What if I don't believe in God?

> I am about to attend my first OA meeting so I was researching
> the group. Several of the twelve steps seemed to involve embracing
> God. Are there alternate steps for people who do not believe in God,
> or is that more of a prerequisite for help through the group?

Hi ___________

The Steps are written in the language common in the late 1930's to mid 1940's. However you will notice that they also use terms such as "a power greater than ourselves" and "God as we understood Him." The OA literature says you can use anything you like for a higher power even the group itself. I know people who use Mother Nature, the power of love, their OA group, their true or higher self, and a combination of their doctor therapist and dietician. There are Christians, Pagans, Buddhists, Atheists, and a lot of people who claim no affiliation or beliefs. They all use the same 12 Steps but use their own higher and/or helping power(s) and personal belief system. It works. OA is a spiritual program not a religious one. Spiritual can be seen as the steps and actions it take to heal and grow toward wholeness and health on all levels. One key to this whole higher power thing is that we come to understand fully that we need help, and to support our recovery, we actually seek out and use that help. Face it, if we could have done this recovery thing alone, we probably wouldn't be here now.

OA has a pamphlet that is called "What if I do Not Believe In God?" It will probably explain things better than I can and may/should be available at the meeting. A couple of passages from it say: "The spiritual experiences and beliefs expressed by members of Overeaters Anonymous are as varied as those found in society at large. Some members have spiritual orientations; still others have come to OA with a history of religious conflict or do not accept the concept of God. This pamphlet reflects the experience, strength, and hope of OA members who do not express a belief in "God" but work the OA program. We hope you will find their insights helpful as you work our twelve-step program for recovery."

Some people in OA have difficult or ambivalent feelings about God and spiritual matters and tread lightly, searching for their own truth and meaning while working the steps. It's not unusual for OA members to be agnostics or atheists. Their personal program of recovery may have nothing whatsoever to do with God, religion, or what is commonly thought of as spiritual matters. Members are free to personalize and interpret the twelve steps in any way they choose. Members are free to choose and work with more than one higher power. They can also change their concept of a higher or helping power(s) as time goes by. Overeaters Anonymous is not affiliated with any religion and it doesn't have any opinion on the matter of a supreme being. It's really a program of personal freedom and choice. We don't need to defend or debate our personal beliefs with anyone—each to his or her own. It's our eating disorder and recovery that we have in common, not our belief systems or religions.

The spiritual experience or "spiritual awakening" talked about in the 12 steps and program of OA can be thought of as the personality change required to bring about recovery, or a profound alteration in our reaction to food and life. The Steps were basically a very practical way to work at changing ourselves for the better—healing if you will—one step at a time. I guess you could relate spiritual growth or awakening to gaining emotional maturity, wisdom, and strength. I see them as a sort of profound union where the best of modern psychology and ancient universal spiritual truths intersect.

But honestly___________, you will hear people at meetings talk about God. The literature uses that term or concept just as you have noted. And occasionally, you may run into a misguided or overzealous person who deviates from the occasional generic reference to God into the realm of proselytizing. Usually those people will be new people who haven't yet learned the Traditions and ropes of OA and 12 step culture. Usually an old-timer will soon set them straight. Remember, you are there for your recovery. You can take what you need and leave the rest.

Love, Dave Mar 17, 2001

[For related information see the step work on steps 2 and 3]