12 steps not really religious?

[nevertoolate]

I think some might wonder if you have to be religious, a churchgoer, believe in God, etc. to do the 12 Steps and I don't think you do, am I right??? What if you get a sponsor who is religious and you aren't, how can that work out?
Marilyn in Ohio

[step3]

You're right, Marilyn... 12 Step programs are not religions at all, but they are spirtually-based. I remember once my sponsor saying to me that my problem (my food addiction) is beyond human aid; it needs a supernatural source of help. And she's right!

It's very possible to have a sponsor who is religious and a church-goer when the newcomer isn't. Many, many people come to FAA either estranged from God, never having believed much in the first place, religious themselves, etc. We come from all over the place when it comes to our spiritual beliefs, and a good sponsor (in my opinion) is one who unconditionally accepts the newcomer for where she or he is (or isn't). What I love about the program is that it's a program of growth... we all get to develop into the people that our food addiction kept us from being. Who knows what that will look like, as we go along our paths of recovery? But we're here for each other, to love and support each other, and most importantly, to accept each other.

This is a delicate question, but one I know many, many newcomers wonder about. Thanks for asking, and I hope others will respond as well.