The recovery community buys half a million daily devotionals yearly. There are specialty books for women, codependents, young people and beginners. Beyond Belief is the first that is written to include skeptics, humanists, atheists and agnostics.
Nonbelievers are the fastest growth demographic of faith according to the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life. It is time nonbelievers were included in the addiction/recovery discussion. Beyond Belief meets this previously unmet need, one day at a time.
Every daily reflection in Beyond Belief starts with a quote from a philosopher, writer, psychologist, addiction/recovery professional, comedian, historical figure or member of the Twelve Step community—past or present. Beyond Belief treats doubt or atheism as neither a handicap nor a higher plane. The Twelve & Twelve community is about unity, not uniformity.
Beyond Belief is an interactive 21st century recovery tool - 100 end notes, 365 daily meditations and 120 index topics and over 1,000 hyperlinks.
What others have said:
Melissa D., Clinical Psychologist, California: WOW—what an undertaking to make this book a reality. I have never seen a daily devotional book written for agnostics. I found the readings to be extremely thought provoking. I wonder sometimes since there is such talk about God at meetings, what kind of turn-off that must be for agnostics.
Ernest Kurtz, Ph.D., author of The Spirituality of Imperfection and Not-God: A History of Alcoholics Anonymous: The book is aimed at a general 12-Step readership, but it is mindful that there heretofore exist no such aids for unbelievers, freethinkers, and the unconventionally spiritual. Given that the latest Pew survey found that twenty percent of the American people list their religious affiliation as “None,” it is certainly time that the Recovery world took into consideration this population's needs. Beyond Belief addresses that need in a confident, non-aggressive way. I doubt that any believer will find anything objectionable in its pages. This believer, for one, finds much that is spiritually helpful.
Dr. Amy, MSW, Ph.D., author of From Surviving to Thriving: Transforming Your Caregiving Journey: Beyond Belief offers a spiritual welcome mat to agnostics and free thinkers in recovery. Joe C. provides readers with a thoughtful and enlightened year-long road map to self-improvement that reaches beyond the bounds of traditional Twelve Step thought—Bravo!”
Given my chosen profession I have had the opportunity to read countless daily meditation books—and this is a good one. One criticism of the 12 Step movement of course is that its dogma can be limiting—Beyond Belief seems to have addressed this.
John McAndrew, MA, MDiv, California. Thank you Joe, for this wonderful place to begin each day. No arguments about God, no belief systems to defend or attack- just a wealth of rich, thoughtful reflections.
Michel D: AA can, and must, adapt to changing circumstances. Bill Wilson was the first to admit it. Unfortunately, members who have come after him are more zealous than our first members ever were. We have seen this dogmatism in history before; this is a very slippery slope. I really like the fact that these reflections do not cater to a specific group to the exclusion of others. All that is asked is that one keeps an open mind.
Nancy B., retired R.N. Montreal, Canada: I have been pink clouding it on the "Road of Happy Destiny" since January of 1976. I have always been an avid reader. When I came in contact with 12 Step programs, I was compelled to read a large chunk of the literature from many of the different ones—A.A., O.A. C.A., M.A., and Al-Anon. I have also read many books from Hazelden.Joey's book is full of spiritual thoughts, with no hidden agenda. He pulls strengths from all over the world, and his comments have a way of making me want to
Nonbelievers are the fastest growth demographic of faith according to the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life. It is time nonbelievers were included in the addiction/recovery discussion. Beyond Belief meets this previously unmet need, one day at a time.
Every daily reflection in Beyond Belief starts with a quote from a philosopher, writer, psychologist, addiction/recovery professional, comedian, historical figure or member of the Twelve Step community—past or present. Beyond Belief treats doubt or atheism as neither a handicap nor a higher plane. The Twelve & Twelve community is about unity, not uniformity.
Beyond Belief is an interactive 21st century recovery tool - 100 end notes, 365 daily meditations and 120 index topics and over 1,000 hyperlinks.
What others have said:
Melissa D., Clinical Psychologist, California: WOW—what an undertaking to make this book a reality. I have never seen a daily devotional book written for agnostics. I found the readings to be extremely thought provoking. I wonder sometimes since there is such talk about God at meetings, what kind of turn-off that must be for agnostics.
Ernest Kurtz, Ph.D., author of The Spirituality of Imperfection and Not-God: A History of Alcoholics Anonymous: The book is aimed at a general 12-Step readership, but it is mindful that there heretofore exist no such aids for unbelievers, freethinkers, and the unconventionally spiritual. Given that the latest Pew survey found that twenty percent of the American people list their religious affiliation as “None,” it is certainly time that the Recovery world took into consideration this population's needs. Beyond Belief addresses that need in a confident, non-aggressive way. I doubt that any believer will find anything objectionable in its pages. This believer, for one, finds much that is spiritually helpful.
Dr. Amy, MSW, Ph.D., author of From Surviving to Thriving: Transforming Your Caregiving Journey: Beyond Belief offers a spiritual welcome mat to agnostics and free thinkers in recovery. Joe C. provides readers with a thoughtful and enlightened year-long road map to self-improvement that reaches beyond the bounds of traditional Twelve Step thought—Bravo!”
Given my chosen profession I have had the opportunity to read countless daily meditation books—and this is a good one. One criticism of the 12 Step movement of course is that its dogma can be limiting—Beyond Belief seems to have addressed this.
John McAndrew, MA, MDiv, California. Thank you Joe, for this wonderful place to begin each day. No arguments about God, no belief systems to defend or attack- just a wealth of rich, thoughtful reflections.
Michel D: AA can, and must, adapt to changing circumstances. Bill Wilson was the first to admit it. Unfortunately, members who have come after him are more zealous than our first members ever were. We have seen this dogmatism in history before; this is a very slippery slope. I really like the fact that these reflections do not cater to a specific group to the exclusion of others. All that is asked is that one keeps an open mind.
Nancy B., retired R.N. Montreal, Canada: I have been pink clouding it on the "Road of Happy Destiny" since January of 1976. I have always been an avid reader. When I came in contact with 12 Step programs, I was compelled to read a large chunk of the literature from many of the different ones—A.A., O.A. C.A., M.A., and Al-Anon. I have also read many books from Hazelden.Joey's book is full of spiritual thoughts, with no hidden agenda. He pulls strengths from all over the world, and his comments have a way of making me want to
