RE: Serves The Bastards Right
October 14, 2014 at 6:57 pm
(This post was last modified: October 14, 2014 at 6:59 pm by vorlon13.)
Not commenting specifically on the OP case, but around here the 'typical' religious sobriety program is conducted by salvation army. Some other churches have their own 'in house' system too, IIRC, the local Lutherans have one, and there are probably others.
The spirituality and religious aspects of AA (can't speak to NA) are sufficiently diluted, non-specific and ecumenical enough to cover catholic, jew, protestant, moslem and agnostic, such that I actually look at it as a stepping stone from religiousity to agnosticism/atheism.
The individuals I have encountered that have done the salvation army stint are (AFAIK) always offered a choice between that or jail. I do not approve of that since there is not a secular alternative (for the indigent) besides jail, and it actually violates several of the (lesser known) 12 traditions of AA. (there are no 'enforcement' provisions in the AA system for much of anything, BTW).
Having said that, the SA program does work to an extent because the people in it are supervised very closely and kept busy. I've had an openly gay acquaintance go through it (twice) and he noted the staff recognizes they cannot directly proselytize heterosexuality, although they are not above openly stating they wish they could. Both times 'G' has claimed he hated the SA program, both times he swore he'd stay dry to avoid going back, and I have to admit, I don't know how he is doing right now.
AA let's the individual define their 'Higher Power' and I have encountered folks that have chosen pets, coffee mugs, the group itself, the 'traditional judeo-christian god, and a raft of other alternatives. I'd think it a bit of a stretch to consider a group that fosters that to be much of a threat to global atheist objectives.
The spirituality and religious aspects of AA (can't speak to NA) are sufficiently diluted, non-specific and ecumenical enough to cover catholic, jew, protestant, moslem and agnostic, such that I actually look at it as a stepping stone from religiousity to agnosticism/atheism.
The individuals I have encountered that have done the salvation army stint are (AFAIK) always offered a choice between that or jail. I do not approve of that since there is not a secular alternative (for the indigent) besides jail, and it actually violates several of the (lesser known) 12 traditions of AA. (there are no 'enforcement' provisions in the AA system for much of anything, BTW).
Having said that, the SA program does work to an extent because the people in it are supervised very closely and kept busy. I've had an openly gay acquaintance go through it (twice) and he noted the staff recognizes they cannot directly proselytize heterosexuality, although they are not above openly stating they wish they could. Both times 'G' has claimed he hated the SA program, both times he swore he'd stay dry to avoid going back, and I have to admit, I don't know how he is doing right now.
AA let's the individual define their 'Higher Power' and I have encountered folks that have chosen pets, coffee mugs, the group itself, the 'traditional judeo-christian god, and a raft of other alternatives. I'd think it a bit of a stretch to consider a group that fosters that to be much of a threat to global atheist objectives.
