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OUTSIDE LITERATURE AT OA MEETINGS

8/16/2022

1 Comment

 
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"Recently I attended an Overeater Anonymous meeting, which is registered as an official meeting. I was rather surprised and disappointed to find them reading a book that is not conference approved literature. The newcomer I brought to meeting was very confused."  L.

Dear L., 
 
Thanks for writing to the WSO.   My name is Margie and I am the Region One Trustee Liaison.  I live in Dundee, OR which is about 25 miles southwest of Portland.
 
It is generally considered good policy for OA meetings to use only OA material in their meetings.  Tradition 4 states “Each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting other groups or OA as a whole.”  I always encourage meetings with practices which are different from many other OA groups to include a statement in their format which explains that they do something different and lets others know that this not a general OA practice.   You can always ask the leaders of the meeting if there was a group conscience taken on this issue. 
 
I believe that a Tradition is higher value than an OA Policy, the autonomy of the group is a Tradition. If it were a meeting which I attended I would call for a group conscience and argue against use of outside literature.

There are times when one is out-voted.  The last time this happened for me (I was out-voted on an issue where I was sure I was right and they were wrong).  
When I realized that everything I said made the others more determined to do it their way and less interested in my way, I stopped talking and then got up and left the meeting for fifteen minutes while I cooled down.  Then I went back.  The vote had been taken and they went on with the meeting.  I choose to go along with the group conscience.  This is how I learn humility. 
 
I hope that this information is helpful to you. 
 
In love and service,
Margie G. - [email protected]

PLEASE DO NOT INCLUDE LAST NAMES IN BLOG POST COMMENTS
1 Comment
Lesley K
8/23/2022 04:08:33 pm

Thank you, Margie! It was very helpful hearing both sides of this issue. I see that not reading from outside literature doesn't have to be set in stone. Of course, our traditions have the final say.

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