At the 71st General Service Conference annual meeting, held online over April 17 to April 25, 2021, a revision to the AA Preamble was approved through advisory action. The change replaced the words “men and women” with the word “people” in the first sentence of the Preamble. This change was then adopted by many, not all, AA groups.
Some groups held the line and constitutionally understood that this change in wording was conforming to opinions on outside issues which cancels out this Tradition entirely. Especially considering the next paragraph states: "A.A. is not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organization or institution; does not wish to engage in any controversy, neither endorses nor opposes any causes."
It can't be both because it makes it untrue-or false so the entire statement longer holds water or rings true because it's a logic fallacy. It also cancels out the entire preamble, which is our "mission statement or spiritual declaration of intention which now reads to an unbroken mind-"we do not uphold this-we do uphold and serve outside issues".
This, along with covid, was the most controversial topic at time, as well as the organization streamlining the issue at hand that was initiating the change of wording.
I speak these words not from an emotional attachment or side with or to, the outside issues that got the ball rolling with the change-I say this as a matter of fact. It's not about the issue of the words being used or changed-it simply just cancels out the statement and again, the preamble because it is without logic and untrue. Without logic the structure is compromised and will eventually sink because it has no clear purpose or mission. This happens in every organization, government, empire, or religion (and beings) throughout history many times over.
There is a WHOLE other aspect that I am learning about that goes much deeper than the outside issue that brought the 71st General Service Conference to approve this revision that many groups, including AAS adopted; and it stems from the legal word "people, or person". Basically once the living being or living structure becomes that, or identifies as such, they are considered under the law, as dead. They are now considered as a corpse/corporation.
It's a way to systematically tear down a well intentioned group that was rooted in spiritual principles. The outside issue was a front and its people being used as puppets to foster something else entirely. They use emotional issues that seem like no big deal to infiltrate the group or organization so that it can be hijacked through divide and conquer. They bank on us not knowing or understanding any of this because we get blinded by emotional attachment to the "issue". That's why the founders put this in so that our purpose wouldn't be confused. I was shocked in horror when it happened. But, I am no longer. I still love and honor the principles behind the concept of this tradition, and all the traditions.
*side note: when I say "they", I mean powers and principalities in dark places. I don't care if that's something you don't believe in or consider. I do.
But again, this is a tale as old as time...nothing new. It's a slow burn. But, the fundamental spiritual principles are written on the hearts of many, and those can't die-they will just be reborn into something else somewhere else in another time and in another generation. What starts out with pure intention, over time will become corrupted. It's the nature of the physical world which is why we seek God, not the world for refuge or validation.
God is not corrupted. God is incorruptible. God is who I choose to serve-not the pride of the world or myself, even if I sometimes get captured/hijacked by it. I can always re-calibrate. Individual groups can always recalibrate and allow the Spirit of truth back in-but that has everything to do with the groups consciousness and the groups mission to serve God and others, or mission to serve self and outside issues.
God still and forever has no opinion on our made up, man made outside issues even if we do.