First Step Organic

Alcoholism; Can an Atheist Get Help From Aa? 12 Steps But No God?

The founders of AA, two very Christian and God fearing men, made a remarkable allowance nearly 80 years ago when they removed Christianity from what is essentially a religious organization, in an attempt to broaden access to treatment.

AA is religious in nature (although they would call themselves a spiritual group) and the Supreme Court recently agreed with a group that argued against mandated AA therapy for drug offenders as a violation of the mandated separation of Church and State. In AA, you do need to pray, and although no one ever tells you who you need to pray too (only a higher power) if you don’t believe in any form of God it’s hard to pray for your shortcomings to be removed, and to ask for strength and guidance!

For some atheists or agnostics, membership within such an overtly religious organization offers very little assistance, and yet some others find a way to retain their spiritual beliefs, and also to work the 12 steps in a meaningful and effective way.

How do they do it?

Well, AA faithful have had a long time to grapple with this problem, and since tens of millions of alcoholics have used the 12 steps as a path to recovery, the group’s membership has certainly represented people with a wide range of philosophical interpretations.

AA members suggest that if you do not believing any conventional form of God, you can use any other type of power that is meaningful and resonant to you, that is not another living person, and that is nothing from inside your being.

Science

Some atheist alcoholics have interpreted the above in such a way that allows them to use a form of science or Mother Nature as a power greater than themselves, and to which they feel comfortable praying to in an authentic way. After all, something makes the sun shine…

Ancestors

Other atheists have taken strength and guidance through using the memory of a loved and now dead relative. You can pray to your dead Grandfather, ask him for advice, and feel his influence and power as you grapple with sobriety.

It doesn’t mater what you use, as long as you believe it, and there is no point in faking a belief. If it’s not authentic, forget about 12 steps programs and find something else.

12 steps don’t work for everyone

AA and other 12 steps organizations have decades of experience and millions of successful case stories of success. AA doesn’t work for everyone, it may not even work for most, but because it has helped and helps so many millions, it should be respected and should very likely be attempted.

No one form of therapy or treatment works for everyone, and if something doesn’t feel right or doesn’t work for you, there is no point in wasting your time on it when there are so many other valid options available. But just because you lack a belief in a conventional God does not automatically disclude you from an effective participation in the program.

Even if you don’t believe in God, AA might still be right for you.

Organic lawn care help–fertilizer and weed control?

ok…i’ve taken the first step to stop poisoning my lawn…go organic but i really have no clue about any good brands out there. i’ve looked around some websites but i could use some help with some good brand name organic lawn fertilizer and weed control…for the spring.

One f the whole points of organic gardening – whether grass/lawn/veggie patch – is that there is not a need to BUY stuff to amend the soil. Hay and leaves and compost (the product of weeding and food scraps) can be used and thereby avoid the use of store bought things.

Start a compost pile as SOON AS POSS. The soil that comes out of a compost pile is the best amendment to the lawn, or the veggie patch.

Then enjoy a few hours after work in the lawn PULLING the dandelions by hand with a forked end digger (ask in the garden supply shop). Weeds go into the pile and make next year’s compost. It is healthier than TV!

I do suggest you start now. I have a lovely lawn, mowed to high grass level (which helps keep the moisture in in the summer and the cold out in the winter), and then I pull weeds and pull weeds.

One year I paid my sons a penny a dandelion (root and all), and I gave out over $20.00 during that spring! They were tickled!! and I was not so! But now I am not nearly so plagued with dandelions as in the first couple of years in this home.

Building Raised Garden Beds for Organic Gardening with Vegetables, Flowers and Herbs

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