Extracts
from our forum: http://forums.delphiforums.com/aacultwatch
under thread: “aacultwatch forum daily reflections”
“The
year of the great Berkshire meeting, 1936, also brought difficulties
for the Oxford Group. In August, the New York World-Telegram
published an article about Buchman, charging that he was pro- Nazi.
The newspaper quoted Buchman as saying: ‘I thank heaven for a man
like Adolf Hitler who built a front-line defence against the
Anti-Christ of Communism. Think what it would mean to the world if
Hitler surrendered to God. Through such a man, God could control a
nation and solve every problem. Human problems aren’t economic,
they’re moral, and they can’t be solved by immoral measures.’
While most discussions of the incident, even by Buchman's critics,
have since vindicated him, the article brought the group into public
controversy … … … … In 1938, after Oxford University
requested that the group, because of the controversy, no longer use
its name, it took the name Moral Rearmament, abbreviated to M.R.A.
(Pass It On pages 170-171)
“It
became the Oxford Group in 1928 and renamed itself Moral rearmament
(M.R.A.) in 1938.” (Pass It On page 130)
“So
when the first break in Ohio came, it came in Cleveland, rather than
Akron.” Dr. Bob and the Good Old Timers page 161)
“Clarence
said, ‘ I made the announcement at the Oxford Group that this was
the last time the Cleveland bunch was down as a contingent – that
there we were starting a group in Cleveland that would only be open
to alcoholics and their families. Also that we were taking the name
from the book ‘Alcoholics Anonymous.’
'The
roof came of the house. 'Clarence you can't do this!' someone said.
'
Its done'.
'We've
got to talk about this!'
'It's
too late' I said." (Dr. Bob and the Good Old Timers page 164)
“The
meeting was set for the following week [May 11, 1939],’ Clarence
said. I made the mistake of telling these people the address. They
invaded the house and tried to break up our meeting. One fellow was
going to whip me. All in the spirit of pure Christian love! But we
stood our ground.' Dorothy’s recollections differed slightly. ‘We
didn’t have any name,’ she said, ‘but we let everybody know it
was definitely not an Oxford Group. Just alcoholics.' … … … ‘As
a matter of fact,’ Dorothy said, ‘at one of our very early
meetings, all the strict Oxford Group contingent came up from Akron
and was very bitter and voluble. They felt we were being extremely
disloyal to everyone in doing this. It was quite a step to pull away
from Akron.” (Dr. Bob and the Good Old Timers pages 164-165)
“Whatever
the conversation between Doc may have had with Clarence before the
Cleveland group started, he gave it his full support from the
beginning, as did many other Akron A.A. members ‘Dr. Bob was at all
these early meetings, which took place at our house,’ Al said in a
letter to Bill.” (Dr. Bob and the Good Old Timers pages165-166)
“In
November of 1939 the first all-AA group was formed in the City of
Cleveland – the old Borton Group. (Dr. Bob and the Good Old timers
page 169)”
Cheerio
The
Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)
