(February 12, 2013 at 6:37 pm)John V Wrote:(February 12, 2013 at 6:22 pm)Simon Moon Wrote: There are non-theistic versions of 12 Step programs that do not bring up any gods. The 'higher power' they refer to is that which is in each of us.If someone went to AA, where it is based on God, and recovered, would you just be happy that they found something that worked, or would you tell them they should find an atheist 12 step group?
And you know what? The non-theistic versions of 12 Steps are just as effective. No deities needed.
If they're leaning on god as a crutch, the one thing stopping them from drinking, then I, for one, would like nothing better than to kick that crutch out from under them. We are all born good without god, we're just told what to believe from our parents' own superstitions. My dad stopped drinking because of AA. Was that a good thing? Perhaps... But my dad hasn't progressed beyond being a dry drunk for 25 years. He still lies, still manipulates, still maims those around him.... That's not living, that's existing, life has so much more to offer.
