Whilst ploughing our way merrily through the World Wide Web we came across this curious listing on the Plymouth Intergroup website:
The group
details are indicated as having been submitted to the Intergroup
website on the 15th September 2012.
The group
details also appear on the AA online meeting directory (but under a
different address):
The term
“Good Book” (as in “The Good Book”) refers generally to the
Christian Bible.
If this is the case we would remind this group of Traditions 3 and 10
(long form):
3 Our
membership ought to include all who suffer from alcoholism. Hence we
may refuse none who wish to recover. Nor ought A.A. membership ever
depend upon money or conformity. 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.
10 No
A.A. group or member should ever, in such a way as to implicate A.A.,
express any opinion on outside controversial issues—particularly
those of politics, alcohol reform, or sectarian religion. The
Alcoholics Anonymous groups oppose no one. Concerning such matters
they can express no views whatever.
Also the
AA preamble:
“Alcoholics Anonymous is a
fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and
hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and
help others to recover from alcoholism.
The only requirement
for membership is a desire to stop drinking. There are no dues or
fees for AA membership; we are self-supporting through our own
contributions.
AA is not allied with any sect,
denomination, politics, organisation or institution; does not wish to
engage in any controversy; neither endorses nor opposes any causes.
Our primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics to
achieve sobriety.”
(our
emphases)
Clearly
any group which espouses (or endorses) a particular religious belief
system (either implicitly or explicitly, as this group seems to be
doing) is in breach of these guidelines (we would include in this
class all those groups which use the Christian prayer - the Pater
Noster - as part of the format of their meetings)
Cheerio
The Fellas
(Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)
