At our 12&12 meeting we did the 7th tradition last night. Verrrrry interesting.
Needless to say I was a little irritated with this one. Statistics show that all our $$$ we put in baskets around the world go to AA as a whole. We support our own meetings and that's pretty much it. One of the ole' timers told us that AA's office in New York said that if each group threw them $10 a year there would be no need to charge newbies for the Big Book.
The one thing about tradition meetings is that they are very informational. I don't like going to them but I learn a ton and am glad after I've made it through yet another one!
Oh yeah, the irritation came from the fact that all the meetings I attend are at a club. It profits off having AA meetings. I'm glad it's there I just don't like certain aspects surrounding this tradition and the way things are today!
Anyone feel like putting input in on this one? Please do!
Well..I'm in service...and Its demanding...and takes a lot of ones time...lotta travel...lotta paperwork...and a lotta computer time..
But once one gets into it...Its very rewarding..and a whole new learning experience...and sure takes one, out of ones self...
From the groups ..to District levels.. to Area levels...to Regional levels...to the General Service Levels in New York..its a whole new outlook on sobriety..and a way of giving back...
The Traditions...? They keep us from killing each other..(smile) and they hold it all together...
The Seventh? Keeps the financial wheel of AA turning...
Always lots to learn....
You have good night bud...
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"LOVE" devoid of self-gratification, is in essence, the will, to the greatest good...of another.
My HG AA is also "The Recovery Club" which membership dues go directly to us, not AA as a whole. This way the local stuff needed done, gets done..... we do both AA and our own club. I guess it works.........
-- Edited by Doll at 04:12, 2006-09-17
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Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass... It's about learning to dance in the rain.
'own any property', so it is not diverted from the primary purpose of helping alcoholics. The several dry clubs we have here in town that host AA meetings are non-profit organizations, and they do charge rent to the meetings, as it should be. We are using the club's bathrooms, lights, AC or heat, water.... yada yada. And AA as a whole WANTS to be responsible for itself by paying rent and such where necessary. That way AA is seen as an organization that is respnsible for itself, and not trying to accept hand-outs from the outside. It goes along with the tradition, in that we 'support ourselves'. In this way we remain autonomous, and the meeting itself cannot be influenced buy 'what the club', or any outside entity thinks... because we are not 'getting any favors' from the outside, in theory. We are paying for the use of the space.
In our area, we have tons and tons of meetings also held in churches. Each meeting pays the church something... even if the agreement is $20.oo a month. Many churches have offered to host meetings for free, but AA feels better paying for this service, for exactly the reasons above. So to my knowledge, no one around here is actually 'making a profit', much less a 'killing' off of having AA meetings. Meetings around here that have hundreds of people attend every week, who have often a big surplus of donations, make contributions regularly to Intergtoup and the AA World Service Center in New York. I have also known wealthier meetings to donate to smaller meetings in other parts of the world or country that are struggling to stay afloat.
So it all comes out in the wash. Part of our individual recovery processes is learning how to quit the thought pattern of 'take take take', and becoming responsible for ourselves financially. By putting our one or two dollars in the basket, and then that being used for rent and supplies, we are practicing the principles on the level of the group.
Hope this makes sense, as that is how I've come to understand it.
Great subject Justin, and thanks. And thank GOD for those traditions!! They are what has kept us afloat!!
