NA is under threat today from the same guys who fought with Jimmy K all those years ago, and this petition is to help spread awareness and let them know we don't need outside help. Please sign and help spread the word.
This is rooted in ancient NA history. The "unauthorized edits" to the Basic Text were done because Jimmy K insisted. Most people put the good of the Fellowship ahead of getting even for their resentments, but one man has nursed his and taught it to new generations of addicts over the years. He was a real big shot in NA once and maybe wants to be again, but what is going on is that he has put together a small army of his supporters, and they think they know better than all the rest of us how to have a group conscious and recover, and they are trying to force their system on us by going around the current service system. It will cost a lot of money that NA doesn't have, and gut World services. We need to let them know that not everyone will just automatically believe what they say. They are slick, but so far most areas are seeing through their agenda. They don't care if they split the Fellowship in half though...
This petition is either a hysterical over reaction to some disgruntled members or, a way to publicize a dissenting movement within the fellowship, I'm not sure which. P.S. I don't care. I pray, work the steps, call my sponsor, go to meetings and do service. That's how I stay clean and in recovery. Nothing anyone does is going to change that.
There are some changes that are being tossed around that may change the way SERVICE works thru NA..It is too much info to just write about so I will put the web site and you can read if you want..We have been talking about it at Area service last few months and addicts have been asked to look at it for themselves as a point of info for now.. I dont know how to get the website on here so i'll just type it
Im still reading it myself...in the meantime I continue to remain guided by my Higher Power,show up at meetings,do step work with my sponsor,sponsor others,and give back to the fellowship to the best of my ability,a day at a time.It continues to help me be of maximum service to God and reach out to others...I ain't signing nothing right now!!!
-- Edited by BigV on Tuesday 12th of April 2011 12:17:09 PM
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Our purpose is to remain clean,just for today,and to carry the message of recovery.
thanks for the link Mike, at least now I know what the fuss is all about. Being one who does service at the group level i.e. not area service, I did not hear about this movement to create a level of service that is national in scope. On the face of it, it seems logical.....local areas, regional, state and then national. But I can see the other side of the argument that wants to keep things the way they are. I am not seriously into the politics of NA "upper levels" but it will be interesting to see how this unfolds in the future. Just a quick note to damascus It would have been nice if before trying to enlist us in your cause, you would taken the time to get to know us here. You are not the first person to come onto the board and make one post that urges people to take a stand on something without bothering to get to know us or letting us get to know you. We are a pretty supportive group of recovering addicts who take a genuine interest in helping addicts seeking recovery. Keep coming back. Share with us your experience strength and hope. You may find that you like it here....I do.
Just a quick note to damascus It would have been nice if before trying to enlist us in your cause, you would taken the time to get to know us here. You are not the first person to come onto the board and make one post that urges people to take a stand on something without bothering to get to know us or letting us get to know you. We are a pretty supportive group of recovering addicts who take a genuine interest in helping addicts seeking recovery. Keep coming back. Share with us your experience strength and hope. You may find that you like it here....I do.
You are right and I've gotten attitudes with people for doing the same thing before. I think tonight I should go to bed early. I'm still not entirely sure how I got sucked into this. The one time in my life that I kept an opinion to myself was when I decided a few years ago that I wanted nothing to do with these people. It turned out that one of the people I've been doing service with for 5 years is one of "those" people.
At Region it was kick around a bit. I was strongly against it. But when I brought the information back to area and we look at the pro's and con's. There were more pro's than con's.
Anyway Europe maybe already doing it. copy from NA Ireland web page.
This also led to contact being made with NA members from Germany and the UK, which in turn led to the first ever European Service Conference of NA, held in Trinity College Dublin in 1983. This event went on to become the European Convention and Conference of NA, now a yearly celebration of recovery that rotates around various NA communities within Europe. The Irish NA fellowship has continued to thrive since that time.
It just might take some of the load off the World Service Conference. The world wide fellowship is really growing.
Most of the time I just lurk and read post here. Today I gave my 2 cents worth.
On first glance it may seem like a good idea for the US Fellowship. Kind of like consumer protectionist government policies, which usually fail miserable in their narrow focuses.
With 30 years Clean including more than that many Service positions held including many years Regional Service I am in no way supportive of an outside enterprise or to be specific a group of people attempting to create some sort of National NA Assembly outside of the NA Service Structure, a service structure while maybe flawed as we are as human beings and addicts, yet has served to save the lives of hundreds of thousands of addicts in the US AND around the World.
We, Narcotics Anonymous, are a Worldwide fellowship of recoverying addicts. Not JUST recoverying addicts in the US. How seemingly selfish to try and put the focus only on a select group of recoverying addicts.
IF the idea of a US National service layer has merit the method of Group Conscience through our existing Service Structure that has worked for decades will bring it to bear. Not a splinter group with their own agenda.
I feel no need to sign any petition. Group Conscience and HP will take care of NA.
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Work the Steps or Die MF. (My Friend :) Clean One Day At a Time by The Grace of God through The Power of NA
