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Confronting the Fellowship of NA.

Greetings All,

My name is Bill, and I am currently involved with the NA program. Im not a cookie-cutter member of the fellowship, as it were. My program does not involve the use of a god, and I feel my recovery is solid, as I have mulitiple years clean. My current journey brings me to the position of confronting the fellowship as a whole, about the inherent bias that runs through the literature/mtgs. They (NA, and the ppl involved) say that it is up to the individual to decide what works for them, but they portray a completely biased point of view of what could work. The basis of the program is the application of the principles that are contained in the steps, that change one's thinking, attitudes, and behavior, into more positive actions. The issue of god is strictly an outside issue as far as im concerned. The principles are a "power greater than", but only through my application. Without me applying them to my life, they are just a set of words. Im about to petition the fellowship to accecpt a new version of the steps, where the personal responsibility required for recovery to happen, depends on the individual, not some supernatural deity. Please if anyone in this group has questions, or would like to see the version of the steps that Im trying to get through, or the emails that I have, with responses from NA World Services regarding this issue, please feel free to contact me through this group/site.

Also, if anyone has tried something like this, I would be greatful for your experience.

Where there is doubt, there is freedom.

When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty.

Thomas Jefferson

3 members like this

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Chris Haughey on February 6, 2013 at 7:07pm

Hi Bill, I spent 2 yrs in NA and bought it hook line and sinker, except for the HP thing. I finally found a way to sort of reword it in my head. I did eventually relapse after a few serious "shit happens-ings". I'm currently on a fairly low dose of Buprenorphene which has truly saved my life. I don't plan on staying on it forever but at least until I get to a more stable living situation. Glad to see you here though. I think this is a FABULOUS thread to start. I could write a book on what I think is wrong w/the 12 Steps and the basic administrative issues that the Traditions have. But to be fair, I could also write another book on the good that I've seen w/in it. The biggest problem is those groups are only as healthy as the sickest member...and there is almost no qualified oversight.

Permalink Reply by Chris Haughey on February 6, 2013 at 7:36pm

Also, when I was still going to NA and searching for a way around the HP issue, I ran across a book, by Charlotte Kasl, that helped me a lot. I didn't buy it all and she had 16 steps that she thought were better...here's the link

http://www.meetup.com/16-Step-Recovery-Group/events/103242832/

I don't know if that helps but maybe you can glean something from what she has to say.

Permalink Reply by Lillie on February 8, 2013 at 10:43pm

I am a recovering alcoholic with a few one days at a time. I guess I can consider myself fortunate because none of the groups in my area push the god as your higher power requirement. Over half the people in my home groups are agnostics and are accepted as such. There is always an emphasis on a higher power of your choice and not on a god. This is carefully explained to newcomers. I really hate to hear that there are groups that are discriminating against agnostics. Maintaining sobriety is difficult as it is without having to deal with this unnecessary controversy. There are a number of different groups where I live so you can usually find one that speaks more to your individual need than another. Maybe a group could be started called the "Higher Power of your Choice" group. Good luck to all in this unfortunate situation. Hope things work out for you.

Permalink Reply by Shannon on February 26, 2013 at 5:25pm

I recently started attending required NA meetings and was told by the moderator of the group that my sobriety is doomed to failure due to my non-belief in god or a higher power. I was also told I should exclude myself from discussions of such so as not to offend anyone. I live in a very small ultra conservative town in Louisiana and my meeting options are very limited. How do I get a benefit from the program when faced with this kind of bias? How do I get these people to take me and my commitment seriously when they all feel that I am morally deficient? Any advice would be most appreciated

Permalink Reply by Ian Mason on February 26, 2013 at 10:39pm

Hi Shannon

I spent years in AA and came to the conclusion that the "Higher Powers" that were of the most use were experience and common sense. If I drank my "required amount" I then felt like shit for days afterwards. If I continued drinking I would ruin everything good about my life.

That's enough for me; tried, tested and logical. What better higher powers could there be?

Permalink Reply by Lillie on March 11, 2013 at 4:12pm

I like your higher powers, Ian. Can I borrow them?

Permalink Reply by Chris Haughey on Wednesday

Hi Bill, I concur, wholeheartedly. I've recently gotten clean (again) but had a couple of years about 13 yrs ago through NA. Granted it was in a MUCH more liberal town than I am in now and it was before the most recent edition of the NA text was printed. Things have changed in this reprinting. The word "God" is in the places where HP used to be much more often; if I'm remembering correctly. I'm now in a small town in SW GA, NOT exactly atheist friendly. Anyway, I'm glad to see this group here and will check back often. Nice to meet/read everybody