Singleness of Purpose

[RufusACanal]

I found an excerpt on "Singleness of Purpose" from a NJ Intergroup meeting and wanted to pass on why this cornerstone of our program is more relevant than ever, today.

"Tradition One: Our common welfare should come first; personal recovery
depends upon A.A. unity.

A.A. is a “we”, not an “I”, program. When “we” place the good of A.A. ahead of
our own personal agendas and desires, A.A. can be better unified. We’re unified
and bonded by our common problem of alcoholism with a common solution as
outlined in our basic text affectionately called “The Big Book”.
So what happens when our unity is compromised or broken? How does this kind
of thing happen?

As individuals, we are each responsible for placing the common welfare of A.A.
first. The good of A.A. must always be a first priority even if it means “I” can’t get
what “I” want.

What can we do to place the welfare of A.A. ahead of our own?
- We need to identify ourselves simply as alcoholics…leaving our “other”
problems/addictions at the door. This even means not identifying
ourselves as drug addicts even if we have that respective addiction.
We are not N.A. We’re A.A. The only identification that belongs here
is that of being an alcoholic.

- Our sharing should be based on offering our experience, strength and
hope to the still-suffering alcoholic. In How it Works, we’re told to
disclose what we used to be like, what happened (in terms of getting
sober with the steps 1-9) and what we are like now (living in steps 10-
12). We’re to offer hope that there is a way out of the alcoholic
nightmare.

An A.A. meeting should not be used as a dumping ground for all our
personal problems and “issues”. These things belong with our
sponsors, our network and with appropriate professionals. We’re here
to offer hope and a solution to the still-suffering alcoholic. When we
dive into sharing whatever we want, we’re no longer bonded by a
common problem. We are divided by our differences. So where does
this leave the alcoholic who is dying a miserable alcoholic death? And,
who is responsible when that alkie doesn’t come back to A.A.? A lot of
us say they just didn’t want it enough. But what’s our part? When we
don’t take responsibility for our common welfare to keep A.A. – A.A.,
everyone suffers. Alcoholics die. And, Alcoholics Anonymous gets a
little more watered down.

Tradition Two: For our group purpose there is but one ultimate authority—a
loving God as He may express Himself in our group conscience. Our
leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern.
Alcoholics Anonymous is a fellowship that is supposed to be directed through a
loving God…not by individuals who want to run the show their own way. The
more we allow God to direct our actions through a group conscience, the more
we’re moved out of “self” and our own wants and desires. When God is given
the opportunity to direct our actions, our singleness of purpose has a greater
chance of being carried out through loving, God-inspired actions. With our own
plans and designs set aside, God can better move our fellowship in the direction
of helping the still-suffering alcoholic…God moves us to carry out our singleness
of purpose.

Tradition Three: The only requirement for A.A. membership is a desire to
stop drinking.

Notice it doesn’t state that we must identify ourselves as alcoholics; it simply
states we must have a desire to stop drinking. Also, notice it doesn’t state that
the requirement for A.A. membership is to not drink. It states, “to stop drinking”.
I’ve attended meetings where someone introduces him/herself as having a desire
not to drink. Well anyone, an alcoholic or NOT, can have a desire not to drink.
This does not mean they’ve met our requirement for membership.
I’ve known addicts who introduce themselves with “a desire not to drink” as a
way to qualify to attend a closed meeting. If an addict has been actively drinking
and has a desire to stop, they are more than welcome at a closed meeting and
indeed meet our requirement for membership. But if they haven’t been actively
drinking, then as such, they can’t have a desire to stop the drinking that they’re
not doing. These individuals do not meet our requirement for membership and
are only welcome at our open meetings, to sit and listen.

When an individual does not live in the spirit of tradition 3, it becomes about the
individual placing his/her own wants & desires ahead of the common welfare of
A.A. When a non-alcoholic uses an introduction like, I have a desire not to drink
or simply identify as an alcoholic because they think it’s all the same, this is a
problem and it’s wrong. They don’t share in our common problem. These
individuals cannot honestly offer a solution to the still-suffering alcoholic.
ALCOHOLISM AND DRUG ADDICTION ARE NOT THE SAME. When this kind
of thing happens, our unity is seriously weakened. We no longer share in the
same common problem.

In Chapter 7, Working With Others, it states, “Practical experience shows that
nothing will so much insure immunity from drinking as intensive work with other
alcoholics…[c]arry this message to other alcoholics! You can help when no one
else can.”

A non-alcoholic who uses A.A. to stay “clean”, not “sober”, cannot carry the
message to an alcoholic. They do not share a common problem with the alkie
nor do they share in a common experience. Our singleness of purpose is
completely lost. And, because of such selfish acts, our precious fellowship
withers away a little more.

What happens when we, as members of Alcoholics Anonymous, allow this kind
of thing to continue because we’re too scared to stand up for the principle of this
tradition out of fear of hurting someone’s feelings? We end up placing our own
fears ahead of our singleness of purpose. We end up being selfish in a selfless
program. And contrary to what many of us have heard at meetings, this is NOT a
selfish program!

Our primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics to achieve
sobriety…not to have non-alcoholics, who just attend A.A. because they like our
fellowship better than the one they respectively belong in, help alcoholics achieve
sobriety. They can’t and it doesn’t work. Simply put…this is not A.A.

Ruf

[CarolD]

Thanks for sharing