created. And make your enemies' army up with easily controllable clones.

7) Manipulate the senate into giving you more and more powers as a result of the war.

8) Manipulate the fears of the Chosen One so that he becomes completely loyal to you.

9) Have the Chosen One murder your previous apprentice after wrecking him in a duel.

10) Come out to him as a Sith Lord.

11) Become The Senate.


12) Execute Order 66.

Congratulations! you have now achieved Unlimited Power™!

[brewer]

Here's yet another possibility -- or not.

There are millions of addicted people, of various persuasions, in recovery programs (such as Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, Emotions Anonymous, Over-eaters Anonymous, Gamblers Anonymous, etc.).  The 12 Steps of each program are 99% the same, with the identity of the addiction being the only real difference.

For example, in AA the 1st Step says "Admitted we were powerless over alcohol and that our lives had become unmanageable", while NA replaces the word "alcohol" in its First Step with "addiction".  Another minor difference is in the 12th Step which mentions alcoholics in AA, and addicts in NA.

Looking closely at the wording of the general 12 Steps, we can see that there is a progressive growing of trust in a "Higher Power" as the basis of recovery from addictions over which the person seems to have no personal control.  And millions of people claim to find freedom from their addiction(s) and a new way to live, which can be "spiritual" but not necessarily "religious".

So, what if the most generic approach to "God" (as the individual understands God), in the 12 Steps, reveal a better "God-concept" than organized religions, at least in practical terms of recovery.  I will elaborate if anyone is interested in this idea.  Or perhaps there has been a previous topic which covers the area well, that you could refer me to?

Thanks.

Are you 12 stepping?

[Angrboda]

[Jackalope]

My personal experience indicates that - at least for me - a higher power is not needed, nor are we necessarily powerless over addiction, nor is AA / NA necessarily the best way to kick addiction. As vorlon13 said, these things may be necessary fictions to help some addicts.

[Mister Agenda]

Welcome, YahKid. I hope you'll take the time to make an introduction thread.