i dropped out 'cause i couldn't do the first step.
my chapter was rather literalist...
actually... it was the treatment centre that was rather literalist.

i did not admit i was powerless over my addiction.
or... once they got me that far...
i did not believe in a higher power to save me
(hence all was lost and I'd vaccilate back to not admitting I was powerless)

IMO

GOING to the darned meeting...

It isn't a choice between 'this is so easy I don't have a problem' and 'I am completely powerless'. There must be a middle way. And for those of us who don't believe in a higher power to save us we need to rely more on ourself and on other people too.

Your conception of your higher power has to come into line with something like the concept of omni-god as you work the steps (sorry for singling out christianity there it is also consistent with the god of judaism and islam).

what really gets to me...

is the steps...
the program consists in the steps...
the steps require omni-god...
and hence when people are required to go to the programs by law

it is state funded religion (in the sense that the state is forcing people to go)

i don't think that religion should be part of the program
or
i think there should be fully secular alternatives

RR is one alternative. i only advocate it because it is secular.