Conference Approved Literature

[Carrie]

This ones easy. Conference Approved Literature Only at meeting level.
There are no exceptions. It is our obligation to protect the traditions. Singleness of purpose is crucial as per our unity, and our common welfare should come first. personal recovery depends upon A.A. unity. Period.

Carrie B (Bend Or.)

[becksdad]

Hey Carrie, welcome to the forums! It's a very nice recovery community here (I think), lots of good people sharing recovery. Hope to see more of you!

Ed

[Oliver]

Welcome to the forums Carrie B. Thanks for your simple and to the point contribution hope to see more of you.

Oliver

[PaigeB]

This ones easy.

Welcome Carrie! Yes, for me it is easy too. But I have been to some really good meetings outside my community that had "burning desire" one word/phrase topics before. Not even sure if they read the Steps... either way, looks like folks were staying sober. Remember, our founders did not have the luxury of printed reading material - they had to write it!

[Patsy©]

This one is very easy! In 1986 the spirit of the 1977 Conference action regarding group literature displays be reaffirmed, and recommended the suggestion that A.A. groups be encouraged to display or sell only literature published and distributed by the General Service Office, the A.A. Grapevine and other A.A. entities. And it remains that way today.


http://www.aa.org/lang/en/en_pdfs/mg-09 ... ittees.pdf

A.A.® Guidelines Literature Committees from G.S.O., Box 459, Grand Central Station, New York, NY 10163

A.A. Guidelines are compiled from the shared experience of A.A. members in various service areas. They also reflect guidance given through the Twelve Traditions and the General Service Conference (U.S. and Canada). In keeping with our Tradition of autonomy, except in matters affecting other groups or A.A. as a whole, most decisions are made by the group conscience of the members involved. The purpose of these Guidelines is to assist in reaching an informed group conscience.


SOME GENERAL SERVICE CONFERENCE LITERATURE
COMMITTEE ADVISORY ACTIONS

It was recommended that:

1968: Conference-approved literature and G.S.O. Guidelines be displayed
and distributed at assembly meetings.

1969: One group member be chosen to be solely responsible for the
distribution of Conference-approved literature and its display.

1971: The delegates assume responsibility for informing A.A.s of all
available Conference-approved literature, and that the updated
spring and fall literature order blanks which are mailed with
Box 4-5-9 be reviewed at district and assembly meetings.

1972: It be suggested that when a local A.A. facility (central office, intergroup,
group, etc.) sells non-Conference-approved literature, it be
clearly designated as such.

1977: It was suggested that A.A. groups be discouraged from selling
literature not distributed by the General Service Office and the
Grapevine.

1986: In an effort to strengthen our network of literature representatives
to ensure that A.A. literature is available at meetings, as well as
catalog order forms for books and cassettes that individuals
are likely to want, it is suggested that groups appoint literature
coordinators.

1986: The spirit of the 1977 Conference action regarding group literature
displays be reaffirmed, and recommended the suggestion
that A.A. groups be encouraged to display or sell only literature
published and distributed by the General Service Office, the A.A.
Grapevine and other A.A. entities.

[Bdub57]

I'm not militant about this at all, but my true north when it comes to living sober and literature rests securely on page 87 of the Big Book: "There are many helpful books also." That's all I need to set my sober coordinates. Hope this is helpful to another alcoholic.

[Brock]

"There are many helpful books also." That's all I need to set my sober coordinates.

Welcome here Bdub57.

I agree 100%, if it were not for literature other than ‘AA approved,’ I don’t believe I could possibly have had the sort of spiritual experience necessary for serine living as promised in the big book.

We don’t generally allow the use of anything but ‘AA approved’ literature here, but I know of various AA groups who do, the benefits of other books have been the subject of some lively discussions on these forums.

[Pah]

What a blessing to find that I am not alone on this literature concern. I attend a meeting that only reads from Hazelden, They actually took a group conscience and chose that over an AA book. Why do I go ? Because I think that kind of meeting needs someone who can tell a newcomer what AA is about. I like the people, and there are some good shares, that said; it is not an AA meeting..The only AA thing they do is the 7th Tradition, that doesn't' seem appropriate. I did speak at on group conscience, and left very frustrated.. Most new people in there have no clue they are not doing AA...Should I continue to bring it up or just move on.
Pah

[MyNameIsBetsy]

And yet we post a daily reading from Hazelden's "Twenty Four Hours a Day" here at e-AA.

We took a Group Conscience vote on it a while back . . .

Just sayin'. . .

Betsy
an alcoholic

[Pah]

I understand this page posts non conference material, however it is not a meeting per say, but a forum.. I believe AA has a Daily Reflections book that offers that type of reading.. so, this page may support Hazelden instead of AA.... that doesn't make it in compliance with our traditions. Not angry or arguing, just clarifying, two wrongs do not make a right.
Pah

[MyNameIsBetsy]

I understand, Pah. I'm just grumbling a little bit !

Hope to see you posting more here, and am looking forward to getting to know you.

Betsy
an alcoholic

[Pah]

Great to meet you as well

[Brock]

I attend a meeting that only reads from Hazelden, They actually took a group conscience and chose that over an AA book. 

I have never heard of such a thing happening and am disappointed it did. However, I am the person who first lobbied for the 24hr Hazeldon readings to be included on our forum, and did so partly because it’s included on many other similar forums.

Now folks tend to say it’s against our traditions, but I know them pretty well and don’t believe they mention this. Where it is mentioned is in some GSO conference ‘bulletins,’ and even then it only says that groups be encouraged to only offer approved literature for sale at meetings, nothing about reading it at meetings. History also shows that the 24hr writings were composed by an AA member, and he was encouraged to approach GSO to have it printed for all of AA because all of the groups he showed them to loved it. GSO said we love it too, but we have just paid for the publication of the 12 & 12 and can’t afford this as well, long story short Hazelden also loved it and they had the money!

In our original group conference discussion on including it here, I quoted someone whose opinion is highly respected in AA circles, I will repost it and highlight a few areas this time -

By Bob Pearson, General Manager of the General Service Office 1974 -84, Senior Advisor to the GSO from 1985 until retirement, his story is in the Big Book under “AA Taught Him How to Handle Sobriety.”

Let me offer my thoughts about A.A.'s future. I have no truck with those bleeding deacons who decry every change and view the state of the Fellowship with pessimism and alarm...I echo those who feel that if this Fellowship ever falters or fails, it will not be because of any outside cause. No, it will not be because of treatment centers or professionals in the field, or non-Conference-approved literature, or young people, or the dually-addicted, or even the "druggies" trying to come to our closed meetings.

If you were to ask me what is the greatest danger facing A.A. today, I would have to answer: the growing rigidity -- the increasing demand for absolute answers to nit-picking questions; pressure for G.S.O. to "enforce" our Traditions; screening alcoholics at closed meetings; prohibiting non-Conference-approved literature, i.e., "banning books"; laying more and more rules on groups and members. And in this trend toward rigidity, we are drifting farther and farther away from our co-founders.

I think I also pointed out that even the Big Book says “there are many helpful books also.” And while I personally believe that certainly until someone has reached to step eleven they should stick to AA books; except in step four, in which very many people here have reported great assistance from online non-approved literature for laying out and understanding that step.

On some stupid troll sites about our fellowship we often see the word “cult,” I believe those who overemphasize this business about approved books, are giving these people fuel for their fire.

[Pah]

My thoughts, "“An AA Group ought never endorse, finance, or lend the AA name to any related facility, or outside enterprise, lest problems of money, property and prestige divert us from our primary purpose.” I'm not sure who the quoted person was, or why, that section made no sense to me. I have noticed, over the years, that there is an appetite to turn AA into MacDonalds, you can " have it your way".. The solution for the alcoholic is to not have it "their way" but, to learn to live in the world as it is, just " blend" if you will. Of course if you use the reading in the context of an AA meeting your are lending the AA name, of course. how clear can it be ? And not to be rude, but the people who take the Hazelden steps get the Hazelden " promises. (BTW there are no "Hazelden " promises
I just left the described meeting, the host explained to me "Thought for the Day"was the best selling book in that country,I don't know how they will stay sober if Stephen King writes another block buster Seriously, why do we not read the Bible, the Koran, maybe The Book of Morman ? Those books do not offer a solution for alcoholics.....Books written for alcoholics, by alcoholics treat this disease. Just because someone else violates the traditions is not a good reason to join them.... Sorry, very passionate about the program that saved so many lives, as written not re interpreted, hugs