[eyedigress]

While I understand your point, it is a point of release. They can choose jail at any time. Remember that government cannot intervene with religion, but has every right to use it or not use it as long as Congess makes no law. That's the deal.

Most choose freedom.

[Gandalf_The_Gray]

While I understand your point, it is a point of release. They can choose jail at any time. Remember that government cannot intervene with religion, but has every right to use it or not use it as long as Congress makes no law. That's the deal.

You may have a point as to AA as a condition of parole, but there are jail/prison inmates compelled to go to AA meetings while in the lockup. There is no choice, you go and get your ticket punched. That's wrong no matter how you slice it!

Which causes me to remember another quibble I have w/ AA:
Their assumption is that 100%, across the board, you will never get better, and you are doomed to relapse if you stop attending meetings. While that may apply to some individuals is is most certainly in error about the majority who can learn from past mistakes. As was pointed out in this thread, there are cases where people have gone from an over the top, binge drinking life style to totally tea totalers and then back to "social" drinking without back sliding into there old habits. I would consider that to be playing with fire, however, some people can muster the self control and more power to them. Mandating meeting attendance without an exit strategy amounts to preventive detention in that you are being punished for crimes you have yet to commit!

The word "punished" may seem a bit strong but I submit that an open ended compulsion to attend meetings ad nauseam is hardly on anyone's social calendar.

Regards,
GtG