Atheists & Agnostics

applegrove

(123,528 posts)

13. The 12 step program I've been to used a higher power

Thu Apr 23, 2015, 05:17 PM

Apr 2015

as a way to teach addicts they have no power over their drug of choice. I'm not religious so I made my higher power nature or my ancestors. And though as an agnostic I do not know how the universe was created, how it was created is a god I can accept. So nature or ancestors or physics are all scientific truths that tie me to that higher power. And something fantastic but scientific started it all. And that is when I truly was done drinking. When I handed the delusion that I myself had power over my drinking (a delusion shared by every addict) to this god/higher power/nature. By handing my delusion over to some other entity I had to deeply admit I could never be the one in control of my addiction. If I could never control my addiction - I could never drink. And I was done. And I'm back to living a science based life regarding alcohol where I have a disease and better treat it like one. Which balances with my science based life. So my god is science in the end. And at the start. And in the middle. And that really works for this agnostic.

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

Recommendations

0 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

40 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

What kind of God could an atheist believe in? [View all] Binkie The Clown Apr 2015 OP

One who actually turned up once in a while Warpy Apr 2015 #1

Collective Unconscious Warren Stupidity Apr 2015 #2

12 step programs Lordquinton Apr 2015 #3

The 12 step program I've been to used a higher power applegrove Apr 2015 #13

I'm glad it worked for you Lordquinton Apr 2015 #15

"they have no power over their drug of choice" Warren Stupidity Apr 2015 #16

Nope. When I handed my power over to science, I was no longer applegrove Apr 2015 #17

Addiction is a symptom, not the problem Lordquinton Apr 2015 #30

The same program is not going to work for everyone. AA worked wonders for me. And humility is the applegrove Apr 2015 #31

It has helped some Lordquinton Apr 2015 #33

In AA I learned that I may not know what my higher power is, I just know I'm not it. Novara Apr 2015 #39

She ends up proposing a hive mind as an emergent property of life. AlbertCat Apr 2015 #34

In fairness she would likely claim that our access to the "hive mind" Warren Stupidity Apr 2015 #38

I think the only thing that can be said... trotsky Apr 2015 #4

I'm not a fan of this idea. F4lconF16 Apr 2015 #5

This message was self-deleted by its author Pacifist Patriot Apr 2015 #6

I posted without comment, but... Binkie The Clown Apr 2015 #7

You shouldn't worry about commenting in an op like that. beam me up scottie Apr 2015 #26

Great response. trotsky Apr 2015 #8

I thought the same thing. Curmudgeoness Apr 2015 #14

Wow, great response! beam me up scottie Apr 2015 #23

What a load of crap. AlbertCat Apr 2015 #35

One that was real? truebrit71 Apr 2015 #9

Nature can be called God. Gore1FL Apr 2015 #10

I have a big problem with the word "worship" Binkie The Clown Apr 2015 #11

It seems silly to worship nature. AlbertCat Apr 2015 #36

Not useless. Gore1FL Apr 2015 #40

I wish the author posted at DU EvolveOrConvolve Apr 2015 #12

LoL! beam me up scottie Apr 2015 #24

Defining a palatable god is a job for liberal christianity. LiberalAndProud Apr 2015 #18

Eric Clapton. edhopper Apr 2015 #19

What kind of meat would vegans like to eat? frogmarch Apr 2015 #20

LOL! Great analogy IMHO. n/t Binkie The Clown Apr 2015 #21

What kind of wood could a woodchuck chuck Cartoonist Apr 2015 #22

No, kidding. beam me up scottie Apr 2015 #25

what about meat like protein grown in a vat? AtheistCrusader Apr 2015 #32

Well, by definion, none. mr blur Apr 2015 #27

... progressoid Apr 2015 #28

The real question Lordquinton Apr 2015 #29

is who's sock is god? AlbertCat Apr 2015 #37