Is Alcoholics Anonymous a religion? What is its creed? What does it say to atheists & agnostics?

Answer 1

AA is a fellowship of people who share the disease of alcoholism; the sole requirement for membership is a sincere desire to stop drinking. It is not a religion, but does stress building spiritual strength of whatever kind works for you as a means of confronting the causes of the disease and keeping the disease at bay. It works. It saves lives. I have seen it up close and personal.

The foundation of AA is the "12 Steps." If you have ever heard of a 12-Step program, every single one is based on the AA model, which is:

The 12 Suggested Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous

1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol--that our lives had become unmanageable.

2. Came to believe that a Power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.

3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.

4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.

5. Admitted to God, to ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.

6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.

7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.

8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.

9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.

10. Continued to take personal inventory and when we were wrong promptly admitted it.

11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God, as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.

12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.

The steps were written in a time when non-Christian spiritual traditions were very rare in the U.S. Since then, it has become acceptable to define "higher power" in whatever way you are comfortable with, and to substitute "higher power" where ever it says "God" in the original 12 steps. Agnostics, atheists and others can and do have success in the program. But it takes effort, commitment and work to "work the program." It is not a quick fix or easy remedy. If you are willing to park your ego and your smart-a## remarks at the door, it can save your life.

Answer 2

When Bill W. was first inspired to overcome his alcoholism he was inspired by a friend who became a Christian and was able to stop drinking. When he met Dr. Bob they used the Bible (mostly the sermon on the mount and a few other passages) to help them come up with the 12 steps that are practiced in AA today. The steps work, but most people today don't know where they came from. To answer your question, most people enter the program agnostic. Because step 2 takes you through coming to know a higher power you'll have to do some searching. Some stay atheist and consider their group their higher power others fall into a more New Age approach. Some become Christians. In essence, you'll have someone from all walks of life present who are content not to shove the God they believe in down anyone else's throat.

Answer 3

It is not really a religion per se. It is more a form of vague spirituality, a form of deism if you will. It is fairly inclusive. You only have to believe there is a higher power and that this higher power will help you stop drinking. It is about like the Masons in regards to a higher power. It doesn't matter to them what your higher power is as long as you have at least one. You could make Darwin, Pythagorus, your higher self, the FSM, or the laws of physics your higher power if you want. It makes no difference to them.

I know a minister of music at a church I used to attend who also works for the state as a prison chaplain and a substance abuse counsellor. He had an interesting story to share. There was one guy who said his higher power was a door knob. Literally. The door knob represented his way to sobriety.

Or, take the atheist who decided to try AA. He was unsure about choosing a higher power, but he was desperate to try anything. So he choose the tallest nearby tree he could find. That seemed to help him for a while. Then one day he called his sponsor. He was very distraught. He was crying out that someone had cut down his higher power and he was about ready to take a drink. He had to choose another higher power because someone literally cut down his higher power.

Answer 4

Well I went through the DSA 12 step program & although I believe in God, it really didn't apply to what I learned. In our meetings they said that a higher power could be a chair for those who don't believe
Edit I just looked at the 12 steps that someone wrote & I didn't think God was in it that much, so maybe I'm wrong. Step 4 was an eye opener for me

Answer 5

Does it frighten you that it works for so many?
Suppose there really is a higher power? I don't know why it just doesn't compute for some that God actually does help people. A good friend of mine was an alcoholic for years. He declares God set him free and now runs an AA meeting. Another close friend of mine was set free from a case of beer a night, instantly, with no withdrawal, by the power of God. Two weeks later he was instantly freed from a four pack per day cigarette habit, again with no withdrawal. He remained completely free from both for over 33 years before passing away last month. I myself have been set free from alcohol, tobacco, drugs, including years of pot use with God's help alone.
The most successful drug rehabilitation program in the world by far is the faith based Teen Challenge, started by David Wilkerson of "Cross and the Switchblade " fame.
"He who comes to God must believe that He exists, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him."
Hebrews 11:6

Answer 6

Geez, I see the fundies are out in force tonight with their insults!


Anyways, to answer your question: No, it's not a religion but I do think it is troublesome that their main thing is to "seek a higher power". I think some people don't realize how much that does prevent some people from seeking help with their alcoholism because they feel like they are having a religion shoved down their throats.

Answer 7

Alcoholics Anonymous is not a religion. It has no creed. It welcomes atheists and agnostics.

If you would like more information, please feel free to e-mail me.

Answer 8

No, it's not a religion. It doesn't require that you believe anything, so it has no creed. To atheists and agnostics it says "welcome."

Answer 9

It isn't a religion, though it has religious assumptions.

There were some atheists who couldn't accept the religious parts, and started their own group, with all the same principles, except for the god stuff.

Answer 10

They ask you to believe in a higher power. A lady I work with who goes there doesn't belive in God. But a higher power can mean anything from God to something that gives you strength when you can't face what is causing you to want to use again.