I think that the "attraction rather than promotion" part of the program, comes from seeing how people are getting by in their personal lives. Through shares.

The big book is great. So great, that people run separate meetings specifically for big book study. And anyone is free to start one.

do not confuse AA with religion.....it is not a religion at all....you could scare off a newcomer who is not wanting anything to do with religion.....and saying it is my new religion could send them away to drink to death.....so just to be sure you knew that....

As for the big book....there are different types of meetings....if your meeting does not read at least the How it works...at every meeting they really need to be told to do that....it is the beginning of ch 5....to the point it says(a) that we were alcoholic and could not manage our lives. (b)no human power could have relieved our alcoholism. (c) god could and would if he were sought.

beyond that there are big book study meetings which you start at the beginning of the book and everyone reads a little bit.....we have an intensive AA Big Book Study meeting I go to Tuesday that just started 5weeks ago....one person reads as much or little as he desires...he can be interrupted by someone who wants to share about what he has read....anyway for two weeks this person is the leader of the meetings reading.....but people share all along about what has been read....then the next reader is selected for two weeks of him reading....from where last guy left off....we will read all the forwards and then the first 164pages slowly as we do.....

if no meeting does this start one....invite others tell them what you want to do with the meeting....two or more people together sharing is a meeting if they are AA and want to stay sober...

I remember one meeting I chaired, I brought up the spirituality of AA, much to the chagrin of some of the people in attendance and when I opened the meeting to general discussion, One guy raised his hand and said, "The only place I ever found spirits, was at the liquor store!" I had to laugh. :)

Yes there is a difference between spirituality and religion and in the EHA book it describes it in the first few pages.

God Bless

hold your horses kids :)....................it was a metaphor, I was saying that I have embraced AA like people who go to church embrace religion, and I am not religious in any shape or form, but believe wholeheartedly in AA and the principles behind it.

There are no Big Book readings at the face to face meeting I attend, and found out today that it is an ID meeting, today I purposely went late so I couldn't get into the meeting and got to talk to my friend Crystal who is amazeballs and gives Service everyday with volunteering, meetings etc all to do with AA.

I told her about my love for the Big Book and she told me there are specific groups for just that.............so now my mission is to find them and attend both ID/Big Book Study face to face meetings, and also increase my Zoom meetings cos been a bit lazy with them.

I cannot start a meeting here, as you have to have 2 years of sobriety under your belt before you are able to do that - if I could I would do it believe me.

I found out something today, for you Bill, it may make smoke come out of your ears.................in Victoria there are 2 AA's - one is called AA and the other AA Times. Apparently, a group of people couldn't agree on certain issues, so they broke off into 2 groups both based here in Victoria. I had no idea, but the AA Times group also run events, weekends away etc, so will definitely be looking into that. (and are both AA, just one has a different name - what a pity that it had to come to that and they couldn't agree, what would Bill and Bob say about that I wonder)

I found out about the 'frog on the log' story, will keep that in my head, great story to remind us about our first thought, and our second thought.

And my friend Bob................you always sign off "God Bless', so does that mean you are religious or spiritual ???

Alot for us all to ponder............................but love that a post gets us talking and thinking, that was the whole point - to get all these wonderful, different perspectives in a loving, healthy, positive way :)

I think it could be either depending on what your belief system is.
For example, I believe God is unconditional Love so if someone says it to me, then they are showing affection or "extending Being" (my zen answer) Being is known by sharing.

There have been atheists in here in the past who demanded I do not sign off with that on any reply to their posts. They were really angry so I had to try to keep track of their ds usernames in order to accommodate their wishes. It always surprised me how two words could cause so much fear in some people.

God Bless

God bless back at ya Bob

Good post Shiney. You are taking your recovery seriously and that will take you a long way in the right directions!

thanks Fred..............means alot :)

Friday 6:11 AM eastern daylight time Shiney: I attend a Big Book meeting (now on Zoom) each and every Tuesday. I was fascinated by the "AATimes" in Australia, so I went to their website. There are lots of different types of meetings. Here is a Big Book Zoom meeting, but I realize (now) that it is Friday 9 PM in Victoria, so that meeting is over. Friday 6:00pm - Online from Footscray
Big Book Study
Zoom Meeting ID: 652 200 493

Thanks Ri, will check it out next Friday, what time is the Tuesday one on ? Can do that one too, thanks for taking the time to check it out for me, you are appreciated