Comments on: Alcoholics Anonymous, AA: Who Can Join?

By: Rick P.

Rick P. — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 17:10:38 +0000

” Open” meetings are open to the general public
“Closed” meetings are usually discussions and for alcoholics only
A better place to go might be an “Alanon” meeting where the members discuss learing to live with Alcoholics

By: Kaela P.

Kaela P. — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 08:55:37 +0000

My mom drinks not me, she doesn’t attend meetings or have any desire to but an I still able to go?

By: Leeuh

Leeuh — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 14:12:29 +0000

I guess I’m really confused. Isn’t al-anon a sub-group or somehow related to AA? I remember as a kid that I went to al-anon meetings because my father drank. I know that al-anon is directed at kids/teens, but isn’t it all the same?

By: Bill Urell

Bill Urell — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 22:42:23 +0000

I tend to avoid writing about AA, because no matter what is said it will stir controversey. The mission of my blog is to put good non biased information in the hands of those who wish to recover. I see such value in 12 step groups that I was trying to remove an objection that some may see to attending meetings. I respect your objection to the 3rd tradition as it is now commonly accepted. Though we have dissenting opinions, I will gladly post your comment as a rebuttal to mine, as it is my policy to not edit feedback. Here is a recording of what Bill Wilson had to say about the issue of singleness of purpose: this link may be long so you may have to cut and paste it in your Browser:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5003690050958526939&ei=kqhtSL6UG5WgqgKQks2jDw&hl=en

Regards,

Bill Urell
MA CAAP-II

By: Peter Tippet

Peter Tippet — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 22:38:38 +0000

In Alcoholics Anonymous there are the 12 Traditions of which there are the “short form” and the “long form”…yet we don’t have 24 Traditions, we only have 12.It has been said that, “there is a lot lost in the translation” and well might it be said, “there is a lot lost in the abbreviation.” The long form if the 3rd Tradition states, “Our membership ought to include all who suffer from alcoholism. Hence we may refuse none who wish to recover. Nor ought A.A. membership ever depend upon money or conformity. Any two or three alcoholics gathered together for sobriety may call themselves an A.A. group, provided that, as a group, they have no other affiliation.”
That certainly has a lot more “meat” than the short form, “The only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking.”
Clearly, except for those unaware of the Long Form or those who just choose to ignore it and go about things in their own way (a clear contradiction to the Long Form of the 1st Tradition), membership in AA is for lcoholics and there are many people who have a “desire to stop drinking” who are not Alcoholic.
Those folks, along with anyone who is inersted in AA may attend an Open Meeting of Alcoholics Anonymous but attendance at Closed Meetings of AA, and in fact membership itself, is limited to alcoholics. Alcoholics who have other issues are welcome to attend Closed Meetings and claim membership…as long as they are alcoholic. Alcoholics Anonymous cleaves to ts “singleness of purpose” in spite of the fact that there are many who speak and teach against it. I would ask that you respect Alcoholics Anonymous and make clear the
distinctions between the alcoholic and the non-alcoholic, make clear the difference between an Open Meeting and a Closed Meeting as well as clealy defining the requirement for memberhip in AA…that of being an Alcoholic.

Peter Tippett