sober faction
Summary
The Sober Faction is a peer-support addiction recovery group created by The Satanic Temple (TST) to provide a secular alternative to traditional, often religiously oriented recovery programs. It emphasizes empowerment, a science-based framework, and community support—free from superstition or theological doctrine.
Addictions Treated
All Substances and Behaviors
Orientation
Secular
Overview
The Sober Faction began informally, emerging when members of The Satanic Temple (TST) recognized the need for a non-religious alternative to traditional faith-based recovery programs—especially for court-mandated participants accustomed to Christian-oriented models. It was conceived as a peer support group rooted in self-empowerment, rather than supernatural intervention.
The Sober Faction was officially adopted as one of TST’s campaigns in April 2021, transitioning from informal beginnings to a recognized, structured initiative. At that time, it already had a growing private Facebook group of nearly 4,000 members.
From its inception, the program emphasized a secular, peer-support model. It employs the “Allyship Program,” where participants support one another as equals—without hierarchical sponsorship common in 12-step models.
The structure includes the Seven Tenets and Seven Rituals crafted specifically for the program. These rituals, such as “continual introspection,” “self-actualization,” and “guiding others,” underpin a structured, secular approach to recovery.
To lead meetings, volunteers must complete facilitator training, pass background checks, and many are certified in peer recovery, mental health, crisis intervention, and related areas.
As of early 2022, the program offered weekly Zoom meetings and daily online community support. Many members joined without prior familiarity with TST, drawn by its inclusive, non-judgmental approach.
Core Text
None, but the program provides explicit guidance for the creation and maintenance of your Recovery Tome, a journal detailing your recovery practices.
Also, Uncover Satan Recover Yourself: A Rational Satanic Recovery by Ben Dean offers one person’s account of getting sober using the Sober Faction program.
Principles, Strategies, and Tools
Seven Tenets
- One should strive to act with compassion and empathy toward all creatures in accordance with reason.
- The struggle for justice is an ongoing and necessary pursuit that should prevail over laws and institutions.
- One’s body is inviolable, subject to one’s own will alone.
- The freedoms of others should be respected, including the freedom to offend. To willfully and unjustly encroach upon the freedoms of another is to forgo one’s own.
- Beliefs should conform to one’s best scientific understanding of the world. One should take care never to distort scientific facts to fit one’s beliefs.
- People are fallible. If one makes a mistake, one should do one’s best to rectify it and resolve any harm that might have been caused.
- Every tenet is a guiding principle designed to inspire nobility in action and thought. The spirit of compassion, wisdom, and justice should always prevail over the written or spoken word.
Seven Rituals
- In our suffering, we had a moment of clarity. We realized that we had lost ourselves and recognized addiction as our adversary.
- We decided our will and authority over ourselves would be reborn through adopting a new way of life.
- We made a commitment to take responsibility for our own actions in the past, present, and future, focusing only on what we could control.
- We acknowledged behaviors and patterns of thinking that we found to be unacceptable or unhealthy.
- Upon acknowledging these facets of ourselves, we began the practice of continual introspection and mindfulness.
- We continuously strive towards self-actualization, seeking knowledge on our path to act & respond ethically & responsibly in all things.
- After following this path, we recognized our own self growth and sought to point the way to those who are suffering. Heal Thyself, Hail Thyself.
Allyship Program
- The Satanic Temple Sober Faction creates an Allyship Program that consists of peers in recovery working through the Seven Rituals together, offering support, mutual guidance, and friendship without judgment and hierarchy.
- The Allyship Program differs from common “sponsorship” style “step recovery” mentorships in that there is no teacher/student dichotomy; all are students as well as teachers within Ally partnerships, learning from and guiding each other as needed.
Trained Facilitators
- Unlike typical recovery programs, Sober Faction facilitators must undergo training, background checks, and are often certified in peer recovery coaching, mental health, and related fields.
- However, Sober Faction is explicitly not professional therapy, and participants are encouraged to seek medical or psychological treatment as needed.