Are 12-step programs religious? No. While the 12 Steps were inspired by spiritual ideals,
a 12-step program itself is not religious at all
.
Can an atheist join AA?
The biggest support groups out there in recovery are AA and NA. You should know that regardless of your religious affiliations or no affiliations or god belief,
you are welcome in AA and NA
. The only requirement for membership is the desire to stop drinking or using.
What does higher power mean in AA?
Higher Power is a term used in Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and other twelve-step programs. The same groups use the phrase “
a power greater than ourselves
” synonymously. The term sometimes refers to a supreme being or deity, or other conceptions of God.
Does AA talk about God?
“God as we understood Him” is the way God is written about in the 12 steps of AA
(pardon the gender-specific reference). That phrase exists thanks to Sister Ignatia in Akron, Ohio.
Who wrote Celebrate Recovery?
About The Author
John Baker
is the founder of Celebrate Recovery, a ministry started at Saddleback Church. Over the last twenty-three years, it is estimated that more than 3.5 million people have gone through this Christ-centered recovery program. There are currently 30,000+ churches that have weekly meetings.
What are the 12 steps to recovery for atheist?
- Honesty.
- Hope.
- Faith.
- Courage.
- Integrity.
- Willingness.
- Humility.
- Forgiveness.
Does a higher power have to be God?
A lot of people think that a higher power means God. And that's what it is for many people, but
it doesn't have to be
. At its core, a higher power is something that you believe is controlling the universe. It could be nature, the sun or moon, or you can even say the universe, itself.
What is agnostic AA?
Agnostics and atheists
believe that the Lord's Prayer does not belong at AA meetings
. It's fine at a religious church meeting but to say that AA is “spiritual but not religious” and then end a meeting with the Lord's Prayer is a real contradiction.
Who are you to say there is no God AA?
“Who are you to say there is no God?” In a few seconds he was overwhelmed by a conviction of the Presence of God. But there is
One who has all power — that One is God
. First of all, we had to quit playing God.
How do I pray to higher power?
How to Pray.
I talk to my Higher Power the way I talk to people I love: honestly, humbly, directly and lovingly
. I choose to believe that my HP is already trying to give me everything I need and that by asking for it, I am simply more likely to recognize it when it's puts in my path.
What is it called when you believe in God but not religion?
While the Nones include agnostics and atheists, most people in this category retain a belief in God or some higher power. Many describe themselves as “
spiritual but not religious
,” or “SBNR,” as researchers refer to them.
What is it called when you believe in a higher power but not religion?
Agnosticism
is the view or belief that the existence of God, of the divine or the supernatural is unknown or unknowable.
How many times is God mentioned in the AA Big Book?
The word “God”, or another version of “Him”, is found
281 times
in the first 164 pages of the Big Book.
What does God mean in AA?
GOD Acronyms
GOD –
Good Orderly Direction
. GOD – Group Of Drunks, AA's higher power.
What does it mean to turn my will and life over to God?
“Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over the care of God as we understood Him.” The third step of the 12-steps of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is to
make a decision about the higher power you acknowledged in step 2
. In this step, you turn your will over to your higher power.
Is Celebrate Recovery legit?
Celebrate Recovery has not been significantly studied, so
there is no empirical evidence regarding the impacts or efficacy of the Celebrate Recovery program
.
How do you Celebrate Recovery?
Celebrate Recovery is a Christ-centered 12-step group, focused on using surrender to a higher power (Christ) as a means to rebuild your life.
From the day new members enter and pick up their blue coin, they are asked to surrender to and celebrate God's healing power.
How do you introduce yourself in Celebrate Recovery?
In our meeting, we introduce ourselves by
first saying “I'm a believer”
because we believe our identity is in Jesus Christ – the one and only Higher Power. You may hear each of us say a different variation, but the common thread is our identity in Jesus.
Is AA based on religion?
AA is Based on Religion
Founders of AA were members of a fundamentalist Protestant Christian movement, the Oxford Group. Its members “practiced absolute surrender, guidance by the Holy Spirit, sharing in fellowship, life changing faith, and prayer.
What are the beliefs of AA?
AA is based around the concept of recovery from a persisting, chronic illness. It includes the philosophy elements of belief that
everyone has the potential to recover and the inherent ability to lead a satisfying, useful life
.
What to believe in if you don't believe in God?
Atheism is the doctrine or belief that there is no god. However,
an agnostic
neither believes nor disbelieves in a god or religious doctrine. Agnostics assert that it's impossible for human beings to know anything about how the universe was created and whether or not divine beings exist.
Is atheism a religion?
Atheism is not a belief system nor is it a religion
.
While there are some religions that are atheistic (certain sects of Buddhism, for example), that does not mean that atheism is a religion.
How many gods are there?
Yajnavalkya said: “There are only
33 gods
. These others are but manifestations of them.” In Hinduism there are said to be 330,000,000 gods. Perhaps a really staunch atheist, who believes with 100 per cent conviction that there is no god, could count as a negative god (as opposed to the more common sceptical agnostics).
