Religion has nothing to do with the higher power step. That's just meant to assert that there are things beyond one's control, even if your chosen higher power is just your conscience. In fact, 12 step programs are completely agnostic on their own (there are some who try to make it about a religious deity, but that's rare).
Ok, now what if I were to tell you that the idea that "things are beyond one's control" can also be a toxic ideology that pushing people into a forced helplessness position?
