Jen,

Couple of things from my perspective.  In Alanon meetings I've been to, many will refer to their HP as God and nobody blinks.  Many will also say my HP whom I choose to call God.  That is even more inclusive. 

You say that calling god HP is blasphemy.  Your entitled to your belief system.  Maybe you could say (I'm not sure that it's acceptable) that in your religion that it's blasphemous, but to come right out and claim it as fact, is pushing your religious views on others.

What about non Christians who call their God (I think it's the same HP, but thats me) Allah?  You've told them they are condemned.  Where are these people to go in Alanon?

IMHO, relative newbie Alanon opinion it would be great to hear your ES&H about your relationship with God.  These are the kind of shares that have helped me to build a better relationship w/ my HP.  But you have to remember it's your relationship, and someone elses might be totally different.

I'm not so sure we can ban the word God from Alanon when it's in the steps and the literature, though the literature does go on to explain it's a reference to a HP. 

Would you believe that there were many in recovery who came in w/ a view of a HP that was a doorknob or some object or even the group?  Only to develop a loving relationship w/ a God of their understanding later?  Why should we shun them and tell them they are condemned now?

I sign from my HP that I was on the right track through Alanon my spiritual development was when checking my daughter into a pyschiatric hospital.  It is a Christian hospital, Catholic even I believe.  But there was a multi-religious prayer book there.  I could relate to every prayer in there.  Hindu, Buddist, Catholic, Protestent, Serenity, Native American Indian, Jewish, etc.

I'd like to think I can share here w/o being condemed by a HP at the gates of where ever. 

I'm not trying to attack your position but I'm frustrated because when others try to tell other alanoners that their religious view is the only view, then the religious views get stifled and shut down, and personally the open exchange of views w/ a HP are very condusive to my growth and the program in which I try to work.

Hugs in Recovery,

Bob

 

(((Jen)))

I aprecciate your passion and zeal for your beliefs.  I do believe though that part of Alanon and working the steps is to build tolerance.  Tolerance for each other and tolerance to understand and live with an A. 

Building a relationship with HP or God is all personal.  Some people come into AA/Alanon with no belief at all, agnostic or ambivalent.  Somehow they come to believe in a HP a Higher Being that is in control of their lives, taking care of things.  There are truly so many blessings in each religion, and each has its own HP.  Speaking purly for myself I come from a background religion that is completly inherited by birth.  I don't practice it now because I was given the freedom to search for a meaningful relationship with God.  I ended up finding it later in life, I'm a Christian and I believe in God, but I have my own understanding... I don't really buy into what every church says is real.  Because of tolerance and intolerance good vs bad if you will I was able to take what I learned from one religion and use that to better my relationship with HP.  Alanon has given me this same freedom.  Its all about taking what you like and leaving the rest.  I hope you find some peace about this. 

In Recovery,

Twinmom~

Hi Jen,

I don't know why you are being erased.

I do want to share with you though.  I was raised in an alcoholic home.  It was a very religious home.  I went to a religous based school for 12 years.  Alcoholic/religious home..seems contradictory doesn't it?  It was confusing.  I rebelled against the whole mess!!   I am grateful for alanon, because it let me explore a power greater than myself on a spiritual level.  I am greatful because I get to spend the rest of my life working on it. 

I was raised to believe that I attended the only church that was recongized in god's eyes.  Now I look at it different.  In my humble opinion  God, HP, Nature, Budha..whom or whatever  is so wise he/she looks past our babble of words straight to our hearts and is there for us at what ever level we seek him/her.

Thanks for this topic!  It made me think.

Carol      

I am sorry that this is my first post after many months of lurking, but I must say that I am not surprised by this turn of events.  I have often thought when reading some of your threads that this was "a train wreck waiting to happen."

Many people who appear to be faithfully working the Al-Anon program have tried to explain to you--with love--how this program works and that a basic tenent of this program is to "take what you like and leave the rest."  For some reason, you refuse to hear that and seem intent on forcing others to work "your" program and not their own.

I hope that you can find what you need to find peace in your life, however, it does not appear that Al-Anon is the program for you--at this time.  And that's ok.  But, I would appreciate it if you would take your efforts to change my program elsewhere.  This program has saved my life (not to mention my sanity).  It has also enabled me to rediscover my personal relationship with the God of My Understanding, who happens to be God (Christ).  As with many others, I do not know if I would have been able to rediscover that "spiritual connection" if I had been told at my first meeting exactly who, what or when my Higher Power was and how I had to acknowledge that.

This program is set up the way it is for a reason--and it works if you work it.

Jem do you talk like this in your local f2f meetings?  I think not.  Ig you don't go already, I suggest you get to one, see if they allow this type of talk.  Al-Alnon is about Recovery!! Not spouting religion, I can go head to head with you all day on that one.  But I have learned that spirtuality has helped me  so much more in my recovery.  I still have my faith in God and always will, but I put the bible aside when I talk and work recovery.  I did not get this at first either.  but once I did I became filled with the spirit of Al-Anon and the understanding of others that have gone through what I went through.  This not mean I don't pray anymore, I added spitituality to my tools of living life.

Josey

DIVA,  that was  funnier than hell,  but sadly it HAPPENED!!!!

i thinkn EVERYONE has something to offer.....i take a bit from  THIS belief,   THAT belief,  and i pour it ALL in my   "live and let live stew"   and i enjoy it......i have studied everything from  christianity to  wiccan  and they ALL got something good to say....

i was telling my sponser  (no names or board mentioned)  about this  "soap box"  thingy yesterday and i told HER,    MY HP  does NOT  create that small of a path to him/her/it.....MY hp  uses so MANY  ways for us to get to him/her/it, thus the diferent beliefs...........why would HP make the path to it so narrow?????  and WHY the  "force feeding".....MY hp is "too cool"  to need "force feeding"................rosie