Tradition 2 - "For our group purpose there is but one ultimate authority - a loving God as He may express Himself in our group conscience. Our leaders are but trusted servants; they do not govern."
"...' Does AA have a real leadership?' Most emphatically the answer is 'Yes, notwithstanding the apparent lack of it... What becomes of [the deposed founder and his friends]? ... Ultimately, they divide into two classes known in AA slang as 'elder statesmen' and 'bleeding deacons'. The elder statesman is the one who sees the wisdom of the group's decision, who holds no resentment over his reduced status, whose judgement, fortified by considerable experience, is sound, and who is willing to sit quietly on the sidelines patiently awaiting developments. The bleeding deacon is one who is just as surely convinced that the group cannot get along without him, who constantly connives for reelection to office, and who continues to be consumed with self-pity. A few hemorrhage so badly that - drained or all AA spirit and principle - they get drunk. At times the AA landscape seems to be littered with bleeding forms. Nearly every oldtimer in our Society has gone through this process in some degree. Happily, most of them survive and live to become elder-statesman. They become the real and permanent leadership of AA. Theirs is the quiet opinion, the sure knowledge and humble example that resolve a crisis... They do not drive by mandate; they lead by example. This is the experience which has led us to the conclusion that our group conscience, well-advised by its elders, will be in the long run wiser than any single leader..."
Following this is a story about how Bill almost became a professional lay therapist. That would have raised him up from being just another drunk in AA to an authoritative leader and helper of others who were still sick. He ended up declining that kind of role and leadership.
There is a difference, apparently, between being an old-timer and an elder statesman. And an elder statesman might not be what we think when we first come into the program, looking for help.
Me,, I'm not there yet,, I know.. I'm just another recovering alcoholic trying to learn the program, and apply it,, day by day.
love in recovery,
amanda
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do your best and God does the rest, a step at a time
"ANONYMITY IS THE SPIRTITUAL FOUNDATION OF ALL OUR TRADITIONS EVER REMINDING US TO PLACE PRINCIPALS BEFORE PERSONALITIES."
PRINCIPLES BEFORE BLEEDING DECONS
I'M GOING TO QUIT GOING TO A GROUP FOR THIS REASON.
THE BLEEDING DECON IS THE GROUP OWNER AND IT'S GOD
DOES ANYBODY KNOW WHAT I MEAN ?
TRADITION 2,4,5 AND 12 DON'T EXIST **I HAVE A CHOICE**NO BATTLE** NO DEBATE**IT'S HARD BECAUSE OF SOME OTHER PEOPLE BUT I CHOOSE TO NO LONGER GO TO THERE MEETING.
I'VE LEARNED SOME THINGS THE HARD WAY. THE EAISER SOFTER WAY IS TO DETACH.
I GUESS THE GROUP DOSEN'T HAVE ANYTHING I WANT OR IN PARTICULAR A LEADER WHO HAS ALL ATHOURITY. ELECTIONS ? officers? business meetings?
WE ALL HAVE A CHOICE ALL I CAN CHANGE IS ME ALL U AA's TAUGHT ME THAT
