Hello can we get in touch to know each other

I am pretty certain that I don't need the support of NA. I guess the reason why I went was that the program once helped me through a time of boredom, I will soon have 15 years clean, and I would kind of like to give back a little. I was hoping that I could formulate a message that might not be seen as threating, but hinting at what can be accomplished when a person realizes their potential to change their life.

I hope you can find a secular group to go to ... in my city, Minneapolis, there are groups for non-believers who are in recovery from addiction.

To be honest, my whole experience with religion was pretty good for me. Surely the whole thing about going through hard times in life can make someone a stronger/better person had some affect. The whole thing about believing and talking to an invisible something through prayer/relationship is what really did it for me. All this time I believed I was discussing things with God is what I now believe was developing a connection with the goodness within myself. The same went with the selfish part of myself which religion taught to be the devil.

I guess my whole problem with recovery via religion(after finding my way out of religion through my experience with cults, college, psychology, and the internet) is that there is such an emphasis on asking and waiting for God to do something in your life. I believe that it is more effective to realize that you have the power to change your situation in life(go to meeting, surround yourself with people with similar goals, stay away from people/things that could lead you back to addiction).

Many years ago I tried 3 Twelve step programs to deal with my husband's alcoholism-if you can't catch the concept of Higher Power you stop going.

I used to go to "fat group" but it became a sermon..... god didn't make me fat...... and he can't make me skinny....lol

The psychology of the whole thing is that many people grew up with a little religion in their life and quite a got away from it at some point in their lives. It is that some end up having problems with alcohol and hard drugs. There is a pretty good chance that these people end up in trouble with the law at some point, often at a pretty low point in their addiction. So here they are sitting in jail, their mind and body is really out of whack, often dealing with a lot of depression, and along comes one of these groups, or church people, into the jail, often with free coffee, with an event that will get people out of their cells. Needless to say, the message of forgiveness and a new life is quite appealing.

[theatlantic.com]

I got sober with the help of AA over 35 years ago and have been 100% ever since. I did meetings on a hit and miss basis the first 3 years and after that I would stop in about every 5 years to pick up an anniversary chip for the next 20. After I retired 11 years ago I started going back to meetings about once a month to get out of the house, enjoy the fellowship and no doubt..it helps keep my head in the right place. Yes AA/NA are very God oriented but I just let that part go over my head. I don't bring it up and I have never that I can think of had a problem with anyone from AA about it. It's my business not anyone elses and I definitely don't walk into a meeting espousing my beliefs. We did have an agnostic/atheist AA meeting here in my part of SWFL but I missed chatting with friends and the format at the other meetings and I only went once meaning to return. If anyone uses the GOD part of AA/NA as a good excuse to not go to meeting and has a relapse shame on them. If they live through it. More then likely AA saved my life and because of my sobriety my life has been amazing!

Alcoholics Anonymous is the same: "God, grant me the Serenity, to accept the things I can not change, Courage to change the things I can, and Wisdom to know the difference."

I wonder how many that have managed to turn their lives around feel that god had something to do with it.

Yuck.