Facebook last week lead me to an article about a California atheist who had his parole revoke when he wouldn’t acknowledge a higher power in his 12 step program.  He successfully sued the state, though a jury failed to award him damages.  From what I can see, 12 step programs work.  But is it really about a higher power? The attached chart would seem to argue that it is about committing to change and seeking social support. This begs the question, what would a 12 step program look like without reference to a high power? (There is probably a lot of research out there on this. Any pointers?) So I shamelessly cut and pasted the 12 steps from Wikipedia. The sub notes are my comments. The links in the steps are from Wikipedia. These are the original twelve steps as published by Alcoholics Anonymous:^[1]

1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol—that our lives had become unmanageable.
   1. Not a problem for non believer.
2. Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
   1. So it begins.  How about “Came to believe that accepting help from others and taking responsibility for our actions and their consequences could restore sanity in our live.”
3. Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.
   1. How about, “Make a decision to willingly and actively participate in our recovery.”
4. Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.
   1. No problem here.
5. Admitted to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
   1. Easy enough to drop the first clause.
6. Were entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
   1. Any competent therapist will tell you that no one will change until they are ready to change. Again, can be done without reference to a higher power.
7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings.
   1. This is prayer, I see the difference between 6 & 7 as being making a decision and doing something about the decision. It seems to me that telling a sponsor, a therapist, a support group or a significant other is potentially more important.
8. Made a list of all persons we had harmed, and became willing to make amends to them all.
   1. No reference to a higher power.
9. Made direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
   1. No reference to a higher power.
10. Continued to take personal inventory, and when we were wrong, promptly admitted it.
    1. No reference to a higher power.
11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understood Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
    1. Self-reflection is an important part of personal change.
12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we tried to carry this message to alcoholics, and to practice these principles in all our affairs.
    1. If it worked for you, pass it forward.

I find it interesting that what I always thought of as the keys to a 12 step program is the social support and keeping it simple aren’t in the list.  Where is participating in a support group and finding a mentor (sponsor)? So, what are the steps without reference to a high power?

1. Admit you have a problem.
2. Seek help.
3. Actively participate in your recovery.
4. Take a personal inventory of yourself and your life.
5. Make specific goals for improving your life.
6. Commit to working on at least one of those goals.
7. Ask for help achieving your goal(s).
8. Make a list.
9. Make amends.
10. Monitor your progress. Adjust goals appropriately.
11. Continue to seek support.
12. Pass it forward.  Support others.

Thoughts?  Seems this would be a good topic for a Socrates Cafe. ^ Bill W. (June 2001). “Chapter 5: How It Works” (PDF).Alcoholics Anonymous (4th ed.). Alcoholics Anonymous World Services. ISBN 1-893007-16-2. OCLC 32014950.