“This
prayer is being promoted by a guy called “Bernie” in the
Richmond and Twickenham area [Surrey/Middlesex]. I know of at least
two persons who have stopped attending meetings in that area because
of Bernie and his annoying self-righteous preachy-lecturing style.
The doctrine and practice implied in this “Camel Prayer” card is
very misleading and does not accord with any suggestion to be found
anywhere in AA literature. The card is not produced by AA and seems
to originate from the same outside commercial enterprise that sells
such trite trash as “newcomer chocolate bars” and “speaker
sobriety water”. Just to get the record straight – AA does not
suggest we “get on our knees twice a day” in imitation of a camel
or any other animal. Nor does AA impose “One Master” (whoever
that may be?) upon us. AA does suggest we acquire and access a
“higher power” but that is a higher power OF OUR OWN
UNDERSTANDING according to each person's individual conscience –
see the Big Book chapter “Working with Others” for further
details. Specific prayer postures are not suggested or implied in
any AA book. Also please note that any AA group that allies itself
with an outside enterprise and promotes its phoney message is no
longer an AA meeting according to Tradition 3.
"Our
membership ought to include all who suffer alcoholism. Hence we may
refuse none who wish to recover. Nor ought A.A. membership ever
depend upon money or conformity. Any two or three alcoholics gathered
together for sobriety may call themselves an A.A. group, provided
that, as a group, they have no other affiliation."
Tradition 3, long form (with my emphasis)
Additionally
AA specifically recommends that we do not preach or lecture – again
see the Big Book for further details. Bernie preaches and lectures
with gusto – often speaking in the first person plural “we” -
a speech idiom sometimes referred to as the “royal we” or the
“preacher's we”. Bernie successfully comes across as arrogant,
dim, evasive, bullying and manipulative. He also carries the usual
false information about early AA and success rates, no doubt acquired
from non-AA sources. Camels have a reputation for being rather
stupid, cantankerous and smelly. I don't think any sane human being
would want to be like one. And I, like many others, in the
Richmond/Twickenham area certainly don't want what Bernie has got !
“
Cheerio
The
Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)
PS
Our thanks to the contributor who sent this one in!
