Fight Over God Splits AA groups

People in AA don't want to hear about your drug use in shares; hence, the name Alcoholics Anonymous.

Indeed. Would a Christan group invite a Jewish rabbi to speak before the church about the non-divinity of Christ?

That's great that you weren't told that, honestly, and great that you never got taken advantage of. Denying that it happens at all is a bit obtuse, though.

I'm not an alcoholic, so I cannot understand that sort of pressure when it comes to that particular substance. Therefore, I couldn't write a program up. Well, I could, I'm sure, but I'm a pretty thorough researcher and it would take me years to come up with something for alcohol, as that's not even remotely a problem for me. But say I were to just devise something along the lines of what I did, Clara, why would it work for other people? It was rather specific to my own life. It also was a very solitary experiment, because as I'm sure you know, there IS NO HELP WHATSOEVER for people who were in my predicament. I did have to just "put it down and walk away". And carry on. And it turned out remarkably well! Considering that I had just been set up and robbed of my entire bank account by two people in AA, it actually went extremely well!

Yada, yada, yada. Your post just illustrates further how little help there is for people out here. Wow. People who get addicted to prescription drugs aren't welcome in AA? Exactly why we always kept our mouths shut about it, because NA (I've said this before) where I live is a drug infested, uneducated, homeless biker club from some depths of a hell I no longer believe exists (but that's beside the point). See, Clara? There's no help except to create your own program, namely to "put it down and walk away", considering the alternatives.

Apologies if that sounded bitter, I'm oddly only a bitter person when I think about that dreadful system of "recovery" that's all that's for sale where I live.

Becket, you really think that people in serious withdrawals and physical agony aren't "vulnerable"? If so, you're probably delusional. Did I say probably?

Yes, there's a system. Initially, my doctors insisted on it. Stupidly, I went along. No, I wouldn't go along with that now. Hell no. But that's rather the point, that this happens to vulnerable people, not those at the top of their game. Obviously in my normal and sane world as it is today I wouldn't even entertain the idea that I should follow some religious bullshit "steps" at the suggestion of people who claim to be even remotely educated. The idea is actually quite laughable. Rather like the idea that "hysteria" is caused by a wandering uterus. Or that slaves wanting to escape is a psychiatric disorder. Or that Rick Santorum is running for President. No, wait, see, that's why it's not entirely laughable. Because it is still happening, and Santorum is running for President.

When insanity is presented as reality, you end up rather like Melissa Harris-Perry's description of trying to stand upright in a slanted room.

For starters, START a SMART meeting if you believe it helps others. If there isn't anything available, then START it. That is how most meetings get started - to fullfil a need. That is what I expect these people on this board to do that complain about lack of options and I've said it every time a new favorite pops on the board that is so superior to AA. If you think so, then download those materials and START A MEETING. I don't care if it is SOS, SMART and anything else. BE the change you'd like to see. But what I hear especially from Massive is her visits just turn into a "why I hate AA" schpeil.

Not necessarily. PIE said that AA is "religions to the core." Clara acknowledged that AA has "religious roots." Those two statements are not the same thing. In fact, the latter could be spun to argue against the former.