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</script>Getting sober without God
About us
This website is meant to be a helping hand for the agnostic alcoholic who reaches out for help.
Contributors to the site and blog are all members of Alcoholics Anonymous, unless otherwise indicated. The views expressed are neither their groups’ nor those of AA, but solely their own.
We are not affiliated with any particular group in AA or any other organization.
We do not endorse or oppose any form of religion or atheism. Our only wish is to ensure suffering alcoholics that they can find sobriety in AA without having to accept anyone else’s beliefs or having to deny their own.
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What's an agnostic? |
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"Agnosticism" literally means "lacking knowledge" (a-gnosis) regarding the existence or nature of God or Gods. It's a convenient word to encompass the variety of beliefs and non-beliefs held by our individual members. Recovering alcoholics who attend the agnostic A.A. groups come together knowing that sobriety can be attained by anyone with the help of A.A. fellowship and principles, without relying on a Higher Power. |
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Are these legitimate A.A. groups? |
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Of course. As the Third Tradition says, "The only requirement for A.A. membership is a desire to stop drinking." U.S. Agnostic groups are listed in the Meeting Book published by New York Inter-Group, and are listed on their web site. Our group is listed with the General Service Office (GSO) York and has a General Service Representative (GSR). |
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What are your meetings like? |
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They're quite similar to other A.A. meetings. Most meetings feature a speaker sharing his or her "experience, strength, and hope" followed by sharing by other members of the group. Other meetings feature readings from A.A. and non-A.A. literature and topic discussions. AAALSHC has a regular group conscience for making group decisions. We are autonomous. Our leaders are but trusted servants, they do not govern. |
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Do you conclude your meeting with a prayer? |
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No. At the end of the meeting, the chairperson usually reads the declaration made at the 30th anniversary international convention of Alcoholics Anonymous: “Whenever anyone, anywhere reaches out for help, I want the hand of A.A. always to be there. And for that I am responsible.” |
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Do your members work the steps? |
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Some do, some don't. Some rely solely on the Fellowship for their recovery and they find it works well for them. Although meetings focus on the solution of Alcoholism through the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous, there is no prescribed or mandated way for anyone to do anything. |
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How do these groups make use of the Big Book? |
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Frankly, we don't use it very often. Most of our members find Chapter 4 ("We Agnostics") to be particularly condescending, fallacious and not helpful to their sobriety. The A.A. publication we like the most is Living Sober, a work written from a more-secular point of view and offering much practical advice, with modern language that many of us find easier to understand. |
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Am I welcome to one of your meetings if I'm religious, or if I think of God as my higher power? |
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Certainly. The agnostic A.A. meetings provide a home for recovering alcoholics of various beliefs. Our members simply appreciate an atmosphere where belief is not made a prerequisite for sobriety. |
What's an Agnostic?
The word Agnostic literally means one who rejects Gnosis, which is the claim that spiritual or mystical knowledge exists. It's a convenient word to encompass the variety of beliefs and non-beliefs held by our individual members. Recovering alcoholics who attend the Agnostic A.A. groups come together knowing that sobriety can be attained by anyone with the help of A.A. fellowship and principles, without relying on a Higher Power. Some of us are Agnostic, some Secular Humanists, some Atheists - (and some of us hate labels!) The only thing that binds us is a desire to stop drinking.
Please join us on Facebook - the group is closed, others can see what members are in the group, but not what we share. That's restricted to the group and doesn't appear on our tickers. If you're from out of town but would like to have online fellowship with like minds - everyone is welcome .
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