I guess I've just seen way too little good come of this practice, as opposed to problems that can result from it, to see any justification for it.
For this drunk, each and every one of those drunks coming through the doors of AA for the first time, no matter where they are coming from, reminds me of where I came from....... and helps me to stay grateful for what I have today....... and what I have today is "There by the Grace of God.... Go I"
What comes of this? I get to walk away sober whether they do or not, and I get to keep gratitude in my heart for another day of sobriety. I am not there to keep them sober, I am there to stay sober myself, and to help another sick and suffering alcoholic to achieve sobriety. That alone...does it for this drunk. Because today, the only problem that I have...... is ME
We do not know who will hear the message, or who might keep coming or who may stay sober because they heard something or saw something that they want. If I take the attitude with any alcoholic that YOU are not welcomed here at this AA meeting...... then I am putting my own sobriety at risk, because I NEED them, much much more than they NEED me.
I was given this gift freely........and yes it is a gift, and one in which I cherish.......and the only way for me to keep this gift....... is to give it away..... freely, as it was given to this drunk.
God speaks through the group conscience........ if the group has voted that there will be no slips signed at this AA meeting........ then that would be best announced at the opening of the AA meeting. If this decision is being questioned at the AA group business meetings, then so be it. Thats what an AA group business meeting is for.
And no one can be made to see anything. They first have to want to at least look.
No one can be made to see anything, thats so true.
What else is so true is that when we share our own experience, strength and hope from the podium, none of us knows who may hear the message of hope........none of us knows who will come through those doors of AA whether from a court order, or from anywhere else and just may hear exactly what they need to hear........ whether they came there wanting to look, wanting to hear, wanting to get sober or not. None of us knows who may hear something at an AA meeting and remember it months or years later.......and come back through those doors of AA. We share to stay sober ourselves, and to help another sick and suffering alky to achieve sobriety. We never know who may hear the message or who we may help to achieve sobriety or who may want it.
The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking......... but we don't know who will come through those doors of AA without any desire to stay sober at all....... and hear something that just may help them to come through those doors again, this time with a desire to stop drinking.
I am so very grateful that when I came through those doors of AA, that they put their hand out to me and said "Welcome, we are so glad you are here". They didn't ask me where I came from or if I met with their approval........ they simply "Welcomed" this drunk, and they told me to keep coming no matter what.
I was so sick when I first came though those doors of AA that if they had been standing in judgement of me, or where I came from, or how I got here............ I would be dead now.
Thank you God for those drunks who give it away for one reason and one reason only......... so that they can stay sober, and pass on what was given to them freely,........ because we just don't get to know who will want it and who won't....... because thats just not our job to determine who wants it and who doesn't.
Love
Patsy