Alcoholics Anonymous is going out of business

[Scall5]

I'll make a toast of fine bourbon to that!

[AA_WorldServices]

Alcoholics Anonymous is going out of Business.

April 1, 2010

We're very sorry to announce that Alcoholics Anonymous is going out of business, effective immediately. We have been helping persons with alcohol problems for decades, but times have changed and we are no longer getting the numbers in attendance. Thus our finances have dropped into the red, and we have been unable to pay our overhead for the past twenty plus months. This has lead us to file for bankruptcy and close our offices. Since January first of this year, we have been operating our main office from the damp basement of a small New York warehouse. The working conditions have been very poor as well as depressing, and the dampness has caused several employees to become ill. To make matters worse, there is a noisy bar next door, and that has really caused poor working conditions.

Originally we were determined to continue and seek new sources of funding, despite a poor economy, however it was recently determined that A.A, is no longer needed. There are numerous other organizations now offering assistance for alcoholics and others coping with alcohol issues, most local hospitals now offer private help for alcoholics, There has also been a sharp decline in alcoholism as a result of increased drunk driving laws, as well as a general change in attitude of the youth of today toward a healthier lifestyle. All of this combined has undermined our efforts and our ability to continue.

Last week we had an emergency meeting with top executives and other prominent leaders of Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc. It was determined at that time that we would close our doors at the end of March, 2010. We are very sorry to disappoint those of you who have remained loyal and continued to offer your support despite our hardships.

Any local A.A. groups are welcome to continue your meetings, but we ask that you please abandon the use of the name "Alcoholics Anonymous", and choose a new name, due to the legal complications associated with our bankruptcy and other financial and copyright issues.

Effective today, Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc. is officially out of business. In order to raise funds for our legal expenses, we are offering an out of business sale. All Big Books, and other A.A. literature will be sold for half price, until they are gone. These are being sold for historic and nostalgic purposes only, since this literature can no longer be used once we settle in a court of law. These items are being sold on a first come, first serve basis, and no items will be held. Payment in full is required, no COD.

Thank you for your years of support.

__________________________________

The staff Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc. ___________________________________

[Stormin Mormon]

Wow. I need a drink.

[Stormin Mormon]

I need to stop writing flippant wisecracks on Usenet!

[Doug Miller]

I thought your church didn't permit that -- ?

[Eric in North TX]

Fortunately Alcoholics Unanimous is still doing fine.

[Steve B]

Bout time. Quit blaming a "disease" on weak will, deal with the guilt, go back through your past and cancel the person who caused you that guilt, and they go buy yourself a beer to celebrate.

And if you just get stupid when you drink, either quit, or deal with it. No sense setting up another set of gods in your life to tell you "what you should do." And paying all that money along the way.

Listen to Don Henley's " Get over it "

[Steve B]

They don't allow caffeinated drinks, yet own part of Pepsi, and in Utah, all the liquor stores are state owned. Go figger.

Steve

[Rudy]

CHECK THE DATE of the original MSG

[Stormin Mormon]

Actually, the church doesn't prohibit caffeinated drinks. Would you like to hear the church's teaching, or would you prefer to remain in ignorance?

[Steve B]

The comment fits no matter the date.

[usenet-659f31de7f953aeb]

According to my reading of the D&C, beer and wine are perfectly OK, and even hard liquor is endorsed for medicinal purposes. The book does encourage moderation in all things, which isn't bad advice. Can't see where people get the idea about caffeine, there's nothing in the D&C that I can even vaguely relate to that.

Of course that a non-member's reading of a church text, so take that for what it is.

[Steve Barker]

I agree. I'm so sick of hearing that voluntary actions are considered "disease". BULLSHIT. DISEASE is something you don't ask for or want.

[Stormin Mormon]

Over the years that the Holy Bible has been in existance. Many people have read it, and arrived at different answers. I'm not at all surprised that people read the D & C and come out with different answers. Such has been the way of the religious world, for many centuries. Anyhow, thanks for the polite and thoughtful reply.

[Sam E]

There's a "South Park" show where someone is convinced alcoholism was really a disease, and a little boy who recognizes AA as a cult. There's a bleeding statue in there too.

[DerbyDad03]

First off, as I=92m sure you all know, the OP is a crock. AA is alive and well.

re: "And paying all that money along the way"

Paying what money?

From aa.org:

"There are no dues or fees for AA membership; we are self-supporting through our own contributions."

Contributions are completely voluntary.

re: "Quit blaming a "disease" on weak will..."

Unfortunately, the two are not mutually exclusive.

While it does indeed take a strong will to stop drinking, that doesn't mean that alcoholism is not a disease. Just like it takes a strong will to continue to go for cancer treatment or to modify your life style due to heart disease or to not eat gluten if you have Celiac's disease, it takes a strong will to fight the disease of alcoholism.

Many medical studies have shown that some people do not process the sugars in alcohol in the same way as others. The sugars actually cause a craving for more alcohol instead of triggering the mechanisms where the body tells the brain "I've had enough".

The American Hospital Association, the American Public Health Association, the National Association of Social Workers, and the American College of Physicians, the National Institutes of Health, and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism all classify alcoholism as a disease. The list of US and international organizations that classify alcoholism as a disease is pretty extensive =96 and impressive.

The "will" part comes into play is deciding whether to take the first drink or not. If an alcoholic can "will themselves" into not taking that first drink, then the craving cycle doesn't begin. It's just like the heart disease patient who has to will himself not to smoke anymore. Both individuals have a disease and it takes a strong will to avoid the behaviors which will cause the diseases to do their damage.

So I guess an alcoholic could place the =93blame=94 for why they *can=92t* drink on the disease, but ultimately the choice as to whether they do or not is their own responsibility.

[krw]

That's what happens when you chime in on a conversation four days after it happened.

[Doug Miller]

Absolute nonsense. There are no sugars in grain alcohol.

[Steve B]

Most people call that "self-control."

[Doug Miller]

And others call it complete and utter nonsense: there are no "sugars" in alcohol.