Feel the Pain of an A.A. Group Being Kicked Out for Reading the Bible -- Just as the First Three AAs Did in 1935

Feel the Pain of This Group Being Kicked Out of A.A. for Doing What Bob and Bill Did Daily

[Names removed to preserve anonymity]

I spoke with Dave the dist 3 az delegate last night. He said ……. Intergroup is responsible for publishing the schedule and it is up to them regarding this matter. He said to call ….., who runs Intergroup ….

I just spoke to …. She says:

1) She has the power to take people off the schedule by Intergroup by laws and although she does, she asked lots of other AA people and all agreed the FOBF meetings are violating traditions, principally because of the website  Biblical and / or religious references and are "secular religion " references   prohibited under tradition 10 long form. I mentioned that this seemed to be "governance" to me and therefore against the traditions  as well and we would have preferred she discuss this with us versus taking this action.  She did not disagree and apologized for not doing so. I asked , (as we agreed at our business meeting last Sunday night), what needed to happen to get back on the schedule.

2) She said in order to be replaced onto the schedule, all references to the Bible or Jesus Christ would have to be removed from the FOBF.net website, or the website would have to be severed from AA in any way. I asked clarification as to whether  Intergroup Tucson is telling our group that we cannot say anything about the Bible or Jesus Christ in our Group message that came out of our group conscience? She confirmed that we cannot have any sectarian religion related references anywhere on our website including in our group message.

3) She then questioned me "as one AA to another" even if we change or disconnect our website, and she puts us back on the schedule, will we keep doing meetings  the same way anyway? I asked what she meant by that, and she asked point blank if we would continue to read the Bible in our meetings. I said we might and that I was told by GSO it is none of their business what AA groups read in their meetings, and then I asked her, if she was implying that even if we take down our website, that if we intend to make the Bible part of our meetings, then she would not list our meetings?  , and she said yes, she would not list our meetings if we intend to include the Bible in our meetings, and she then said we better discuss this at the Intergroup meeting on Sunday, and I said OK and that following the Intergroup meeting, I / we  wanted in writing, what it is she is saying we have to do or not do to be put back on the list.

4) Both …. and …. said we can have meetings in the way we are doing them, and call ourselves AA, we just can't be listed in the schedule (and maybe can't vote or participate in AA ,,,, Intergroup  infrastructure either...we'll see). …. noted...."you have your own website that lists your meetings" She also noted we are in the printed schedule that just came out, so we are in printed form for next 6 months

Just a couple simple observations:

1) By not listing FOBF group , they (Intergroup) is effectively removing  that group from  visible  AA in …., and the group is being effectively kicked out of Intergroup. I would want clarification if that is their assumption as well, that is, do we as an AA group listed or not, get to attend and vote at Intergroup meetings? I think the inference is that we would no longer be included in ,,,, AA Intergroup, but I want them to clarify that.

2) Only requirement....desire to stop drinking. Even if we did or are breaking a Tradition,  FOBF cannot be kicked out of AA for doing so. What is at issue  is different interpretations of the Traditions, and they are saying their's rules and we are out, which is a break of the traditions in itself.

3) If Biblical scripture at a meeting  is a disqualifyer for . . . . AA meetings, then I wonder if  every meeting that ends with the Lord's Prayer needs to be taken off the list?  It is as we all know scripture ( Mathew 6:9-13)

4) Anyone that can attend this Sunday at intergroup office at 1:30 please do. If this upsets anyone's sobriety, then please don't attend. God is in charge and we are following His Word.

5) Psalm 46:10   " Be still and know that I Am God"  =  Let Go Let God....it will be so interesting to see what God has planned here

6) Let's pray to be guided by 1 Corinthians 13.  Sunday will be  a challenging but wonderful opportunity to display a Christlike character.

Signed…..