Friends of Bill W.

[femmsational]

Originally Posted by Toughy

I read this thread fairly regularly. The above posts are about folks who are not doing well with the faith-based program of AA. The basic tenant of AA is a spiritual awakening is required for sobriety and the concept of powerlessness.

Perhaps those folks who leave AA (that is a very large number according to AA's own data) do not feel a spiritual awakening is needed/required for sobriety. There are secular programs out there. Secular meaning a spiritual awakening is NOT required for sobriety. Most secular programs do not have the powerlessness concept either.

If I am not mistaken, the first secular group started was 'Women for Sobriety, Inc' http://womenforsobriety.org . Another secular group is LifeRing Secular Recovery www.lifering.org I know that LifeRing and Women for Sobriety do not have the concept of powerlessness in their programs.

Maybe instead of trying to get them to come back in AA you might suggest they try a secular program. Or you could suggest they try LifeRing (or Women for Sobriety) plus AA.

Just some thoughts that have been running through my head after reading the above posts.

Personally, I feel a person needs to go and do whatever it is that works for them. What works for me is AA. It is not a "faith based" program. At least not for me. It's a program that requires nothing but what each individual is comfortable doing when trying to understand a power greater than themselves.

I, memememe, was not complaining about having problems with a "faith based" program. I was complaining about the people in my meetings trying to MAKE it a faith based program.

I agree there are other things for people all over the place that can help facilitate sobriety. But again, for mememe, I can't speak to them because all I can do is share MY experience, strength and hope. And that comes from the non-faith based program of AA.


I don't know. Toughy, your post felt wierd to me. Can people not discuss issues in a thread titled "Friends of Bill W," without being told there are other things out there? I mean we all know there are but here in this thread with people talking about the program and how it works for them.....do we need a post that pulls bits and pieces of quotes and seems to be saying we need to get over ourselves????

It may just be me, but I just wanted to let you know it felt wierd reading your post and it reconfirmed for me why I need to not share so much from my soul in public. I'm sensitive and get my feelings hurt too easily:-)

Have a good day Toughy.

julie