Is AA a Religion? Can an athiest be "IN" the program. The "God Word" pamphet

 

Here is a response to a blog post I read in which the author claims to have an atheists interpretation to the 12 step program of AA. 

AA is not a religion. AA shuns affiliation with religious groups.

There is no being "IN" the program of AA. One is either doing it or you are not doing it. One can be "IN" meetings of the fellowship but people can only do or not do the program.

Being "In" AA is not the same as actually doing the program of AA. There are plenty of atheists and agnostics visiting the meetings of AA everyday all over the world. BUT, if they want recovery the AA way they will have to do the program which demands they be open minded and get past their prejudices toward spiritual terms and be even willing to believe a Higher Power might exist. This is required TO DO THE SECOND STEP of the 12 step PROGRAM of recovery.

The God Word pamphlet has to do with acceptance of people from all beliefs and walks of life IN THE MEETINGS OF THE FELLOWSHIP. It has always been the case that people of all beliefs and walks of life are accepted in the fellowship. But, if they want to do the 12 step PROGRAM of AA they will have to get past their prejudices toward spiritual terms and toward the possible existence of a Higher Power, Spirit of the Universe, Universal Mind, or God.. whatever you want to call God. They will need to drop their old atheist or agnostic ideas and become open minded to the possible existence of a God of some sort. From there they do the 3rd step and through demonstration of the 3rd step decision they do the rest of the steps which brings about a personal experience of a Higher Power.