Comments on: I don’t want to make this about religion . . .

By: Marc

Marc — Tue, 13 May 2008 16:47:09 +0000

As usual, Irish Friend of Bill offers up some very sane advice. I do think it’s worth bringing up on a group level.
I would feel just as frustrated and challenged as you on this issue. I imagine I would address it in my own shares, sticking to my own experience but understandable by anyone who’s listening, that it was extremely important for me, in getting sober, to have a safe space in which spirituality was recognized as an essential component to the program, without any one particular path to it being cited. And this had always been my understanding of the traditions and the intent of the founders, who, in fact, make not one reference to any particular spritual teacher in the Big Book. (I hope I’m right about that! Can we google the Big Book?)
Then I might suggest outside of the rooms that there’s no rule against starting a Christ-centered 12-step group if they so choose, just like there are gay meetings, women’s meetings, etc, and SOS is completely secular 12-step group.
You also might suggest borrowing “AA is spoke here” from Alanon, which enjoins any reference to outside philosophies.
If that didn’t work, I’d have to slap them.

By: prideful

prideful — Sun, 11 May 2008 18:04:16 +0000

I don’t want to make this about religion . . ….

Bookmarked your post over at Blog Bookmarker.com!…

By: BoyGrowsUp

BoyGrowsUp — Fri, 09 May 2008 04:25:14 +0000

I am surprised to learn of the chutzpah of fundies that bring their peculiar brand of religion into the rooms when the tenor and tone of AA literature clearly discourages such narrowmindedness.

In a little more than a year of regular attendance at two groups here in Seattle, I have not heard a single reference to Jesus Christ. HP, yes — JC, no. Seriously!

By: Chris

Chris — Tue, 06 May 2008 20:51:00 +0000

well . . . as the GSR of that group it seems I have a useful place to take this concern, then, doesn’t it? LOL

By: Irish Friend of Bill

Irish Friend of Bill — Tue, 06 May 2008 20:23:37 +0000

it is against the aa traditions ‘rules’ to have promotion on non aa related material or commercial plugs of ‘outside enterprises’ occurring at an aa meeting. one should consult old timers and the aa guidelines for guidance on how to regulate this non-aa activity in meetings.
personally i would point out to the group that this is in direct opposition to aa guidelines and ask local old timers how to deal with it. perhaps a group conscience.
eg. (the secretary opening at the beginning of the meeting) “it has been the decision of this group that in keeping with the aa traditions, and the aa principle of attraction not promotion, that if meeting attendees attempt to use the meeting for commercial gain or for the purposes of promoting outside enterprises, that they will be asked to refrain, or asked to leave the meeting. As you know, all aa meetings are autonomous, and this is a decision of the group.”

?
or something like that.
all it needs is a business meeting with the ‘steering committee’ as aa calls it, of the people in the meeting holding the main service positions.
see the aa guidelines for info on steering committee etc, and group consciences.

by all means practice tolerance, but adhere to aa guidelines also.
‘Be as gentle as doves, but as wise as serpents’ as jesus used to say..

By: Chris

Chris — Tue, 06 May 2008 19:39:41 +0000

Good point, WS. From here it seems like such an obvious warning. I will absolutely remember that.

And thanks for that, bobbie. The attraction/promotion thing is a 12 step tradition, obviously. Rather than continue pointing out their promotion, I think I’ll work at being attractive. (Maybe catch myself a husband. JK!)

By: bobbie

bobbie — Tue, 06 May 2008 18:36:09 +0000

i don’t know if it’s specific to OA, but we use the phrase “attraction, not promotion” – and i think that is one of the biggest things we need to learn about our own spiritual programs too – if someone can see something working and growing in my life they will ask me if they are interested. if i don’t have the light to share others will avoid me – why did i used to feel it was so necessary to bash other people over the head with my big battery operated flashlight?

as a recovering fundie i don’t know if it helps, but i am so sorry that you have to put up with that.

i know we can all learn from things we don’t like as well as things we like – but dang tell them i said to shut up – that they are bad advertising. if it was really working they wouldn’t have to say a word…

By: warrior scout

warrior scout — Tue, 06 May 2008 17:55:16 +0000

i got lost at “completelly okay”. that’s one of those red flag phrases. i don’t know that i’ve ever heard it used when it is really meant. just irony, i guess. or the english language. i’m not sure which.