AA was started through a religious group, The Oxford Group. It is my understanding and strictly my belief, that Bill and Dr. Bob were Divinely inspired to change the program that included everyone, so that no one was turned away. It is about the Whole, we become One, having been where others have been, and can identify with each other. Once you bring in religion, you start comparing and segregating from the primary purpose of carrying the message of recovery.
I found that it isn't about the God I believe in, it is about me being clean and sober. I have friends and have sponsored people from many beliefs, and they stayed sober. If they relapse, it isn't their God's fault, He is there for them if they reach out.
A Bible can be in a room, but when it is given more value and placed above the Big Book or the Basic Text of NA, then it is wrong because for me, it doesn't carry the right motive and intention. I found that I could go to church and feel comfortable. I could identify and share with them. They had no understanding of me and there wasn't the connection that I found in the Fellowships of recovery.
To people, my disease was a big sin. My disease is much more than that. That is why I say sin means "Soul In Need" looking outside of myself to find something that made me feel better. I didn't know that I had to get right with me. Through my God, that happened. Some people use their religion as an excuse for less than spiritual behaviour and thoughts. I am not a SIN, a mistake, I am a child of God who is loved, but I couldn't see or feel that.
In times of hurt and pain, I can and have picked up the Bible, The Big Book, the 12 & 12, and any other piece of literature, if I pray and ask to be lead to what I need, I know it will be provided.
The same thing happens on this site. I seem to be lead to the post that I need or I am on another site and find something that speaks to me, so I share it here. I am also sent e-mails from friends or hear something special when at meeting or talking with friends.
If I limit myself as to what I should or should not do, I limit my God as to how He can help me. Sometimes it is a song, a sign, a person put in my life (God speaks through others), literature, etc. if I am open to receiving it. Not just taking what I want, but willing to be honest, open-minded and willing, to hear what I need to hear.
Quote:
Romans 8:28
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
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One special thing I heard, I am a spiritual being trying to walk and live on this Earth. I always need food for the body, mind and spirit. I have found that variety is the spice of life, although as a friend once said, "She read every self-help book she could find, only to relapse and come back to recovery, to find that everything she needed was in the Big Book of AA.
It isn't always One that comes first, sometimes we need to look for outside help and look at outside outlets to heal and grow. I was raised in the church, but it wasn't until I went to AA that I could stop drink and not start again. Religion brought guilt and shame and I would go back out because I didn't think I was worthy of recovery. I was raised knowing that Jesus loved me, yet from the messages I got at church, I didn't believe. I didn't think my God believed in me, so until I could change things around, as it says in the Big Book, a change in attitude to bring about recovery.
It isn't the drugs and alcohol, it is the thinking dis-ease behind it.