12 step programs and religion

Ok... this is an odd thing to think of perhaps... but my husband was watching celebrity rehab and it made me wonder... if an atheist/agnostic/non religious person was legally ordered by a judge to attend a 12 step program,wouldn't that be a violation of their freedom of religion since I believe those groups demand that you "give yourself over to a higher power"?

C.

Quoting God:“ Ok... this is an odd thing to think of perhaps... but my husband was watching celebrity rehab and it ... [snip!] ... violation of their freedom of religion since I believe those groups demand that you "give yourself over to a higher power"? C.”

I attended an AA meeting with a friend a few weeks ago because she was giving her "lead" and wanted me to be present and I wondered the same thing.

It is common belief that the 12 Step Program is the only method that really works but without religion the 12 Step approach is nothing.

Can the court order a 12-step program, specifically, or can they just order a rehabilitation program?

Quoting God:“ Ok... this is an odd thing to think of perhaps... but my husband was watching celebrity rehab and it ... [snip!] ... violation of their freedom of religion since I believe those groups demand that you "give yourself over to a higher power"? C.”

Couldn't a higher lever of critical thinking be considered a higher power? Or a sponsor?....LMAO.

I just googled the 12 steps and OMG they are so religious based. SO WRONG!!! I would be super pissed personally if I was ordered to attend, since I am an atheist!

My father was in a 12-step program that didn't involve religion or belief at all.. I'm sure they could find one.

Quoting lolovio:“ Can the court order a 12-step program, specifically, or can they just order a rehabilitation program?”

I'm not sure.

C.

Quoting Kissy Chrissy:“ Couldn't a higher lever of critical thinking be considered a higher power? Or a sponsor?....LMAO.”

here is the AA one and it has GOD in several of the steps....
http://www.aa.org/en_pdfs/smf-121_en.pdf

ETA this one too
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve-step_program

Quoting Stevie&Bella:“ My father was in a 12-step program that didn't involve religion or belief at all.. I'm sure they could find one.”

Do you have any information about that? I've looked into it, and I've never found any that didn't involve religion in some way.

C.

Quoting God:“ I'm not sure. C.”

Odd thing is.. with my father, he wanted a Religion based program so transferred. At least it's good to know they do exist!

Quoting Penny&Jess:“ here is the AA one and it has GOD in several of the steps.... http://www.aa.org/en_pdfs/smf-121_en.pdf ETA this one too http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twelve-step_program”

I've never known anything about them.LOL. They should change it to higher power, then it could be awesomely and grossly misinterpreted, like that bible. LMAO.

I just read this on Wiki

"In some cases, where other twelve-step groups have adapted the AA steps as guiding principles, they have been altered to emphasize principles important to those particular fellowships, to remove gender-biased or specific religious language"

Quoting God:“ Do you have any information about that? I've looked into it, and I've never found any that didn't involve religion in some way. C.”

I don't. It was when I was around 15 years old and he had just been released from jail. We moved back to Houston and he attended a place called "The Wheel House".. and that's all I know of it. The Most I could do is try to find some information on the place. I just remember him exclaiming that programs needed to be based on belief and that God is what brought him threw his ordeal and struggles with drugs and alcohol. He's Pentecostal so obviously.. that's why he wanted one centered around his beliefs, I'm sure.

That has me wondering though, I'm going to try and google it.

Quoting Penny&Jess:“ I just googled the 12 steps and OMG they are so religious based. SO WRONG!!! I would be super pissed personally if I was ordered to attend, since I am an atheist!”

Let's hope we never become alcoholics!! We'd be screwed.

This is where he ended up http://www.thewheelhouseinc.com/

What program he was in before I know was sponsored by them but what it actually was, I couldn't say. I'll have to ask him.