12 Steps and Higher Power

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Anyone involved in a 12-step program? I wonder about the idea of a higher power “of my choosing”, or “as I understand it”

My temptation is to evangalize and tell others in the program who the real higher power is, but that’s not what the group is about.

Do you think it’s acceptable to be a part of the 12 steps, where God is indirectly invoked, but not necessarily the Christian God?
 
I am not currently involved in a group, but have some knowledge of them (let’s not get into how).

I think the idea of letting people choose the Higher Power is so that people who do not believe in the Christian God aren’t excluded from getting the help they need from the program. Since you are free to have God as your Higher Power, and many people do, I see absolutely no problem with your being involved.

As you recognized, the group is not the place to be evangelizing to other people. Focus on your own recovery and working your own program, and let them go about theirs in peace. If someone asked you about God or Christianity, then and only then you might share, but it would be inappropriate and possibly harmful for you to be evangelizing to others, especially since like I said you need to be focused on fixing yourself.

God bless.
 
Check the catholic answers website. I remember them doing a great talk about this. I don’t know if it is still there. I can’t remember it all and don’t want to misquote.
 
Anything good - that happens - anything strangely positive - in the right direction - God’s there !

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Not sure who wrote that prayer - but I have heard it many a time before a AA meeting.
 
Clowny said:
Anyone involved in a 12-step program?

I wonder about the idea of a higher power “of my choosing”, or “as I understand it”

My temptation is to evangalize and tell others in the program who the real higher power is, but that’s not what the group is about.

Do you think it’s acceptable to be a part of the 12 steps, where God is indirectly invoked, but not necessarily the Christian God?
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I’ve been clean in NA for many years. I was raised nominally Christian and, even though I’d fallen away pretty hard, when I first showed up if I’d been told something like “yeah, you can have your own concept of God but you really need to get rid of that Jesus stuff and join the Hare Krishnas” I probably wouldn’t have stayed around - and that sure wouldn’t have helped me any even if they were right.

In NA I’ve known people of all sorts of religious backgrounds, and, although I think it’s important to have conversations about our different concepts of God over coffee after the meeting, I believe that part of my responsibility as sponsor is to guide my sponsees in letting God help them sort out their relationship with him through the process of working the steps. He’s in charge of the process, not me, and it needs to start by me meeting them where they are.
 
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Clowny said:
Do you think it’s acceptable to be a part of the 12 steps, where God is indirectly invoked, but not necessarily the Christian God?
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Well I would just privately make it to the God of Israel/ Jesus Christ. Don’t have to tell anyone. That way, you don’t feel a betrayal.
Have been to several meetings. Whilst alcohol didnt ruin me, it certainly impacted my life. Shop around for different meetings. Some are better than others I’ve found. I felt a very warm spiritual vibe at some of them.
 
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