There is a time and a place for open meetings and a time and a place for closed meetings.
These days I don't think it is so much about anonymity as it is about identification. My home group is a traditional group and our meeting is closed. That is where I go to be really connected to AA. I attend other meetings that are open. Some are really good, and some leave a lot to be desired. Too often I've seen an NA meeting break out in an open AA meeting. That is because that, although it was an open meeting, the group chose to ignore both our single purpose and our primary purpose. Which, under the umbrella of the Fourth Tradition, they can do. But I just wonder what it would be like for my seventy-eight year old alcoholic uncle who has never been to an AA meeting in his life. Could he identify with the heroin addicts? With the crackheads? With the meth addicts? I doubt it. He would be asking the same question as the gambler-"Am I in the right place?" And he would most likely leave and go die of alcoholism, which he is going to do soon anyway.
We should be helping the addicts, the gamblers, etc. to recover and then help them get strong in their respective fellowships. Then they wouldn't have to come to our meetings. A fellowship is a gathering of people of a like mind. That's why there is different denominations of churches. It is even more important in the recovery community because lives are at stake.
Jim
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Originally Posted by GlassPrisoner  I've always questioned closed meetings anyway.
I guess if anonymity is REALLY important (like the President of something) then yeah. Otherwise, I've always been of the opinion that all are welcome, ESPECIALLY those in need.
That said, druggies can probably relate better to another druggies, gamblers to another gambler, etc. Even though a lot of us probably cross over into other addictions anywhoo. |