JoeRaisin wrote:

> Tim Bruening wrote:
> > According to the 12 steps advocated by Alcoholics Anonymous, alcoholics
> > are supposed to turn to God/A higher power for help in overcoming
> > alcoholism. Alcoholics are to believe that a higher power can restore
> > them to sanity, turn their wills and lives over to God, admit to God the
> > exact nature of their wrongs, ask God to remove their shortcomings, and
> > seek through prayer and meditation to improve their conscious contact
> > with God.
> >
> > If an alcoholic happens to be an atheist, how would he apply the 12
> > Steps?
> >
> > If an alcoholic atheist is COURT ORDERED to attend AA meetings, would
> > this constitute an infringement on their First Amendment right to
> > freedom of religion?
>
> If you are still discussing your friend's wife, you hadn't mentioned
> before that she was attending court ordered AA. I suggest that she find
> a sponsor who is also an atheist or at least agnostic.

She is not an atheist. I was merely asking how atheists would handle the AA
admonition to "turn to a higher power", since they don't believe in higher
powers!

She was indeed court ordered to go to at least 2 AA meetings a week after
biting her husband's hand. However, she has begun going to AA meetings daily.