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Spirituality and Recovery
Posted on June 24, 2026, tagged as
Many people who could benefit from the program of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) fail to do so because they believe the program to be religious in nature. Such people do not believe in a Big Guy in the Sky type of God, or possibly not any type of god. It is irrelevant whether they classify themselves as atheists or agnostics. I believe it is important to attempt to reach such people and open the door wider for them to enter the rooms of AA. It does not help to present arguments favoring any religion, or arguments refuting atheism or agnosticism. In fact, here is a pretty good argument favoring atheism offered by the Greek philosopher Epicurus over two thousand years ago.
“Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is impotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him god?”
Rather than argue these and many other points fruitlessly, I prefer to change the topic to spirituality. I encourage people who find the “God talk” uncomfortable to tune it out and to focus on an underlying dimension of existence that goes beyond the physical, the emotional, and the psychological. In fact, a great many people will say that there must be more than what we can see, hear, touch, taste, and smell. What is that more? For such people, possibly the best they can say is there must be something, but they don’t know what it is. In AA, it is called spirituality. Being open-minded here is the key to making the AA program a comfortable fit.
Many people in AA and other twelve -step programs describe themselves as spiritual but not religious. Spirituality can be described as a dimension of existence in which people find meaning and purpose in their lives. It involves living for the benefit of others as well as oneself. It incorporates no dogma, no judgment of others, no concept of sinfulness, and requires no higher authority to establish or enforce its place in the universe. It recognizes the existence and importance of goodness and love as values to nurture in one’s life. With this idea of spirituality in mind, almost anyone could find the twelve-step approach workable and maybe even attractive. As active alcoholics, we have to a significant degree, wrecked our lives yet are extremely resistant to letting anyone tell us what to do or think. The idea of finding our own spirituality can open the door to a new and healthy life without the requirement of believing in something that one absolutely cannot accept.
The AA program is spiritual in nature, not religious. While it calls for reliance on a higher power and frequently mentions God, one could just as easily and logically view the AA program itself as the higher power that can restore one to sanity and sobriety. I am certain that each person must find their own truth in this matter, understanding that as time goes on and progress is made through the steps, one’s idea of the higher power is likely to evolve. I encourage everyone to seek a higher power of their own understanding, and to respect the understanding of a higher power that others may reach for themselves.