As an atheist, my first foray into AA’s rooms was not one of interest, but one of desperation.  After exploring avenues of virtual support, I decided I needed some face-to-face accountability.  Politics about AA aside, I was interested in facing the difficult questions I would have to ask myself as a result of the steps.  I was hopeful, but also skeptical.  AA’s program is heavily built upon a “higher power”, and this was one aspect I was entirely uninterested in.

AA has, undoubtedly, become the most prominent source of help and support for alcoholics all over the world.  So what happens when your own beliefs don’t fit in with the “higher power” mantra?  Is it worth it?  Can the program work if you don’t believe in god? Continue reading →