I was certainly welcomed to the meetings and at no point felt uncomfortable or was made to feel 'bad' for my non-belief. I just find when everyone talks of how Jesus helped them, and the hand holding prayer sessions an obstacle to my participation.
I believe it's possible to get sober without needing a 'higher-power'.
Interested to see the downvotes to my comment. HN is a funny place indeed!
I agree with you that one of the things I didn't like was the whole higher power cruft. They say it can be anything as long as you acknowledge that it's greater then you. I know some people who's higher power was the sun or other celestial bodies, because they were atheist and highly scientifically minded.
I'm with you, I believe it's possible to get sober without a higher power. I think I remember reading some where that while AA doesn't publish success rates, at one time they did and it's 5%, which is the same percent for cold turkey.
My logic is that to overcome your addiction you need to take control. Having a higher power is unnecessary, you have to want to do it for yourself and only you can actually achieve it. Others can help, but mentally, physically and emotionally it needs to be all your own work or it won't work.
That said, if it works for people then great! I think such an organisation is very important, it's just a shame for me I can't participate as the I disagree with the fundamental element. Ancillary stuff is great.
If there was need for it, I'd be up for helping with any online, atheist/secular AA style program. I feel some sort of duty to help others as unless you have been there, through all the shite that goes with it, it's hard to understand.
It's funny, I was raised in a restrictive religious environment and rebelled against it early on. I remember asking my dad one day why god couldn't help me clean my room, the response was, "God helps those who help them selves".
So I do the work and he gets credit? No thank you!
You're absolutely correct, it is up to you. There are external(non super natural) forces that can help, but ultimately it is the internal that has to start and sustain through change.
I hope the sessions were able to help you regardless.