kudzujean

Scene: you go into your Al Anon group, and someone is presenting the program. S/he passes out a printed page which is from a source other than CAL literature, or else starts to read from a source that is clearly not CAL. What do you do/say?

Hammer

me?

I say Praise God that I made to Alanon, and tell other members that I am grateful they are there.

But that is just my perspective.

Take what you like and leave the rest.

lillamy

I'd probably ask where the page is from, and inform the person that we don't use non-conference approved literature.

Here's why: It's difficult enough to get people to walk through those doors, and I don't want someone to be put off because someone else decided to bring something that inspired them from the Bhagavadghita or the Foundational Pillars of the Democratic Party or some other "surprise." But I've been called a troublemaker before.

honeypig

There is an Alanon group in my area that you can only hear about via word of mouth. They are not listed on the Alanon web site and the local central office will curtly tell you they know nothing about any such meeting if you ask.

The reason? This group is a book study group and reads the AA Big Book. That apparently is not CAL for Alanon.

But I do see the point in keeping Alanon as only Alanon. If there is something someone finds helpful and they want to share it w/some specific member or members, that should be addressed outside of the actual meeting. I wanted to share "Let Me Fall" w/a member yesterday, so I got his email and emailed it to him at home rather than bring a printed copy to a meeting.

I think, if you believe there is a problem w/the group using non-CAL, the best way to handle it is to ask for a group conscience to be held and to discuss it there. Sound reasonable?

Hammer

Yeah, have seen a little bit of that type High Drama, too. On the other hand some groups take a Group Conscience and add the AA Big Book to their line-up. Conference has Nothing To Say about that.

I have pulled out the "How It Works" opening and "The AA Promises" a couple times.





A+

When I hear this type crap . . . . I usually think -- so How are Your Own Steps or Your 12th Step Work Going?

Stung

Just my opinion, but I think it's important to remember that people are only human and may not know about the "rules."

Recently in a meeting I attended someone read from the Big Book during their chair (because they were a double winner - but oh excuse me, An Al-Anon Member Who Is A Member of Another 12 Step Program since Double Winner is so un-PC apparently) and a few women afterwards were gossiping about how it was against the rules to read from Non Al-Anon approved literature. Well guess what, not gossiping is included in our closing but guess what those bats were doing - gossiping and thus breaking the rules too.

I think this is a point where "take what you like and leave the rest" comes into play. Whatever the person's inspiration came from wasn't the point, the intent and message that was shared was probably what was meant to be taken away.

Today I went to a new noon meeting, since I'll be out of town most of this week, and my share triggered one of the people there and afterwards she went on a rant about what I "needed" to do. Umm…I went to a meeting last week covering the 3rd tradition and she should not be telling me how or what I need to be doing in my life. I'm sure she meant well and I think my share just triggered her and she reacted to me rather than thoughtfully sharing ES&H with me. You win some, you lose some. Her rant isn't what I'm taking away from that meeting.