Nobody is haulting your fredom of speech, we just ask that everyone be respectful of each other. We recently did a big book study on here and those who don’t follow AA respected our space and did not post. We don’t have to interact on every topic that comes up.
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Everyone has their own journey. There were many, many times that I wanted to get support too but I just wasn’t ready to “go to any lengths” (for me this means, getting rid of any old past beliefs or attitudes towards a Higher Power, and learning everything brand new, as if spirituality had never been "tainted for me). Doesn’t mean that I don’t want support or that I don’t want to quit using. I still was holding onto control and trying to run the show. It took me 22 years to finally surrender everything. By going to any lengths, I discovered God. It’s not our place to take others inventory or to tell them what they need to do to gain long term sobriety or to judge where they are on their journey. We just share our experience, strength, and hope and hope that they take something from it that they can add to their lives 
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How do I mute this Atheist thread?
I don’t want to see it. Any advice?
I put up instructions a few days ago. Here’s the link:
Brother Brad- let’s talk on the level. You seem off today. In the past, you are searching or supporting on this platform. Today is different. What is going on? Yes, the devil is real and it will continue to haunt you if you let it. Life is a struggle. Take some time to meditate tonight and write down what you are grateful for. Your higher power is alive and waiting to hear from you. Much love brother, I hope you find peace tonight. No need for debates. 
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It would really be awful to lose a support for urself over something u have no control over. Live and let live they do their thing and u do urs. What works for u or me or others may not work for someone else. And that is okay. When ever something is bothering me, I talk to God about it. Pray about it and see what comes up for you
Lol it’s okay… things happen for a reason I’m not upset or mad. I can always start another one or just keep adding to this one 
but thank u for the apology
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Dana - Please give me a few minutes and I’ll clean up your thread. I’m going to move our discussion with Farmer to the derailment thread. Now that he’s gone the conversations doesn’t make much sense anyway.
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@Butterflymoonwoman @Lorelai thank you both for your approach here. I am sad to see that my belief (or lack of) has been so problematic for someone but really appreciate how you both responded. Tolerant, compassionate and kind 
So happy to be on this forum along side people from a broad range of backgrounds, beliefs and approaches.
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At least you’re not alone. I brought all of us here. LOL!
I’m with @siand…Thank you for being so compassionate, kind and patient.
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Honestly,
If a thread is not of your particular interest, don’t participate, I have a lot of respect for many people on this forum some are close friends, but we don’t see eye to eye on everything and that’s ok, we have one thing in common we are addicts of some sort seeking a place to interact with other addicts,
My method of recovery isn’t perfect, but it’s mine, and it works for me, recovery is personal as is religious beliefs or lack there of,
At the end of the day, I can’t let things that are beyond my control rent space in my head for free.
If I see a thread that I don’t think I’ll be able to contribute to, I don’t post, if we have a conversation that I don’t think will fit my beliefs and will lead fo a disagreement I chose to avoid it.
Life is really that simple,
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I’m in Utah myself. It’s… special…
I remember you posting about these very well because I live probably less than 5 minutes away from the place you took a picture of. I driven by there several times in the past as I contemplated trying to go to a meeting, but looking at the times of the meetings and driving by was the closest I got. I once went to an Al-Anon meeting at that location. Everyone was very nice. Your posts almost convinced me to actually try parking my car and walking inside. Almost.
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It’s kinda sad we lost a good member in here Farmer, I know he was harsh at times but he seemed to be an advocate for a higher power and maybe it’s just recency bias but I joined last week and it seems that most of the active discussions seem to be about atheism and being sober, I was a commenter on that original thread showing support for them but just sharing that I believed in a higher power but that I was interested in hearing their take on staying sober and anything that would help and I was moved over to here, if you go back to the top of that thread the OP was kinda bashing people who believed in a higher power saying we are pushing our beliefs on you. That’s not all of us. I was turned off when I started to read posts about yourself being your higher power and only you yourself being the one to get and keep you sober, if that’s the case,then if you can’t get and keep sober then you simply just don’t have will power or don’t want it bad enough? Doesn’t make sense to me if this is a disease. Also don’t understand if you just need you yourself then what’s the point of the thread, just for encouragement and self gratification of one’s accomplishments? I didn’t agree with it and I’m glad someone posted how to mute threads because it was making me question my self and if I am just weak willed and not sick. I know for me I’m powerless over alcohol and need a higher power to restore me to sanity. I’m starting to feel like it’s wrong to believe this? I came to this forum to find experience strength and hope and to have reinforcement other than my meetings, sponsor, and readings that a higher power will restore me to sanity but I’m just seeing a lot of people debate and get upset about it. And I am one of those people, so I’m taking a break. I’m sorry if I upset anyone with this but I wanted to get this off my chest and hopefully in a couple weeks come back to find more experience strength and hope with a higher power. 
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Amen to that 
All of it.
That’s your right and opinion, and that’s ok. It goes back to my original point of. I have mad respect for many on this forum some are close friends that I talk to on the regular,
There is more than just atheist threads here, another frequent poster has a thread about beliefs and prayers as well as posts Bible verses, if that’s your thing participate, if not it’s ok to ignore that thread.
One of the frequent posters created that thread and I have much love and respect for them. But we don’t see eye to eye on beliefs that’s ok. I don’t go posting on that thread cause I feel I have nothing to contribute to it. On other threads were k cross post with the same people I have no issues with,
Some people choose AA, God, higher powers, or different groups to get sober, the avenue you choose is your own you create your own path to sobriety and choose how to maintain to your tastes. I won’t sit and say I didn’t try different things cause I did, I took what resonated left the rest.
Best example I can give is I had an old neighbor years back we called him Reverend cause he was a retired reverend, we could sit out and have coffee on the porch in the morning, and not have an issue, our belief systems where different, and we both knew that, so instead of telling it one way or the other we just chose not to cross into that realm.
It’s 2022, you be you, find what works for your sobriety and run with it, if it’s God ok, if it’s AA that’s ok, if it’s nothing that’s ok, what matters is what you do prevents you from picking up ever.
Btw there are many posts here besides atheists posts, look around people asking for support, looking for support, guidance, fun threads. Don’t zero in on one that bothers you, it’s like that one blade of grass that didn’t get cut, look at the beauty of the rest of it
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One of the things I really value about this forum is its multiculturism. We are literally a community of humans from all over the world, a mixture of countries and continents, cultures and customs, religions and beliefs, we speak different languages, encompass a variety of ethnicities, ages, generations and gender identities…and on and on.
The exposure to so many unique individuals from all over our world brings so much depth, knowledge and insight into my life and I am grateful for all of you and the opportunity to read and learn and expand my world through you sharing yours.
We do not have to agree about everything. We do not have to share similar beliefs, countries, ways of recovering, etc. What we do share is we are united in fighting for our lives, in supporting eachother in sobriety, in building community and in respecting our forum and eachother.
Sometimes the forum gets heavy or goes thru more growing pains, oftentimes new people arrive and they are so raw and emotions running high. Those early days, weeks and months can be so jarring and we are so tender … and sometimes angry too.
So here we are all these different people sharing a similar experience. I know for myself, my early days here I often needed time away. And when I discovered the mute function, it helped me a lot. There is no shame in taking a break. As in any relationship, we can and will get on eachother’s nerves and we definitely won’t agree on all things.
Another thing I have learned here in recovery is how to deal with these feelings…the hard feelings (the ones I drank at for years). I can and do take time away. I can and do express when I am hurt or bewildered or angry. Learning how to stick around with my discomfort continues to be a process for me. I believe my years here have really helped me grow in a variety of ways…my sobriety yes contributed to that…but much more so…you all did and do. You allow me to hear differing opinions on a variety of things…you allow me to see people who many would want to be tossed aside as humans just trying to do their best. You remind me daily that my feelings won’t kill me and need to be expressed (hello journal writing!).
It is always hard to see the forum get messy. And I am always encouraged by the small daily kindnesses…day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year. We are definitely stronger together and together we fight the good fight. 
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I’m only here coz I saw sassy was writing a response.
Was not disappointed.
Now back to our regular programming
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