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'm looking at the Al-Anon/Alateen Service Manual (2018-2021 edition), and on page 106 it says:
Selling Products at Meetings/Conventions/Conferences
Tradition Five states that the one purpose of each Al-Anon group is to help families of alcoholics. Therefore, it is inappropriate for an individual or outside entity to use All-Anon meetings or other Al-Anon events as a marketplace before, during or after these gatherings for the sale of services or products.
At our assemblies- for all our groups in this province- we have an auction. It is a lot of fun- and sometimes has booby prizes.
The money is used for delegates travel and to buy literature- stuff like that. I think this is the norm for Alanon. The activities you are describing do not ring true for me. ...
Not sure what you are chasing after here, but my two cents would be..... IF this is happening at the meeting(s) that you are attending, these types of things might best be handled by a group conscience meeting. I am not sure that "Al-Anon's position" on these things is as important as the individual group's perspective.
In MY personal opinion, none of the three items you brought up are appropriate for meetings (especially IN meetings), and all three are 'slippery slopes' if a group does want to allow them. That being said - these items are all what I would call the 'grey' zone, and our world is seldom black & white. We are faced with choices each and everyday in our respective recoveries, and what goes on before or after meetings is somewhat open to interpretation, but you always have the option of politely saying no.
Tom
__________________
"He is either gonna drink, or he won't.... what are YOU gonna do?"
"What you think of me is none of my business"
"If you knew the answer to what you are worrying about, would it REALLY change anything?"
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