Lord's Prayer and Serenity Prayer in AA (ritual, Earth, Kingdom)

[Bangbang]

Who would be offended by these prayers. Is AA based on Christianity? The members of AA claim it is not a religious program but a spiritual one. What are your thoughts on this? The short version of the Serenity prayer is what is used......I think that most members of AA are not even aware of the entire version.

"God grant me the serenity
To accept the things I cannot change,
The courage to change the things I can,
And the wisdom to know the difference.

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference. Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Amen.

Our Father, who art in heaven,

Hallowed be thy Name.

Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done,

On earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses,

As we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation,

But deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom,

and the power,

and the glory,

for ever and ever.

Amen.

[robtex]

Hey good to see you again bang-bang. Been a long time. Personally I dont' take well to it because it suggests that humankind is powerless and weak and unable to fight an addiction. If you are going to surrender to your addition and turn your life over to God, that is the same inclination and meathodlogy that probably let you get hook on your addition in the first place..surrendering. I find the "I am helpless God help me angle" to be a sissy-cope-out.

[gnomon]

Well, one could claim that AA is based off Christianity throught the Oxford Group. But that is somewhat irrelevant. Is it religious? According to a few circuit court decisions...yes. In my opinion, yes it is. The modern separation of spiritual from religious is one of the most idiotic concepts I've ever come across. I've attended a couple of other religious meetings with fewer rites and traditions than AA.

As far as the prayers I never found them offensive. Merely formalities and that's probably the bad part. Most groups I attended wouldn't have a problem for those who wished to refrain from partaking in the Lord's prayer. I also doubt most members are aware of the full version as well.