approaching the problem / religion

[gitw2]

Hi,

I'm an alcoholic and in the past I've contacted AA several times but
the main reason I haven't turned up for meetings is because of the
Christian religious aspect.

I'm an intelligent, educated professional - brought up as a Catholic
but hold no religious faith now.

I know that alcoholism is a complex subject and I don't want my search
for help to be further complicated with religion.

Are there groups out there that can help me?

gitw2

[Christine]

>I know that alcoholism is a complex subject and I don't want my search
>for help to be further complicated with religion.
>
>Are there groups out there that can help me?

www.unhooked.com

[Hugh Jarse]

gitw2@hotmail.com (gitw2) wrote in
news:c7c68244.0404161422.76288318@posting.google.c om:

> Hi,
>
> I'm an alcoholic and in the past I've contacted AA several times but
> the main reason I haven't turned up for meetings is because of the
> Christian religious aspect.
>
> I'm an intelligent, educated professional - brought up as a Catholic
> but hold no religious faith now.
>
> I know that alcoholism is a complex subject and I don't want my search
> for help to be further complicated with religion.
>
> Are there groups out there that can help me?
>
> gitw2

There are christians in AA, and some of them are a bit enthusiastic about
sharing their world view with all who will listen, AA itself is not a
christian group. The closest thing to a religion I adhere to would be
Buddhism, and I have no trouble with the higher power thing. Remember, it's
God as you understand him. Their words, not mine. I hope this helps you and
wish you all the best in your recovery.

Jeff

--
Live simply so that others may simply live.

[Manhattaner32]

http://www.smartrecovery.org/
http://www.rational.org/
"gitw2" <gitw2@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:c7c68244.0404161422.76288318@posting.google.c om...
> Hi,
>
> I'm an alcoholic and in the past I've contacted AA several times but
> the main reason I haven't turned up for meetings is because of the
> Christian religious aspect.
>
> I'm an intelligent, educated professional - brought up as a Catholic
> but hold no religious faith now.
>
> I know that alcoholism is a complex subject and I don't want my search
> for help to be further complicated with religion.
>
> Are there groups out there that can help me?
>
> gitw2

[Julie]

"gitw2" <gitw2@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:c7c68244.0404161422.76288318@posting.google.c om...
> Hi,
>
> I'm an alcoholic and in the past I've contacted AA several times but
> the main reason I haven't turned up for meetings is because of the
> Christian religious aspect.
>
> I'm an intelligent, educated professional - brought up as a Catholic
> but hold no religious faith now.
>
While many of the people in AA use some kind of Christain beleif as their
higher power this is not your only choice.
I have sponcees that have successfully used the Pagan, Wicca, and their AA
home group as Higher Powers. Christianity is not a requirement, but finding
a higher power of your choice is.
Don't drink, Go to meetings, and find a Non Christian sponsor to help you
work the steps.
Julie
>
> I know that alcoholism is a complex subject and I don't want my search
> for help to be further complicated with religion.
>
> Are there groups out there that can help me?
>
> gitw2

[Mias]

"gitw2" <gitw2@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:c7c68244.0404161422.76288318@posting.google.c om...
> I know that alcoholism is a complex subject and I don't want my search
> for help to be further complicated with religion.
Dear Gitw2
IMHO nobody has studied alcoholism to the point where they can offer a
solution save to stay away from the first drink or to die. There is a fair
share of mysticism in alcoholism that defies scientific investigation. To
give you an example, a normal disease has three about three symptoms that,
if diagnosed, identifies it. Alcoholism apparently has more than forty and
they overlap with other diseases endlessly.
In my personal search for peace, serenity and sanity (Abbreviated
S.O.B.R.I.E.T.Y) I have wandered quite a good few paths trying to find a
solution and to understand. It was only when stopping trying to understand
and study that I found a solution in AA. The simplicity of the solution was
that people who have overcome a problem normally have a good idea how to go
about doing that.
AA does not prescribe religion and the higher power can be a person, the
group or a piece of wood. AS LONG AS I GAVE UP TRYING TO PLAY GOD it would
work. And it did...
Thinking of you and pray that serenity, peace, simpilicity and sobriety will
find you well and stay easy in you.
Kind regards
Mias

[Alana Morgan]

in article c7c68244.0404161422.76288318@posting.google.com, gitw2 at
gitw2@hotmail.com wrote on 4/16/04 6:22 PM:

> Hi,
>
> I'm an alcoholic and in the past I've contacted AA several times but
> the main reason I haven't turned up for meetings is because of the
> Christian religious aspect.
>
> I'm an intelligent, educated professional - brought up as a Catholic
> but hold no religious faith now.
>
> I know that alcoholism is a complex subject and I don't want my search
> for help to be further complicated with religion.
>
> Are there groups out there that can help me?
>
> gitw2
Hi - that was a stumbling block for me as well as I don't belong to a church
and had some experiences very young that made me very wary of much of
"organized religion" for a long time, but here is where I have come
to...while I may not be catholic, protestant, you name it, I do have a
belief that there is a divine source...a power greater than me. My problems
in the rooms stemmed from my personal feeling that I had to believe as
others did, and I took every capitalized God personally that I found in the
steps, traditions and Big Book. Now, maybe it is because I grew up with an
anthropologist, but my mind couldn't stop there, because AA was the only
thing that was keeping me dry and the only thing that brought me to true
sobriety. I am still not a "religious" person, but I have found a deep
spirituality that resonates for me and I have come to the conclusion (my
opinion, of course) that there are so many different expressions of faith
because there are so many different people and cultures on this earth. If I
truly want to be "allowed" to enjoy the spirituality I have found, then
isn't it also up to me to "allow" others to have their own? Do I find this
treatment in return, of course not always, but most of the time, as I began
to share my spiritual experiences as they related to my recovery in the
rooms I found general acceptance from others, catholic, protestant, buddhist
or otherwise...because my message was clear. It was fear of others and what
I thought others would think of me that led to my prejudice and
judgment...and that fear was an obstacle to my recovery as long as I let it
be. I live in a bible belt area of the country, and frequently find some
who express an idea that their religion is the only true one, but that is
their opinion, and only affects me if I choose to let it. If I let myself
be still and truly listen I will always learn. Taken at face value, I could
let the fact that the meetings I go to here end with the group saying the
lord's prayer be a slap in the face and exclusionist, or I could listen to
the message behind those words, translate them in my head if I need to, and
appreciate the grace and humility behind the actual words of that prayer.
Once I stopped fighting and started listening I found release and true
glimpses of serenity. All will not be as I might have designed it, but when
I was designing my life nothing good came out of it. No matter the words,
the message of AA is the only thing that has brought me up to my third sober
birthday, and at least today I am still willing to listen more. I can't say
who my HP will use to send me the message I need to hear today.
Love and light
Alana

[rosie]

:................................ No matter the words,
: the message of AA is the only thing that has brought me up to my
third sober
: birthday, and at least today I am still willing to listen more. I
can't say
: who my HP will use to send me the message I need to hear today.
: Love and light
: Alana
:

GREAT post alana!