"Our membership ought to include all who suffer from alcoholism. Hence the we may refuse none who wish to recover. Nor ought A.A. membership ever depend upon money or comformity. Any two or three alcoholics gathered together for sobriety may call themselves an A.A. group, provided that, as a group, they have no other affiliation."
I have observed that in recent years that this tradition has been watered down, and the result is that not only AA is suffering but other support groups as well. In our area for example, the NA fellowship has all but died & drug addicts come into AA & try to recover, but many of them go back & die. We as AA members are contributing to this by our "kindness" in allowing them into AA membership. If AA closed it's doors to drug addicts, then NA will flourish. Bill W. was very strong with this tradition & in my early days in AA, I felt that this was harsh. But now after many years in AA, I feel that I have contributed to the demise of many a drug addict by my "kindness" in trying to help.
The pattern I have observed with dual addicts, is that they come into AA, introduce themselves as alcoholics & then when they attempt to work the AA steps, they stumble & fall. The result is that we have many clean & sober people with varying amounts of "dry"time, but no actual recovery. It looks like a mirage, & the statistics that we quote have no bearing on the individual recovery as such. When these dual addicts relapse, the AA's have no solution for them, and inevitably we abandoned them.
I am guilty of this. I have already begun to get back to basics as far as working with others is concerned. My own recovery is fine, but those that I sponsor are definitely not getting well & for that I am responsible. AA's experience, strength & hope has been proven & hammered out on the anvils of experience, which have become facts.
The "rigorous honesty" in the AA book, is about getting alcoholics to absolutely identify the alcohol problem, & thus absolutely apply the AA steps to our alcohol problem & thus recover from alcoholism.
I dont think i have been to 1 AA meeting in my area(upstate New York) where I dont hear people sharing and announcing themselves as 'ANDAS" (addict and a alcoholic)same as in NA sharing and announcing as clean and sober, in sobriety etc.
yes the language has become blurred ,which in turn blurs the message(my stuff)
from the first(early AA) it was a conundrum ,what do you do with the addict.How do you cross identify from drinking alcohol to shooting dope? The pledge was a spirit of cooperation,but not affiliation that bridged the aisles...Therefore separate programs DEVELOPED
We remember Bill W spoke of the "tenstike" AA STRUGGLED WITH, spirituality verses religion.(3rd /11th steps)Once "as we understood Him" was added to the God part all were now able to function, something that had the potential to divide became the cornerstone by a simple turn of phrase.
and such for NA..the "tenstike" there was to eliminate any specific drug mentioned and focus Not on the symptom but being powerless over the "disease OF ADDICTION" itself. thereby bringing conformity to the description of addiction(a physical,mental and spirtual illness that permeates all areas of the addicts lives. There really is no such thing as DOC, drug of choice ,it is addiction that is focused on bringing unity TO THAT FELLOWSHIP so all could identify(tenstrike) as Bill would have said.
both fellowships have a 6th tradition for that very reason,to keep one from being diverted from their primary purpose.AA focus should be on the alcoholic and NA focus should be on addiction(which in NA alcohol is looked on as a drug)
I believe as a fellowship we should not cling to one radical extreme or the other. Members should be taught who have unitentionally been "blurring " the message in either group TO USE THE CORRECT LANGUAGE TO BETTER CARRY THE MESSAGE..(not AA or NA police or in violation of traditions but to keep things clear....some members have used arguments to rationalize each different fellowship alienating many sorely needed stable members in both fellowships. I believe we should carry our individual messages but reevaluate the effects of behavior that isnt spiritual in nature as love tolererance,patience and cooperation are essential if we are to "live' by our principles..If we as members of either fellowship (or any 12 step actually) allow 'blurred language" that does not fit our primary purpose then we must set aside a "space" to share in a loving and caring manner with those individuals "how we use language condusive to our purpose....;;two cents from a loving and caring member.
if your an addict and want to share at a AA MEETING you can be a person who truly lives our 3rd tradition "the only requirement for membership is the desire to stop drinking.(as long as they are not a group with another affiliation)share accordingly
SAme for NA(only desire for membership is desire to stop using drugs).....JUST MAINTAIN THE PURPOSE OF THE MEETING TO NOT BLUR THE MESSAGE AS IT GETS CONFUSING ESPECIALLY TO NEWCOMERS,In 1984 when I surrendered you would have been tarred and feathered sharing as and 'anda" thanks Gonee,we are responsible for our own recoveries and whats important to them. carrying the correct message of our fellowship is that importance...
No alcoholic or (addict) need suffer the horrors of alcoholism or addiction as long as we are able to reach out in a loving and caring God given manner., as we serve God first and then others. Two greatest commandments love God with your whole mind and heart and love your neighbor as yourself!!Ain't about religion its about a spiritual connection through both God given programs practiced with His guidance and our solution"the steps'applied in our lives! Many are cross addicted and to them "real" is what it is whether its alcoholic or addiction..(real alcoholic,real addict,see the writings)
! As God loves me ,I love you...
-- Edited by mikef on Monday 18th of July 2011 12:10:19 PM
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Selfishness-self-centeredness! That, we think, is the root of our troubles.
Thanks Mike, for sharing on this. You have written such a profound article on this subject. You have put such spiritual balance and elder statesmen thought. I think, myself and many others on this forum will truly benefit by your input. I certainly have. God bless you my brother. I know how how close this subject is to you personally and that is why I am even more blessed to have you as my friend on this forum.
The sad thing is allowing Tradition three to be violated, allowing "non-alcoholics" to become members doesn't save people, it kills them, it kills "real alcoholics" because they come to AA looking for a solution and there isn't one, or there is but it's buried under all the non-alcoholics that are zipperfaced on Prozac and Xanax and Zoloft use the meetings as their own personal "group therapy sessions" as they talk about their day, and their relationships all giving each other "advice" and "you shoulding" each other because they HAVE no experience....etc ad nauseum....blah blah yawn snore
there's still a TON of great AA out there, but there is a lot of crap calling itself AA that isn't as well, that's actually one reason I am such a strong advocate of 90 in 90 (among other reasons) but it's in the hopes that the newcomer will stumble across meetings that have "the solution" in them
-- Edited by LinBaba on Monday 18th of July 2011 05:15:16 PM
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it's not the change that's painful, it's the resistance to change that is painful
The "rigorous honesty" in the AA book, is about getting alcoholics to absolutely identify the alcohol problem, & thus absolutely apply the AA steps to our alcohol problem & thus recover from alcoholism.
Let me start by saying I am a true alkie who also would at times do any drug or substance tht I thought would get me where I wanted to go.
In keeping with the 3d tradition, I have no problem with any members who claim to be alcoholic and also may have been addicted to drugs. The purpose for the tradition is to not pre-judge those coming in, people where getting excluded for all types of reasons. Dr Bob who was addicted to sedatives would have been excluded from many groups before the traditions were concieved.(??)
We really need to look at what we are focusing on as the problem if sponcees are not getting sober. What does the book say? Alcohol nor drugs where the problem, only our solution. "The Alcohol was but a symptom", thus if we are not the problem there is no solution.
How it works and the solution are is pretty clear cut. "If you want what we have and are willing to go to any lengths to get it then you are willing to take certain steps...."
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Rob
"There ain't no Coupe DeVille hiding in the bottom of a Cracker Jack Box."
