The material presented
here is not Al-Anon Conference Approved Literature. It is a method
to exchange
information, ideas, feelings, problems and solutions on a personal
level.
I have heard in many meetings that the AA big book is not Al-Anon conference approved literature. This subject was brought up again last night at a meeting.
I have been in this wonderful program for a short five years and have yet to see it in print. I have heard it many times but don't remember seeing it in print. The AA big book has a lot of wonderful information for the family and friends of the alcoholic. I even have my sponsee's start off their recovery by reading the AA big book up to the start of the personal stories. When Al-Anon was first started all they had to work with was the AA big book, so where is the problem?
What I am asking is does anyone know where it is in print that the AA big book is not conference approved material?
Working on my recovery One Day at a Time Barb
__________________
Everything I have ever let go of has claw marks all over it.
I have been in the program 3 years and held GR positions, attended state conferences, etc. etc. and I have never seen those words anywhere. I worked for a year with a woman who was a national board member at world headquarters and knew alot about the texts/rules and I am pretty sure she would have mentioned that...she was no personal fan of the blending of AA and Al-anon but she knew it served its rightful purpose and respected it. She knew the rules inside and out, technically.
I do believe that AA is conference-approved literature- a call or email to headquarters would probably confirm this- I think ALL the lit that is produced and distributed via world headquarters is considered "conference approved".
Mobirdie, I have heard too that the AA big book is not conference approved literature. I don't know where that is stated, but I will do some checking around and see if I can find out. I have been in the program 17 years and I have heard it a lot.
The Big Book is not CAL. It is not put out by Al-Anon WSO. It is published by AA.
This issue was discussed again at our state Assembly last week. Our delegate read directly from an Al-Anon source....I don't have time this morning, but I will find the reference and post it for everyone later.
The Big Book is a wonderful resource--I have it, I read it (along with the AA 12&12, the Little Red Book for Women, etc... I also attend a Big Book study for Al-Anons, but it is not an Area-approved event and it does not purport to be strictly Al-Anon.
I don't discuss the Big Book in Al-Anon meetings--because my home group's group conscience is that we abide by what is recommended by WSO.
AA is a different program. It's about helping the A stop drinking. Al-Anon is about us and our "isms." The programs are related and support each other, but they are different.
So, at the State Convention, we will have AA participation: an A speaker on Friday and AA meetings available throughout the weekend. But the weekend will be about the Al-Anon program. How we deal with the effects of alcohol in our lives. Not, how we to live sober.
Yours in recovery,
SLS
-- Edited by SLS on Thursday 9th of April 2009 09:45:59 AM
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Do not be anxious about tomorrow; tomorrow will look after itself. The Bible, from Courage to Change, p.138
From the Al-Anon/Alateen Service Manual (2006-2009) at p. 94-95:
Outside Publications
Other Literature at Meetings. There are many outside publications on alcoholism, religion,and philosphy that appeal to members as individuals. Brief excerpts from such materials may be part of their personal sharing at meetings. In the spirit of unity, it is suggested that only Al-Anon and Alateen Conference Approved Literature be used and displayed at meetings.
It is well to remember that all A.A. literature is written for and from the viewpoint of alcoholics and is not Al-Anon/Alateen Conference Approved Literature. Reliance onn opinions expressed in A.A. and other publications can distort the Al-Anon approach, particularly for the newcomer. (see Al-Anon Spoken Here [P-53], Why Conference Approved Literature? [P-35], and Alcoholism The Family Disease [P-4].
Reading Matter Outside of CAL. Individuals may read whatever they find helpful, but Al-Anon cannot assume the responsibility for evaluation or recommending reading matter other than CAL (see the leaflet Why Conference Approved Literature? [P-35]).
Yours in Recovery,
SLS
-- Edited by SLS on Thursday 9th of April 2009 09:57:11 AM
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Do not be anxious about tomorrow; tomorrow will look after itself. The Bible, from Courage to Change, p.138
Yeah, SLS is right. The Big Book isn't Al Anon CAL. But, for me, there's alot of books that weren't CAL and darn it if they didn't save my life. What I tell my sponsees is that if the book is gonna guide you to a deeper religion to your higher power, go for it. Now of course I'm not gonna support something like "How to murder without getting caught." But I've had people use the koran, the torah, the bible, and yes, the Big Book. If that'll guide you to a deeper relationship to your higher power *go for it*.
Hi Molly , just might have what u are looking for . This artcle appeared in our bulletin a month ago as a question often asked of WSO members.
Why can't the big book of Alcoholics Anonymous be studied in Al-Anon meetings? What traditions is the use of the *big book* inconsistant with and why ? Why is the actual sourse material that Al-Anon was developed from being put aside? The big book is the authority on alcoholism , why would we keep it from our membership?
Answer : Although Al-Anon roots are based in AA the *big book* is not and never has been Al-Anon Confrence Approved Literature , in the very early yrs AA literature was used in meetings because we had very little material of our own . when our co founder Lois W wrote the Al-Anon family groups ( B-5 ) with the help of other pioneers and the support of her husband Bill , she intended it as our big book .
( this next paragraph explained to me why I have always despised the chapter to the wives in the big book ) a wife or child of was never consulted )
Bill had not allowed her to write any part of the AA big book - even the chapters to the wife or the family- because his book was from the PERSPECTIVE AND EXPERIENCES of alcoholics. traditions 1-3-5-6- ( the AA big book was never considered as CAL )
All AA literature is written from the perspective of the alcoholic and does not reflect the perspective or experience of the familes and friends of alcoholics.
I too read the AA big book when i first arrived here looking for some insite into this disease , but soon realized that it was still about him . hehe and i recomend my sponcees read it too but not to mention it in our meetings . Hope this helps -- Louise
-- Edited by abbyal on Thursday 9th of April 2009 04:28:32 PM
THe Big BOok has some excellent information on detatching with love--in Working with Others, it talks about the distinction between serving someone spiritually (which helps) and serving them enablingly ("on a service plane"). I do talk about this in meetings, and this is permitted to tlak about anything literature in a meeting, briefly.
Pushing against anything that's non-conference-approved will only bring more of that, but taking what you like and leaving the rest is an effective way of handling the issue.
