Question for atheists?
The famous 12-step program is completely about you and God.
If God is imaginary, why is the 12-step program so widely used and praised?
Quick description:
The twelve-step program is a set of guiding principles for recovery from addiction, compulsion, or other behavioral problems. Originally proposed by Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) as a method of recovery from alcoholism, the Twelve Steps were first published in the book, Alcoholics Anonymous in 1939. The method was then adapted, and became the foundation of other twelve-step programs such as Narcotics Anonymous, Overeaters Anonymous, Co-Dependents Anonymous and Emotions Anonymous.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve-step_program
I never said this was proof of God’s existence. Heck, I’m an atheist.
Read my question – if God is imaginary, why is this so widely used and praised? It looks like at least a couple people gave some insightful answers
The 12 step program is a mechanism used by religion to convert people. Ask any qualified psychologist and they will tell you surrendering to someone and admitting loss of control is a BAD way to go. Most addictions resolve themselves over time. People desperate for help fall to their knees over anything. Come on, there’s only two types of worshipers in this country: ones that were born into it and ones that were drunks and druggies and "found" it.
September 9th, 2009 at 9:15 pm
Hey, I believe in GOD!
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Muslim
September 9th, 2009 at 9:50 pm
I DO recognize a greater power! Science and reason! They are great and mighty powers, and through them I have found peace.
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September 9th, 2009 at 10:34 pm
12 step programs are for people who actually believe in a god.
I don’t know any atheists who have used a 12 step program for anything, and I know a lot of atheists.
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September 9th, 2009 at 11:22 pm
Many people do and the 12 step program can be very supportive but there are other ways to recover from addiction.
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September 10th, 2009 at 12:11 am
Why is it so widely used? Because a lot of people believe in God.
I don’t know much about the program so I cannot answer why it is praised as you say it is.
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September 10th, 2009 at 12:35 am
The 12 step program is a mechanism used by religion to convert people. Ask any qualified psychologist and they will tell you surrendering to someone and admitting loss of control is a BAD way to go. Most addictions resolve themselves over time. People desperate for help fall to their knees over anything. Come on, there’s only two types of worshipers in this country: ones that were born into it and ones that were drunks and druggies and "found" it.
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Psychology 101
September 10th, 2009 at 1:09 am
As a Christian I have to point out that the effectiveness of 12 step programs has nothing to do with whether God is imaginary or not.
To Digitalghost I too have known many Atheists and almost all of them were in 12 step programs. But admittedly I worked in a Psychiatric hospital so I would know a disproportionate number or people with substance abuse problems.
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September 10th, 2009 at 1:14 am
While the 12-step program can definitely be beneficial, it’s not exactly evidence of God, other than by some flawed logic.
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September 10th, 2009 at 2:03 am
700 years ago everyone on the planet knew that the earth was flat. Were they right?
Just because a lot of people believe something. It doesn’t make it true.
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September 10th, 2009 at 2:24 am
"If God is imaginary, why is the 12-step program so widely used and praised?"
Beautiful! Because as we all know, truth is in numbers.
Britney Spears sold over 400 million albums world wide. I guess that’s also proof for you that she’s an awesome singer who makes the most amazingly beautiful music.
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September 10th, 2009 at 2:31 am
How is this proof of God? I think you’re missing a step.
Are you suggesting that God actually is the one curing the addiction? Or is it the God belief?
And how do you account for the success of more secular approaches?
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September 10th, 2009 at 3:08 am
The vast majority of people using that programme are Christians.
Christians (who are the 86% majority) praise it and use it. And I hope they make a good recovery eventually.
The rest of us don’t because it insists that we must profess a false belief.
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September 10th, 2009 at 3:55 am
A Higher Power as we understand it.
You can claim a CHAIR is your higher power and by focusing on that chair you don’t drink – it’s cool in A.A.
There are pagan-oriented 12 Step programs. Stop trying to make it all about Christianity – it isn’t. I’m not Christian and I wasn’t when I got sober.
Most in 12-step programs call their Higher Power God because that’s more sociably acceptable. That doesn’t mean the 12-Step programs are Christian focused only.
Educate yourself.
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Sober since 1983
September 10th, 2009 at 4:12 am
You do realize you can go through the twelve steps without the Christian God?
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September 10th, 2009 at 5:02 am
The higher power can be anything you believe is a higher power. Just as one example, an atheist could adopt the power and support of the AA fellowship as his higher power if he finds is it hard to concieve of a divine power. It is a simple acknowledgement that as an individual, you need the support of something beyond yourself.
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Been there, done that, seen it.
September 10th, 2009 at 5:24 am
The 12-step program takes advantage of human psychology. No gods required.
Imagine a 12-step program for those addicted to god-beliefs.
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An atheist perspective.
September 10th, 2009 at 5:49 am
The question is, why are public funds used to run so many 12-step programs if they are faith-based?
And why do I have to pay taxes for someone to "find God"?
And people ask why atheists are angry…
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September 10th, 2009 at 6:04 am
I don’t know. Right now, I’m so f____d-up, that I need a twenty four-step or a thirty six-step program! Maybe even a forty eight or sixty-step program
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College of hard knocks.
September 10th, 2009 at 6:46 am
Because its not religon they belive in people who need to use that program have nothing to look forward to and there for no faith in anything or themselves the idea behind accepting god in that program is so that they have the will and faith to move on but that does not nessicarly mean that there is a god just that there is a will to live on which every animal has in nature its called self preservation.
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September 10th, 2009 at 7:14 am
That’s not an argument for God not being imaginary.
You can imagine that God is watching over you, cares for you and loves you. And this may even help you in some cases, but it doesn’t make it true. I fail too see your logic, i’m afraid.
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September 10th, 2009 at 7:32 am
"If God is imaginary, why is the 12-step program so widely used and praised?"
Because it’s humans who believe who made up the darn 12 step program in the first place. Because they did so does not mean god is real.
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September 10th, 2009 at 8:06 am
Is is possible some other factors like the intense peer group support have a lot to do with the success of the program? Or that mere belief in the help of a higher power can help, whether or not that higher power actually exists?
Using similar logic: I quit a 20 year addiction to cigarettes without recognizing a higher power. Does that mean god is imaginary, or just unnecessary?
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September 10th, 2009 at 8:20 am
psychology 101 is not a proven fact, if it were then everyone who tried the 12 step program would fail. if you don’t believe that there is a god that’s fine but that doesn’t mean there isn’t one
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