The Jude Thaddeus Program - Preface

This text will mention several topics that may surprise you. We will discuss various aspects of culture, psychology, religion, career, family, goals, maturity, immaturity, among many other facets of life.

On the topic of religion...the majority of our guests have been to one or more conventional 12-step treatment programs. Those programs...misuse of religious terms and concepts can result with the individual (substance abuser) becoming wary of the terms, and with good reason. In many 12-step based programs their claim to be non-religious is a cloak for a back-door religious agenda. This subtle manipulative dishonesty is a way to pass off their religious agenda without losing paying customers who ordinarily would not be persuaded into such programs. Not only is hiding thier religious agenda a gross misrepresentation of their services, but those programs' assertions that a religious program is the only method to solve substance abuse is false and misleading as well.

With all that said, it is imperative to recognize that sobriety is not dependent on a belief in God. Sobriety or even moderating (substance) use is dependent on your choice to abstain or moderate your drug and alcohol use. Alcohol and drugs have no power.
The vast majority of our guests have a personal, positive religious belief system of some kind. These belief systems are highly personal, and the JTP has no desire to get involved in people's personal religious beliefs. But for the atheist minority, or those who have been harmed by the 12-step treatment community's manipulative negative usuage of terms such as 'religion' and 'God,' these terms can evoke fear. For these people, there needs to be some reassurance that the JTP has neither a blatant nor any hidden religious agenda.

The JTP teaches that you can personally believe whatever it is you want to believe.

The purpose of this program to to empower you to think in a confident and mature fashion. It will teach you how to have courage to make positive choices when in the past you may have taken the path that follows short term happiness, leading to emptiness and dissatisfaction.
It is our mission to enhance the lives of everyone who comes to us for help, regardless of the depth of their problems.

Preview Chapter 1- Make The Choice