Is This A Religion Or A Cult?

This is the point from which most of the confusion stems. Because we depend on a “Higher Power” for our sobriety, many think that we are a religion. We assure all who come to us for help, that no dogma or doctrine of any religion will be forced on any member or potential member of our fellowship. We only suggest that an individual work the program of recovery outlined by the Twelve Steps if he or she wishes to recover (which, by the way, is the only requirement for membership). In fact, most of us still practice the religious faith we had when we first came to S.A.A. What we have now is a simple system or discipline for living in relationship with the God of our individual religions. That system is called the Twelve Steps.