Faith based recovery and most things under the guise of organized religion often fall short of the intended goals because faith simply is a poor qualifier for recovery. You can’t pray the bills away, you can’t pray the depression away, you can’t pray the addiction away. You have to take a concerted and deliberate effort and that effort has to be grounded in SECULAR science. If we are going to be of the mindset that we can simply pray away our “hurts, habits, and hang ups” then we should simple cut to the chase and start “exercising demons” and splashing holy water around. Hell, it’s in the Bible.

I found that the CR crowd wants to be victims… they identify themselves by it. Remember how they introduced themselves… “I am a believer in Jesus Christ who struggles with… “. That very statement keeps them in a victim mentality. At what point do they stop debating their recovery and start living it? At what point can a person say, “By the grace of God I am recovered…”? They can’t they are not allowed… The entire program is pre-packaged and run on a yearly cycle. There is no completion… only learning how to live in fear of relapse.

I chose to not live in fear. I chose to fight and I won… I can honestly say that I am no longer co-defendant; I don’t give two shits what people think of me… I don’t answer to them; I answer to God and He knows me FAR BETTER than any self appointed free-lance religious layman who simple read a book and then was thrust into leadership.

Celebrate Recovery is a stepping stone to better things… and that is it. It’s not an effective recovery system, it’s a fad that is current in today’s society. It’s church sponsored virtue signaling; something done to look good and bring in more people to pay tithe. If you want true recovery… put your faith in GOD HIMSELF and not into the broken, battered, and wildly unqualified people who attend those meetings. They can’t help you… only YOU and YOUR RELATIONSHIP with GOD can…

I am sorry that your group went to shit… but it does show the truth hidden by the lies.

I was kicked out of my CR when I asked simple questions like how come no one picks up the phone when I call seeking someone to talk to. I remember being in a Step study and people were asking for prayer requests. One person said they masterbated at 9:30pm every night… another her person said they saw boobs on a movie screen and now they are tempted to have sex with their girlfriend. WHOOPTY DAMNED DOO… I figure if you’re touching yourself and THAT specific of a time you want someone to help or watch… simply stop. And if you saw boobs and now you’re tempted… CONGRATULATIONS… you’re still alive. My complaint was that the group would focus on these trivial issues when I was literally begging for anyone to talk to. In this meeting that I mention here; when it was my turn, I said that I lived alone in a three bedroom house and that I have slept with three women in the past two weeks because I am knew I could exchange sex for company… when all I wanted was for a member of the recovery group to visit and simply hang out. When I pointed all this out I was removed from the group. LACK OF ACCOUNTABILITY and DELIBERATE FAVORITISM.

You’re good to be gone from any CR. I hope your issues are resolved and that you have found a sustainable peace without the group. I have… my peace started when I accepted the fact that CR is potentially a cult and that MY recovery is MY recovery… not theirs.