I am an atheist and I'm happy, balanced, moral and intellectually fulfilled. I am not the most important thing in the universe. On the contrary, I believe I am among the least important, the smallest. Cosmically speaking, I barely exist. In fact, I believe I exist at random, but I do not exist alone. My entire function in this world is to give what I can to the other existing things on this planet.
Miracles happen every day. I am one of them and so are you. But, the delusion there is an all powerful, supernatural, sentient deity responsible for these miracles or required to make sense of them is, to me, nonsense. In fact, the very thought denigrates and belittles my own innate capacity for transformation, improvement and positive change. I can only be true to myself one day at a time.
I believe the most important principle in AA is humility. The recognition we are flawed, we can and must change, and our purpose not only in sobriety, but in life, is to be of service to others.
No Where In The Big Book
- The Lord's Prayer recited at the end of meetings.
- Celebration of continously sobriety...despite an emphasis of One Day At A Time.
- Sponsors in AA.
These are all potentially good, healthy formats of conducting an AA meeting because they establish and create routines and precedent for doing things, which is crucial to the recovering alcoholic. And, the 12 traditions keep the members in check, as much as they can keep in check a group of millions not calling itself an organization. So why is it difficult for fundamentalist AA members to accept the fact that an Atheist can be successful in Alcoholics Anonymous?
My ambiguity about my own beliefs is what is helping me to recover and stay sober. One Day At A Time. My problem is not my lack of a higher power, nor the lack of the desire to find one. My problem is alcohol...cunning, baffling, powerful.
There is only one requirement for AA membership, the desire to stop drinking.
In a 1957 Grapevine article, Bill Wilson wrote, "We must remember that A.A.'s Steps are suggestions only. A belief in them, as they stand, is not at all a requirement for membership among us. This liberty has made A.A. available to thousands who would never have tried at all had we insisted on the 12 Steps just as written. "
I'm very happy it is working for you. And hope it continues. I'm not trying to convert anyone here... Unlike what every traditional A.A. person tries to do to me and other athiest alcoholics. Fact of the matter is, I've actually never met a single Athiest Alcoholic that has gone out after honestly working the steps, as an athiest and not trying to be something they can never be. All I know for sure is...
A person can stay sober with a higher power, a person can stay sober without a higher power... But a person cannot stay sober if he is trying to be the higher power
