I attend an Al Anon meeting that lately I am giving serious thought to leaving.

[raccoon]

The issue of use of mention of material other than Conference-Approved Literature has come up frequently in recent months. I called somebody on this once; someone else called somebody on it another time.

Thing is some of the people doing this are people with years in the program. I’m beginning to think it doesn’t bother others much.

I know, I could request a group conscience meeting to discuss this. I may do that.

Has anyone else run into this?

[IndyOp]

1. My experience, strength, and hope...

In no particular order...

1. On the Al Anon website you can order FREE copies of "Why Conference Approved Literature?" -- this pamphlet explains how Al-Anon Conference Approved Literature (CAL) comes to be, and the importance of using only Al-Anon CAL at Al-Anon/Alateen meetings. If you sign up to lead a meeting then the pamphlet can be the topic of that meeting if you want it to be.

Al-Anon website: http://www.al-anon.alateen.org/english.html

Direct to the pages where you can order online -- click on the product overview tab and then on the pamphlet link and then search for "Conference" from here ----> http://tinyurl.com/c74qwb

2. Have you talked to your sponsor about this?

3. Do you have a copy of "Al Anon's Twelve Steps & Twelve Traditions"? In the section on Tradition 2 -- page 96 -- it addresses a member's responsibility to speak up when a local Al Anon meeting had turned into an open AA meeting instead of keeping the focus on the Al Anon program.

4. A group conscience meeting sounds very appropriate and the fact that someone cares enough to call a group conscience meeting suggests that you meeting has some health, some soundness still that may be worth saving.

5. Do you have lots and lots of CAL and do members who've signed up to lead put a little energy into selecting readings for meetings? Groups that depend entirely on the daily readers tend to have non-CAL materials sneak in because people get tired of hearing the same pages from the daily readers over and over. Does your group have "Discovering Choices" -- the latest Al Anon book and my current favorite?

Take what you like and leave the rest.

Best wishes! IndyOp

[Brucie Kibbutz]

2. about meetings:

Take what you can use. Leave the rest.