Secular and Agnostic AA Groups.

 

I've come across some long time AA members who claim to be agnostic or atheist.  I've also seen so called "Secular AA" or "Agnostic AA" group meetings advertised on the Intergroup website. I, being an AA literature enthusiast, had become interested in this phenomenon and like so much misinformation that tends to infiltrate the AA fellowship misunderstanding seems to have actually motivated some members who consider themselves atheist or agnostic to create a separate type of AA. Officially AA is just AA, there is no other type or kind of AA program or fellowship. I believe organizations using the AA name like "Secular AA" may be going against AA tradition and misusing the AA name in an effort to promote what they think to be some alternative to the original AA 12 step program. These groups are fringe and fortunately not numerous.

Regarding some things I've read about members, one individual had shared that "because AA says you have to believe in God I've needed to adjust the program to suit myself." I feel bad for this man. He's somehow never got the message that AA doesn't insist any members believe in God. Only an open mindedness or willingness is suggested in the AA book chapter "We Agnostics" This chapter was specifically written to help atheists and agnostics get passed their prejudices and be willing to "try God". 

No where in the AA 12 step program outlined in both the Big Book and the 12 and 12 does it say you have to believe in God. It never says you have to. All that is required to complete step 2 is to be open minded to a spiritual awakening and experience the presence of a Higher Power by doing the rest of the steps. This spiritual experience amounts to contact with or access to a Higher Power, Power Greater, Spirit of the Universe etc, personal to the individual. Simply put, a Power Greater of ones own understanding.

It is discouraging to me that "agnostic" or "secular" groups start up when they really don't need to. All they needed to do is actually study the Big Book Chapter "We Agnostics" and notice a couple of simple directions. I believe some jump to conclusions when they see the word God, keeping their minds shut and cling to prejudice. They conclude AA encourages a conventional idea of God. On careful study AA does not attempt to describe God. It is merely a term of convenience. In AA the word God is very open ended and it is up to the individual to experience their own idea of God through practicing spirituality.

This is from my blog post extracting the specific instructions found in the program portion of the Big Book (first 164pgs)

Step 2: Information/Directions: Chapters: "There is a Solution" (from page 25 on) and "We Agnostics" 

Direction 1: Pg 46: We found that as soon as we were able to lay aside prejudice and express even a willingness to believe in a Power greater than ourselves, we commenced to get results, even though it was impossible for any of us to fully define or comprehend that Power, which is God.

Direction 2 Page 47: We needed to ask ourselves but one short question.“Do I now believe, or am I even willing to believe,that there is a Power greater than myself?’’ 

  Nowhere does it say anyone has to believe. Even a willingness to believe is enough to do step 2. If someone isn't even willing to believe then that means they are remaining close minded to the possible existence of a Power Greater. To do step 2 it's important to be open minded.

At the beginning of the "How it Works" chapter there is what most AA big book enthusiasts consider a warning.

At some of these we balked. We thought we could find an easier, softer way. But we could not. With all the earnestness at our command, we beg of you to be fearless and thorough from the very start. Some of us have tried to hold on to our old ideas and the result was nil until we let go absolutely.

It seems most of the staunch agnostics and atheists that hang around the fellowship claiming long term sobriety have held on to their old ideas. The have not let go absolutely. They have simply not studied the AA Book and relied on themselves to comprehend it and made incorrect conclusions. 

 The AA fellowship is quite open so of course atheists and agnostics are allowed to and never discouraged from attending meetings according to AA tradition but I find it a sad fact that these people have not ever discovered the true AA 12 step program and insist on holding on to their misunderstanding. Some, at times, proudly announce themselves as atheists with long term sobriety. This is a form of disunity that, I fear, just muddies the true message of AA and can confuse people new to AA. Fortunately these fringe individuals are an exception and not the rule in in AA meetings. They are a scant few compared to the majority who except and practice the program as designed and laid out in the AA basic text books.

They appear to rely on themselves to try to understand the AA program and seem to rely on themselves to stay sober instead of surrendering to the simple program. Id be curious, since these secular or agnostic AA groups are around how much success they actually have in producing recovered alcoholics . How many actual members attend these fringe sects of AA and manage to achieve recovery from alcoholism.