The headline is silly and seems crafted as red meat to throw to the packs, in hopes of eliciting clicks on the story.

The headline claims: "After 3-year fight, AA body backs down on 'God or gone' stance".

Hello?

In the article, the pertinent passage is here:

"... both sides opted for mediation that resulted in settlement on Monday. The delisted groups will be relisted and Intergroup will resolve to include people regardless of beliefs. In return, Mr. Knight and agnostic associates vowed to LEAVE THE 12 STEPS INTACT, GOD AND ALL".

The AA did not back down on the "god step" of the AA ladder. It stays. They agreed to list under their umbrella organization those groups who wished, in their meetings, to interpret the "god step" in a manner satisfactory the lens of the Jewish faith or the lens of native/inuit faiths or the lens of agnostics, as the article describes (those folks raised the complaints).

Glad they resolved it peacefully. Next fight: crack egg at small or large end...