We
quote:
“Increasing
numbers of requests come to A.A. World Services for permission to
reprint the Twelve Steps and other parts of the Big Book in "study
guides" and other interpretive material. Some come from
treatment centers that try to give instruction in the A.A. Program to
their patients. Other requests originate within A.A. After several
months of study by a committee appointed for the purpose, a policy
was adopted. The members of the committee unanimously recommended
that permission should not be granted to reprint portions of
basic A.A. recovery literature in study guides or interpretive
material, and that if such guides are necessary, A.A. should publish
them itself.
Here
is what some A.A.W.S. Directors said. One trustee-director wrote:
"The
individual A.A. member does not need another person or institution to
think for him or her - in fact, this could be a very bad thing.
Part of the beauty and magic of A.A. is that persons from all walks
of life, with varied backgrounds, may benefit from the Big Book, the
Steps, the Traditions, and the Concepts, from their own points of
view. Placing guidelines on paper seems to say, ’This is the way
- the only way.’
"The
authors of this priceless material knew what they were doing. Their
words require study, not interpretation."
Another
trustee-director enlarged on this line of thinking as follows: "As
it is now, to the extent A.A. takes positions, it is in our
literature, etc. and if it isn’t there, A.A. does not have a
position. This is clear and simple, and we should keep it this way.
I
am of the opinion we should not prepare interpretive or study guides
ourselves. Since we feel that alcoholism is a self-diagnosed disease,
it follows that recovery is a program of self action. Our
literature, our program, the Steps, the groups, and the meetings all
facilitate self-diagnosis and self-action within the A.A.
environment.
I
see our literature, particularly the books, as being study
guides. It’s all there. I see the meetings, particularly closed
meetings, as the interpretive workshops. Often, comments at meetings
have gotten me back to the source documents for further study or have
shed additional light on the printed word. I almost have the feeling
that the words are living, changing, growing.
One
of our slogans is ’Keep it simple.’ I believe our books are just
simple enough to stand as they are and just complex enough to live
and grow."
A
third trustee-director said, "My knowledge of recovery has
been received in the Fellowship through the experience of one drunk
sharing with another, not on an instructive basis or in a classroom
atmosphere. I believe we in A.A. communicate with each other in a
language of the heart."
The
board has adopted the following policy statement:
"The
A.A. World Services Board of Directors feels strongly that permission
should not be granted to outside publishers or other parties to
reprint A.A. literature for the purpose of study guides or
interpretive or explanatory texts, etc. If such interpretive or study
guides are to be prepared, they should be published by A.A. World
Services, Inc.
The
board recognizes, however, that A.A. is a program of self-diagnosis,
self-motivation, and self-action and that the use of study guides,
courses, classes, or interpretations is therefore not generally
appropriate. The program is spiritual rather than academic. Hence, it
is preferable that the individual member or prospect interpret the
literature according to his own point of view. For these reasons,
the board does not plan to publish study guides or interpretations of
A.A. literature at this time."
The
full position paper is available from G.S.O.”
(our
emphases)
See
also here
Comment:
So they were saying this back in 1977 and yet still the recovery
'industry' both within and outside AA continues to churn out material
of questionable value (and we're being extremely generous here)! Joe
and Charlie, Primary Purpose, Back to Basics, The Last Straw
Foundation (oops …. the Last MILE Foundation) and other
assorted members of that age old fraternity – the 'snake oil'
purveyors - continue to bombard anyone within range with their
particular 'take' on the recovery programme. Of course what works for
Joe and Charlie may be be fine …. for Joe and Charlie. For our part we'd
rather do our own thinking thank you very much! But there may well be
members of the Fellowship who are so weak-minded that they are unable
to figure it out for themselves .... but then who wants to admit that! Our own recovery course (carefully hidden away in the Articles
section) is an approach not an interpretation and allows the widest
possible latitude for the exercise of the critical faculties …..
but yours not somebody elses!
Cheerio
The
Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)
PS
Our thanks to the member for drawing this document to our attention
