Hey all, what do you think about having a fourth group conscience meeting? The only agenda item I had in mind was etiquette of including a disclaimer when posting quotes from other fellowships. For an example, the OOMG has the disclaimer: "We're reading a brief selection from the __ fellowship to generate some discussion on the topic. CGAA is not affiliated with the __ fellowship and their literature does not necessarily speak for us and our experience. CGAA does not promote specific higher power concepts."
I think the second and third sentences would work well when posting quotes from other fellowships on WhatsApp.
Fourth group conscience meeting
Fourth group conscience meeting
Last edited by Scott on Mon Jan 13, 2020 6:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Fourth group conscience meeting
I personally did not see a whole of concern, but perhaps it was because of the thoughtful responses in chat. We can definitely put out a call of arrangement for the date. As chair, I will start working on arranging the forms for finding a date that the most amount of people can make.
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Fourth group conscience meeting
I personally did not see a whole of concern
I don't think any of us who have been around CGAA or other fellowships for longer than a month or two are directly impacted when a reading from another fellowship says or implies that a certain religious belief is necessary. We know how to interpret such messages in ways that are helpful to us.
I have a concern because I spend large amounts of time guiding brand new people into our meetings and whatsapp group. I'm aware that every week there are a few new people checking it out, some who know absolutely nothing about recovery fellowships and are certain to use their first impressions to decide whether or not to ever come back.
You're right. There is not much concern from anyone else. It's kinda rough being the only one voicing this concern and getting all kinds of wild accusations thrown at me when I raise it. I keep bringing it up because I want newcomers' first impressions to be accurate and to maximize their chances of sticking around.
It's very easily handled by a short message posted with each outside reading. One option is if a reading promotes prayer to God, the poster could say, "A reading for those who believe in God." Another option is to say, "This reading is from the __A fellowship, which doesn't necessarily reflect our experience. CGAA does not promote specific higher power concepts." Another option is to pause and ask, "Does this reading break the traditions against implied affiliation and opinions on outside issues?" and if the answer is yes, to not post it.
I get that this is unimportant to others. I kept hoping that people would at least care that it is important to many newcomers and it is important to me. I understand that a first impression of CGAA having something to do with monotheism is enough to drive certain newcomers away, whereas a first impression of nonjudgmental acceptance with no strings attached is enough to keep them here. Today I'm aware that several newcomers have joined in the past week and I see a photo of literature in WhatsApp that ends, "God, I pray that you grant me the resolve to do the next right thing today. I pray only for the knowledge of your will for me and the power to carry it out," and it is so easy to imagine a newcomer jumping to conclusions: (1) This group is Christian, therefore (2) I don't belong here. Then I'm left wondering if someone who would have otherwise stuck around is now beyond our reach and hopelessly stuck in gaming addiction and might end up divorced or jobless or homeless or suicided.
That's what's going through my head. I get that other people are not thinking about it this way. I was just hoping for a very minor etiquette change that could potentially save someone's life.
Fourth group conscience meeting
Sounds like a plan to me. I didn't mean for my words to come across as dismissive, if that is how they were interpreted. I'll start getting the group conscience organized. We don't have a monthly regular one planned as the whatsapp group self-regulates fairly well.
Lets try to get this voted on officially.
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Lets try to get this voted on officially.
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Fourth group conscience meeting
Sorry, Josh. I was partly venting about the responses I got from several people in WhatsApp. There wasn't one response from anyone that by itself bothered me. I was bothered that there were several responses, all either dismissive or implying that I was saying things I hadn't said. The number of understanding, supportive responses was zero.
I definitely have a part in it. I did not clearly describe where I was coming from, leaving lots of room for assumptions. Then I responded from a place of disturbance rather than calm acceptance.
Hardly anyone reads the forums any more, so I sometimes use it more for journaling and getting my thoughts ordered. And I guess for venting, too, sometimes. I'll try not to use it for venting.
I definitely have a part in it. I did not clearly describe where I was coming from, leaving lots of room for assumptions. Then I responded from a place of disturbance rather than calm acceptance.
Hardly anyone reads the forums any more, so I sometimes use it more for journaling and getting my thoughts ordered. And I guess for venting, too, sometimes. I'll try not to use it for venting.
Fourth group conscience meeting
No worries at all! Text is not a very good form of communication, ESPECIALLY when emotions are involved. Voice is leagues better. We will look at this and schedule a meeting. =)
I will try and setup the poll in the next few days.
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I will try and setup the poll in the next few days.
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Fourth group conscience meeting
Additional topics for the group conscience to weigh in on:
1. Duration of service positions. (GC chair, admins)
2. How many admins to have.
3. Vote on who should be admin, if we have any volunteers who wish to be of service.
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1. Duration of service positions. (GC chair, admins)
2. How many admins to have.
3. Vote on who should be admin, if we have any volunteers who wish to be of service.
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Fourth group conscience meeting
A new person brought up the topic of posting triggering or upsetting material. She was very upset by a posted story about severe childhood abuse. I know the topic of triggers was talked about before, and that it was hoped that we could use something to hide such material under a trigger warning, and that solution didn't work out.
Another option is to write a trigger warning at the head of such a post.
I know we don't want to get into black lists and white lists and restricting speech. Group etiquette can suggest not posting triggering stuff, leaving it to the discretion of each person, rather than writing detailed rules about it.
Another option is to write a trigger warning at the head of such a post.
I know we don't want to get into black lists and white lists and restricting speech. Group etiquette can suggest not posting triggering stuff, leaving it to the discretion of each person, rather than writing detailed rules about it.
Fourth group conscience meeting
Another agenda item brought to my attention was the idea of a generic template for greeting newcomers and encouraging them to participate and give them a nudge that naming specific games is not something people enjoy here. (Shocker, but people don't read the group description lol)
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Fourth group conscience meeting
This agenda is getting longer. 
Good thing a group conscience meeting is scheduled. I want to clarify the topic(s) I'm bringing up ahead of time. My motivation is knowing that there is a constant stream of newcomers whose first exposure to CGAA is the WhatsApp group.
1) Labeling pics of or quotes from literature
A) Impressions of affiliation and opinions on outside issues that alienate certain newcomers
B) Text from other fellowships
C) Text whose source is not mentioned
D) Religious text
Possible proposals:
A) Please pause to ask yourself before posting: Is this text likely to create an impression of CGAA having affiliations or opinions on outside issues that might alienate certain newcomers? If the answer is yes, please consider not posting it.
B) Text from another fellowship is tagged, "CGAA is not affiliated with the __ fellowship and their literature does not necessarily speak for us and our experience." Otherwise newcomers are likely to get the wrong idea about what our group is about.
C) Text that does not identify its source is tagged "from so-and-so book." Otherwise newcomers are likely to assume it's CGAA text.
D) Text that promotes God as the one right higher power concept is tagged either "To those who believe in God" or "This text does not necessarily speak for CGAA and our experience. CGAA does not promote specific religious higher power concepts." Otherwise newcomers are likely to assume that we are a religious group, which will alienate certain ones.
It would be great if people tagged their own outside literature posts as proposed above. A second possibility is to have someone whose job it is to regularly post clarifications on these issues. A third possibility, and certainly the easiest one, is to create a second WhatsApp group specifically for outside literature posts.
Good thing a group conscience meeting is scheduled. I want to clarify the topic(s) I'm bringing up ahead of time. My motivation is knowing that there is a constant stream of newcomers whose first exposure to CGAA is the WhatsApp group.1) Labeling pics of or quotes from literature
A) Impressions of affiliation and opinions on outside issues that alienate certain newcomers
B) Text from other fellowships
C) Text whose source is not mentioned
D) Religious text
Possible proposals:
A) Please pause to ask yourself before posting: Is this text likely to create an impression of CGAA having affiliations or opinions on outside issues that might alienate certain newcomers? If the answer is yes, please consider not posting it.
B) Text from another fellowship is tagged, "CGAA is not affiliated with the __ fellowship and their literature does not necessarily speak for us and our experience." Otherwise newcomers are likely to get the wrong idea about what our group is about.
C) Text that does not identify its source is tagged "from so-and-so book." Otherwise newcomers are likely to assume it's CGAA text.
D) Text that promotes God as the one right higher power concept is tagged either "To those who believe in God" or "This text does not necessarily speak for CGAA and our experience. CGAA does not promote specific religious higher power concepts." Otherwise newcomers are likely to assume that we are a religious group, which will alienate certain ones.
It would be great if people tagged their own outside literature posts as proposed above. A second possibility is to have someone whose job it is to regularly post clarifications on these issues. A third possibility, and certainly the easiest one, is to create a second WhatsApp group specifically for outside literature posts.
Last edited by Scott on Sat Feb 08, 2020 4:49 am, edited 1 time in total.