It’s not a government program, it’s private. Don’t like it? Deal with it.
I have a close friend who was sentenced to 52 weeks of AA meetings by a Judge in California. His crime was blowing a .02% (1/4 of the current limit).
He was not enjoying attending at all, was not interested in quitting drinking. After about three weeks of saying nothing he was asked to speak by the leader.
He went into a monologue about how much he enjoyed drinking, what he was planning on having when he returned, home, what brand of gin made the best gin and tonics, etc.
After the meeting the leader came over and told him that he was not very funny, that people were trying to get their lives together, etc.
He handed her his "book" that she was supposed to sign off on his attendance and she signed off the remaining 49 weeks there and then, and asked him not to come back.
I always found this amusing.
It’s not a government program, it’s private. Don’t like it? Deal with it.
I fully agree with you and others, who made this point. AA is a private organization, which is run by their members as they see fit. It is not a unit of government. As such, issues of freedom from religion, or separation of church and state, simply don’t apply here.
And others made the point, of why don’t these atheistic types start their own organizations, if existing organizations offend them so much??
Form an alcohol group for atheists/anarchists/non believers of all stripes. If they feel so strongly, yet still want help kicking their alcohol demons, form their own groups which will omit reference to God. They have every right to form such groups. Go ahead and do it.