A few months ago I posted a message about Alcoholics Anonymous. It was news to me that the program was very religious and required belief in God.
Friendly Atheist reports on a recent court decision in the United States [Forced Attendance at Alcoholics Anonymous is Unconstitutional, Says Court]. You should read the entire story as he reports it. A Buddhist was released on parole on condition that he attend a Salvation Army treatment program that included Narcotics Anonymous. The Buddhist went to some meetings but refused to participate and was sent back to jail.
The court ruled that,
… requiring a parolee to attend religion-based treatment programs violates the First Amendment… While we in no way denigrate the fine work of (Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous), attendance in their programs may not be coerced by the state.The Centre for Inquiry (Toronto) sponsors the Secular Organizations for Sobriety Group of Toronto (SOSGT), a non-religious organization for alcoholics [SOSGT].
SOSGT credits the individual for achieving and
maintaining his or her own sobriety and is ideal for those
uncomfortable with the spiritual content of 12-step programs.
The group is secular and religiously neutral.
You haven't seen south park, then. You know, the chapter where a statue of virgin mary bleeds out of its ass. Alcoholics anonymous is totally religious.
ReplyDeleteOverall, this actually brings to the surface that such christian treatments are NOT universally effective for helping alcoholics. They are no good to a buddhist.
The state should make sure that "compulsory" help actually be efffective.
Doesn't it make sense that the bulk of drunkards are religious?
ReplyDeleteSeveral years ago, a good friend of mine called to tell me he was an alcoholic, and to apologise for his bad behaviour linked to drinking. From my point of view, all good news, because I got to clean all the booze out of his apartment, and the "bad behaviour" he was apologising for was our somewhat frequent trips to local bars, wherein many of my best stories were generated.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, after I talked to him, I went and tried to learn as much as I could about Alcoholics Anonymous and related organisations, because I knew he'd be in such a program when he got out of the treatment centre and I was curious how much time these things would take (i.e. I'm selfish and wanted to hang out and play Nintendo with him).
The upshot of my reading was that, yes, AA is basically a religious organisation, based on aspects of Christianity but specialized for reliably breaking addiction. Once my friend returned, and we started hanging out (and playing Nintendo) again, he told me about his meetings. Nothing he said conflicted with what I'd read about the history and methods of the organisation, but he did point out the specialization of various AA groups.
AA is so big and so popular that one can join an AA chapter of almost any description. Some are overtly religious, which seems to appeal to (and possibly help with managing the addictions of) some people. Other AA chapters are basically sports clubs - they'll have a short meeting before and/or after playing a game of basketball or whatever and talk about how much better they're doing now that they're sober, and so on.
I wouldn't be surprised if there are explicitly Buddhist, or Muslim, or Atheist AA chapters out there, particularly in major centres such as Toronto.
The SOSGT sounds like a worthwhile alternative, in that they remove all that spirituality and "higher power" stuff from AA (that higher power thing is integral to AA - it's at least one of the 12 steps). But, I wonder how many such expressely secular addiction-managment organisations there are, and how accessible they might be to someone who does not live in a major centre.
As an atheist who is active in AA, I can only say that while much of the talk may be "spiritual" and about "God as I understand Him," the official AA literature states clearly: "The only requirement for membership is the desire to stop drinking." and that "AA is not allied with any sect, denomination . . . organization or institution." Nobody has ever tried to convert me in AA - just to help me stop drinking on my own terms. A friend once told me rightly that "the hoops AA asks you to jump through are very large indeed." I think this is true. I am comfortable as an atheist in AA, picking and choosing what I may or may not accept. The bottom line is that it has worked for me for more than 12 years and I am living happily sober.
ReplyDeleteMy dad and I are members of Alcoholics Anonymous and in no shape or form is the AA or NA program religious or even suggests becoming religous. The "Big Book" only suggests getting a Higher Power, someone who is greater then you. It does NOT have to be God and the book does not say it has to be God. Alcoholics eventually will think that they are God when they are drinking. So, having a Higher Power lowers the ego a notch and encourages you to beleive in something or someone bigger then you. The Big Book never tells you to pick up the Bible and pray to a Biblical God what so ever. I think that you guys need to get your facts straight and realize that if you want to get off drugs and alcohol, AA and NA are the only way to go. Get a sponsor and work the 12 steps. Its worked for millions of addicts and alcoholics. If you attend an AA or NA meeting, the members will all tell you, that the programs are not in any way religious.
ReplyDelete