Hmmm. Don't see too many of that type of meetings on my neck of the woods. I recommend AA to people that think they have a drinking problem. I have in the past recommended to newcomers that AA might not be ready for them. Some make it back, others don't.
AA is not right for everyone. It's is just right for those that find (most often after getting into AA) they need a spiritual solution to stop drinking.
I figure that if AA is for you, you'll eventually achieve a modicum of sobriety in AA. If not, you'll move on to a solution that suits you.
As for meetings, we have a good spread of older/middle young members at every meeting. The message of sponsor, steps and service are always in the forefront of the solution. One thing that many forget is that we are a living example of the fellowship - either a good or bad one. A couple times a year we get someone in the rooms with multiple years of years of sobriety that let up on their program. Their story is of huge benefit to everyone. Because it always boils down to not doing what they did to get and stay sober early on. Some may leave because it is too much work, others redouble their efforts to make sure that they don't provide the next example.
We do have a few bleeding deacons that believe AA is the only way to sobriety. Their version of AA, of course. We keep loving them until they can love themselves.
I think the answer to your last question is held in the middleton group's answer to tradition 4 in the 12x12. Did you ever see a bunch of drunks agree on any one subject the same way two nights running? Nope. Will it change? Nope. As argumentative as the Kilkenny cats.
I don't get it either, but I am not going to drink over it. So I figure that rule # 62 applies...
Thanks for the thought provoker...
Dennis
There once were two cats of Kilkenny,
Each thought there was one cat too many,
So they fought and they fit,
And they scratched and they bit,
Till, excepting their nails
And the tips of their tails,
Instead of two cats, there weren't any.
:-)

I think that there is a range of people in AA, varying from those who want to dive 100% into the Steps and maximise their chances of recovery, to people who want to wade in at their leisure. The latter are like you alluded to - gettting sober on on the First Step and the Third Traditon. Fact is I do know people who have been off the booze for a considerable time with that approach - people in my current Home Group and many groups before that. But the numbers who stay dry that way are much fewer than those who "go to any lengths". And there are some who come into AA with no real committment to doing anything, but who respond to a life without booze and without a solution and all the pain that entails, with ultimately coming around (I don't mean to be patronising with that language but AA has saved my life) and eventually dive in 100%.

I'm a 100% - er and have been from the start. Not all are that way, but let's help all members, wherever they are on that scope of committment to find their way to the Steps. If they don't want that path though, that's their business.

I used to wonder the same thing till I got to know some people who use meetings as a place to socialize and hangout who do not feel comfortable anywhere else.

Some are just plain crazy and have been turned away everywhere else. Some were forced to come to AA and ended up liking it. Some find it so easy to "put the plug in the jug" that they see themselves as experts and stick around for the prestige that they know their token-chops will eventually give them.

In some areas AA claims to have a wrench to fit every kind of nut and thus attracts "every kind of nut". Not to mention the 13th steppers. I could on and on about them...

At my meeting tonight there were 4 newcomers (a rareity at my meeting! lol) and people were being told to 'get their head to bed without a drink' and to 'keep coming to meetings'.

My alcoholic head was sat there saying 'share this, share that' yet, as we know, we never share what we think we are going to.

My share 'it you are alcoholic, if you do not want to live in fear of the next drink, then get on with the steps. That is where the solution is'.

I am so pleased today that my sponsor qualified me and then took me through the steps and Big Book.

a great many come to the program like that, but most accept the hp and steps eventually, which of course is not a requirement.

Fortunately, I live in an area where there are a lot of meetings. My experience is that AA is different in every area, and individual meetings with in an area have different personalities. If I don't like how one meeting is conducted I can find another which I like better. One option each member has is to call for a group conscience, and take a group inventory. See if the group wants to come up with different and better way of helping the alcoholic who still suffers.

Any two or three individuals who gather together for sobriety can call themselves an AA group as long as there is no other affiliation. Around here, only about one out of three AA groups has ever registered with the General Service Office.

It has been said that all one needs to start a new AA group is two alcoholics, a coffee pot and some resentments.

Love that Crust. Hee Hee.

Some of us in my area did exactly that Crusty, we started a new meeting 2 years ago which is a beginners meeting and focused on talking about the solution. We started off with a weekly number of about 3 of us and now we are out growing the room that we use. Best thing is that we have newcomers that came to that meeting in its early days and are now still there sober and sponsoring other people.

Great post, Nicky! I friggin LOVE the Big Book! My sponsor did not take me through the Big Book. We worked with the 12&12 (which I love, I do).

After my relapse, and now willing to go to any lengths, working the steps through the Big Book is just an amazing experience. I said to a friend of mine... "Wow, there's some good shit in here!" Of course he laughed hysterically.

All I know is I do not want to go back to what I was. And before my relapse, although sober, I was an emotional wreck! My program went out the window and eventually so did my sobriety.

And Crusty, very true! There have been many meetings started here which were started just that way. Alcoholics. Gotta love 'em! :)

~Chris

Chris, I too love my Big Book and the 12 and 12. When I go through the steps for myself (which I continue to do at 11 years sober), or take others through it, I love to use them together, as the 12 and 12 offers so much more depth on each step. So I stop at each step in the Big Book and go to the step in the 12 and 12. You sound like you're really throwing everything at the disease and using the solution to the max and I believe that if you do that you'll gain onging sobriety.

This reminds me of the Joe and Charlie tapes, which I've run through a number of time too - another way to do the steps again - and you can do a lot of it just with the tapes and the Big Book, and then step out to refer to a sponsor or trusted member, especially at Steps 4&5. But I'd only recommend that once you've done the Steps with a sponsor. I may just pull those tapes out and give them a run. You've inspired me!!

Ha ha, Wendy. At my Step meeting tonight the Joe & Charlie tapes were mentioned. There's another reminder for ya!! Get movin', woman. LOL ;)

PS: Also, a reminder for me to order from Amazon tomorrow.

~Chris

why o people who don't need the big book, program, spiritual experience, higher power to stay sober go to AA?

they are crazy
we`re just insane

meetings, fellowship, desire to stop drinking

I know several good-old-timers who admit they first came to AA for the "easy-pickens" that the new comers of the opposite sex offered. They now confess that they not only picked up women but token-chips as well that they did not deserve (some for 10+ years).

At some point their continued drinking, or dry-drunks, caught up with them and they had to start over with a honest program. Some of them turned into the good-old-timers they were pretending to be initially.

I know several good-old-timers who admit they first came to AA for the "easy-pickens" that the new comers of the opposite sex offered. They now confess that they not only picked up women but token-chips as well that they did not deserve (some for 10+ years).

At some point their continued drinking, or dry-drunks, caught up with them and they had to start over with a honest program. Some of them turned into the good-old-timers they were pretending to be initially.