Secular Narcotics Anonymous
Secular NA Unity Day Meeting!
We invite everyone from the various meetings in the secular community to join us in a day of secular solidarity!
Saturday November 16 (or Sunday November 17 in Australia)
2pm-4pm Pacific Standard Time
5pm-7pm Eastern Standard Time
10pm-12am GMT
9am-11am AEDT (Sunday morning)
Zoom ID: 956 2035 9501
Passcode: secular
https://washington.zoom.us/j/95620359501
Click Here for Schedule of Online Secular Meetings
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While Narcotics Anonymous (NA) itself isn’t inherently religious, a movement with the organization advocating for a more secular interpretation of its principles has existed for decades. This movement hasn’t led to and is not interested in a formal split, but instead represents an ongoing dialogue and internal evolution. We created this website to provide information about secular NA meetings and groups.
Early Tensions: From NA’s founding in 1953, the inclusion of a higher power and spiritual principles caused discomfort for some members, particularly atheists, agnostics and freethinkers. These individuals often found solace in the program’s core tenets of sharing and support while feeling alienated by the religious language in the literature and culture at many NA meetings.
Growth and Recognition: Throughout the 70s and 80s, the movement gained momentum. Members formed informal groups and wrote alternative literature. Some groups used readings that did not have any references to a deity, (see the Alternative Readings section). This led to the NA officially acknowledging the diverse interpretations of its program in 1982. In the Sixth Edition of the Basic Text, there is a story “Atheist Recover Too” that speaks to those who may not be comfortable with a God or higher power.
SecularNA.org Website started in 2021 as a collaborative effort among like-minded NA members primarily from the Seattle and Melbourne groups. Face-to-face meetings had opened in Melbourne Australia, Seattle Washington State and London in the UK in or around 2015 and had been running continuously up until the Covid 19 pandemic in 2019. The pandemic resulted in zoom online meetings becoming the main platform where NA meetings took place worldwide. This sudden ease of accessibility allowed secular NA to grow rapidly.
Present Landscape: Today we have over 20 online weekly secular meetings listed in Australia, Brazil, Europe, and the United States. The secular movement remains a vibrant and growing part of NA. We strive for inclusivity, recognizing that diverse perspectives can strengthen recovery for all and that any addict, can stop using, lose the desire to use, and find a new way to live.
Affiliations: While this website – SecularNA.org – has no direct affiliation with Narcotics Anonymous World Services, the meetings included on this website’s MEETING LIST page are Narcotics Anonymous (NA) meetings. Furthermore, the NA members involved with this website and the informal Secular NA community, self-identify as members of NA.
As a reminder, NA Tradition 3 states, “the only requirement for membership is a desire to stop using.” From NAWS literature, Narcotics Anonymous In Your Community; Getting It Started, Keeping It Going:
“Membership in Narcotics Anonymous is a personal decision reached by each individual.
It is hoped that every drug addict will be allowed to decide if Narcotics Anonymous is
the answer for him or herself. The only requirement is the desire to stop using drugs.
Anyone may join us regardless of age, race, sexual identity, creed, religion or lack of religion.
You are a member when you say you are.”
This website highlights NA meetings that are available for individuals interested in Atheism, Agnostics, and Free Thinkers, in which we collectively share as a Secular NA approach. Our approach is to provide members the option and opportunity to experience recovery without the use of the religious terminology. Our goal is to support individuals seeking a secular approach to recovery within the NA framework while honoring the principles of inclusivity and personal choice central to NA’s philosophy.
You are Not Alone!!
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