I have no experience with AA structure or meetings, so I'm of no value to you on that topic.
However, reading through your post, I get the impression that you are growing and emotionally maturing in many directions (and on many life issues) at the same time.
I also get the impression that you may be co-mingling issues that are making your struggle harder than perhaps it should be. Reading your post, it appears to me that these issues need to be dealt with separately:
1). It appears that your AA attendance should be re-focused on staying sober. You have received numerous feedback comments on that issue already. (It also sounds like you have been successful in controlling your alcohol dependency, and you should certainly be proud of that.)
Your success, your testimony, and sometimes just a warm welcome at AA meetings may be just the helping hand that someone newly joining the AA group needs to break free, and stay free from their drug dependency.
You may be as important, if not more important, than anyone else there, in helping a new member, at any given point in time. For their own reasons, they may see you as someone (perhaps the only one) they can really talk to.
2). You are certainly on the right track with your move from a liberal world-view to a conservative world-view.
You are doing the right kinds of things in educating yourself, joining FR to meet and discuss things with other conservatives, etc. (see my tagline).
But you may have to assess how you are using/will use this newly found power generated from the knowledge you are gaining.
I assume that at AA meetings, individuals give testimony about where they were in dependency, where they are now, and what led/helped them get from there to here.
I also assume this "sharing" of your life experiences is primarily to help you, but also to show others that you are not there to judge any failures in their lives.
I believe that while not everyone will respond positively to your testimony about your liberal to conservative conversion, I do believe that every liberal will respond negatively (at least initially) to hearing the truth (because it doesn't fit their world-view).
However, presenting the truth in the same manner as an AA testimonial, I believe that it is possible that some liberals will be influenced by your testimony of the fact that you had a liberal world-view, that you don't now, and why.
But I don't think any liberal will ever tend to listen beyond the point that they think they are being attacked personally ("you're a hater/racist/etc." is their default response for rejecting all conservative inputs).
I believe that, as your conservative knowledge and credentials grow, so will your confidence, and ability, in presenting them in a way that doesn't need to be confrontational, (but it can certainly be done in a firm, confident way).
And you will, I believe, realize that some liberals can change (think of yourself when you need reassurance of that), and they will seek you out, (away from the loud-mouth pushy liberal types that they themselves don't want to confront directly) because you gave them a comfort zone in which to admit they might be wrong.
LOL, well, that's all my "free" feedback, take it for what it's worth, and again, welcome to FR.
Well thought, well written, well done.
Wherever God sends you, be His ambassador.
I also get the impression that you may be co-mingling issues that are making your struggle harder than perhaps it should be. Reading your post, it appears to me that these issues need to be dealt with separately:
1). It appears that your AA attendance should be re-focused on staying sober. You have received numerous feedback comments on that issue already. (It also sounds like you have been successful in controlling your alcohol dependency, and you should certainly be proud of that.)
Exactly, to me (I now see that I was very naive) I always looked at AA as a refuge from everything else. No matter what was going on in the world, I saw that hour in the meeting as a respite. But that doesn't work for me any longer. I think that it is a combination of "waking up" and understanding the serious nature of what is happening around us, and recognizing why I could no longer be comfortable sitting in a room with people that I no longer wished to be associated with.
I no longer have any desire to drink, not because I used to go to an AA meeting several times a week. It is primarily because I humbly ask my Lord specifically for help in staying sober each day. And secondarily because I have learned how to use the wisdom in the 12 steps as a "design for daily living."
Your success, your testimony, and sometimes just a warm welcome at AA meetings may be just the helping hand that someone newly joining the AA group needs to break free, and stay free from their drug dependency.
You may be as important, if not more important, than anyone else there, in helping a new member, at any given point in time. For their own reasons, they may see you as someone (perhaps the only one) they can really talk to.
You raise a very good point that I have been thinking about quite a bit. I can understand the wisdom of (at least for me at the present) "taking what you need, and leaving the rest," but I don't want to be completely selfish in this regard. For a number of reasons I am a "bit different" than most of the rest of the people in that particular meeting, and can recognize that a newcomer may feel comfortable talking to me for one reason or the other. I have come to the point that I realize that I have to find new meetings to attend, so that I can be in a position to give something back. If I am not comfortable in a particular meeting, and don't want to be there, I won't be much help to anyone there!
I believe that while not everyone will respond positively to your testimony about your liberal to conservative conversion, I do believe that every liberal will respond negatively (at least initially) to hearing the truth (because it doesn't fit their world-view).
However, presenting the truth in the same manner as an AA testimonial, I believe that it is possible that some liberals will be influenced by your testimony of the fact that you had a liberal world-view, that you don't now, and why.
I would never include one word about anything political in an AA testimonial or even within the confines of "sharing" in a meeting. I just don't think that it is appropriate at all. I have been willing to talk to and share information with others that are still "left leaning," including some that I have known from within AA (outside of the meeting construct). All I seek from them is an indication that they are at least willing to explore the concept that there is a great deal more data, "news," and information out there than that which they are spoon-fed daily by the state controlled media outlets. If they are willing, I am happy to continue. If they are not, I simply have no time to waste on them, nor wish to be in their company. It may sound a bit "harsh" to some, but that is where I am at. (I actually believe that if more people were willing to make a stand like this, and follow through in cutting off these lazy and ignorant people, maybe the message will get through faster. I think that the longer we are willing to "tolerate" their treason, the worse it will end up.)
And you will, I believe, realize that some liberals can change (think of yourself when you need reassurance of that), and they will seek you out, (away from the loud-mouth pushy liberal types that they themselves don't want to confront directly) because you gave them a comfort zone in which to admit they might be wrong.
LOL, well, that's all my "free" feedback, take it for what it's worth, and again, welcome to FR.
I always let them know as we part company, that if they ever change their mind and want to begin to think for themselves and stop their acceptance of being lied to on a daily basis, they know how to get in touch with me.
Your input and advice was worth far more than I paid for it! Thanks again, Colonel.