Committee No. 3
Question
2:
“Would
the Fellowship review and re-affirm what constitutes an AA Group,
within the Fellowship in Great Britain with specific reference to
Traditions 4 - 6?
Background
Consider
the contribution to the carrying of the message, financial and
practical implications when deliberating each question.”
Extract:
“The
preamble, traditions and concepts describe the principles which
constitute an AA group. The closer a group of alcoholics adhere to
these principles, the more they constitute an AA group. There is a
boundary in AA Tradition relating to the use of the name Alcoholics
Anonymous, which when crossed, a group of alcoholics cannot call
themselves an AA group.
“Our
membership Tradition does contain, however, one vitally important
qualification. That qualification relates to the use of our name
Alcoholics Anonymous. We believe that any two or three alcoholics
gathered together for sobriety may call themselves an AA group,
provided that, as a group, they have no other affiliation. Here our
purpose is clear and unequivocal. For obvious reasons we wish the AA
name to be used only in connection with straight AA activities.”
(Bill W. ‘Tradition Three’, AA Grapevine 1948, The Language of the Heart page
79-80)
“We
cannot lend the AA name, even indirectly, to other activities,
however worthy. If we do so we shall become hopelessly compromised
and divided. We think that AA should offer its experience to the
whole world for whatever use can be made of it. But not its name.
Nothing can be more certain. (Bill W. ‘Tradition Three’, AA Grapevine 1948, The Language of the Heart page 80)
“Tradition
six also enjoins the group never to go into business nor ever lend
the AA name or money credit to any ‘outside’ enterprise, no
matter how good.” (Bill W. ‘Tradition Six’ AA Grapevine 1948, The Language of the Heart page 83)
“If
individual A.A.s wish to gather together for retreats, Communion
breakfasts, or indeed any undertaking at all, we still say ‘Fine.
Only we hope you won’t designate your efforts as an A.A. group or
enterprise.” (Concept 12, warranty Five)
“Some
years ago, numbers of AAs formed themselves into ‘retreat groups’
having a religious purpose. At first they wanted to call themselves
AA groups of various descriptions. But they soon realized this could
not be done because their groups had a dual purpose: both AA and
religion”. (Bill W. ‘Problems other than Alcohol,’ AA Grapevine February 1958; The Language
of the Heart page 222).
The
preamble states: “AA is not allied with any sect, denomination,
politics, organization or institution;” Therefore, if a group of
alcoholics were to use principles contained in non A.A. published
literature, attempting to re-enact carrying the alcoholic/Oxford
Group Christian message of 1935-1939; (a time before Alcoholics
Anonymous was formed as a non religious organization) then they could
not call themselves an AA group. The Oxford Group was a religious
Christian organization and an entirely separate organization to A.A.
It
also follows that if a group of alcoholics were to use principles
contained in non A.A. published literature, following non AA 12 step
programmes, based on the Big Book; or which revive Oxford Group
aggressive evangelism, the use of the Lord’s prayer in a group
setting, offering spiritual guidance for it’s members, spiritual
retreats, etc; or certain Tradition deviant religious or educational
practices deployed by some early AA groups in the 1940s; then they
could not call themselves an AA group. Their purpose, as a group,
would be religious or lending the AA name to a related facility or
outside enterprise. These group purposes would be outside the
boundary in A.A. Traditions and General Warranties of Conference,
therefore they could not call themselves an AA group.
“Finally,
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 purpose or affiliation”. (Concept 12, warranty 6)
The AA Group pamphlet, page 24, reminds AA members that “Regularly
scheduled meetings, of course, are the chief activity of any AA
group. The group continues to exist outside meeting hours, ready to
offer help when needed.” Group activity therefore, includes that of
any alcoholics gathered together as a group under the AA name,
whether it be in a meeting, in member’s homes, in sponsorship, or
anywhere.”
Cheerio
The
Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)
