Daily
Reflections reading May 28th
Equal
Rights
At one time or another most A.A. groups go on rule making benders. . . . After a time fear and intolerance subside. [and we realize] We do not wish to deny anyone his chance to recover from alcoholism. We wish to be just as inclusive as we can, never exclusive. “A.A. TRADITION: HOW IT DEVELOPED.” pp. 10, 11, 12
A.A. offered me complete freedom and accepted me into the Fellowship for myself. Membership did not depend upon conformity, financial success or education and I am so grateful for that. I often ask myself if I extend the same equality to others or if I deny them the freedom to be different. Today I try to replace my fear and intolerance with faith, patience, love and acceptance. I can bring these strengths to my A.A. group, my home and my office. I make an effort to bring my positive attitude everywhere that I go. I have neither the right, nor the responsibility, to judge others. Depending on my attitude I can view newcomers to A.A., family members and friends as menaces or as teachers. When I think of some of my past judgments, it is clear how my self-righteousness caused me spiritual harm.
© Alcoholics Anonymous World Services
My thoughts on
May 28th Reading
The third tradition is a powerful statement, It tells
every alcoholic in the world that he may become and remain a member of AA so
long as he says so, AA has no membership rules and offers everyone complete
freedom to be who they are
AA does not wish to erect the slightest barrier
between the alcoholic who still suffers, we know that society has been
demanding that they conform to laws or conventions, because of the alcoholic
malady
They have been unable or unwilling to conform to
either the laws of man, or they were hooked because of the disease and became
alcoholics, if we raise obstacles for helping, they might stay away and perish
They might be denied their priceless opportunity to
recovery, to find a new way of life free from their addiction, many are made to
feel they are not allowed to share about their drug addictions
Some old-timers would stand up and say stop the sharing
about your addiction to drugs, when a person in compelled to identify as an
alcoholic only and does not identify as an addict, they are more likely to
relapse
They also have the right to share all of their
experiences, we have been the refuge of last resort for millions of desperate
alcoholics, who have hit bottom, and we have always been free for the taking
and are testament to our revolutionary Twelve Steps
The program has been successfully adapted over the
years to over 40 + other fellowships, but in its 74 years AA has shown a marked
history of miss-treatment of dually addicted alcoholics
This is not in keeping with AA’s own criteria for
membership and the spiritual principles; the program suggests we have a flaw
built into the Traditions born of the limitations of its time
AA’s Fifth Tradition dictates that each group's
primary purpose is to help the alcoholic who still suffers, many groups follow
this literally not allowing the dual addicted to openly share, the irony is
that people talk about everything in AA
All the ugliness and degeneration of family and
friends, that comes with the use of alcohol and the struggles of living sober, as
one member put it you can talk about lies, stealing, cheating, going to jail,
being abusive
But you wouldn't want to offend anyone by talking
about your addition to another type of drug, why do old timers insist that
people not talk about drugs if it's part of their problem, its mass denial in
AA
That dual addicted people can not share all their
experiences and it's faulty thinking most people in AA today are dually
addicted, alcohol and drugs were just a symptom, it's a recovery program for
all of us
To share our experiences, strengths, and hope, all of
who we are, today It's hard enough for newcomers ashamed and destroyed just to
walk in the door they are not equipped to judge whether they will be getting
what they need
We must not judge them; I feel that the principles are
the same whether abusing alcohol or drugs being an alcoholic and also having
had both types of abusers in my family life, the program has not changed
Technically Alcohol is a drug, I have yet to meet an
alcoholic who can play with drugs, or vice versa, I have been sober for 36
years the feelings and malady are the same and so are the recovery technique,
simply apply the 12 steps in to our lives
God bless you Al M
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suggestions or comments
