Observations
of an AA member:
“One
characteristic of cults is that they take phrases, sayings, teachings
of standard, moderate religions (or from other sources) and modify
them slightly to produce a different effect. An effect that serves
the cult's goals of control and isolation of its members. An example
of this practice which I have noticed in New York City is the use of
the phrase "primary purpose". The official Tradition states
that it is the GROUP that has a primary purpose to carry its message
to the alcoholic who still suffers. I have heard several people
say that they are encouraged by the fact that they personally, as
individuals, learned in AA that they have that same primary purpose.
I have problems with that. First, that it is not how the Tradition
reads. But more importantly is that it, first, ties the individual
members primarily to the AA group to the exclusion of meaningful
relations and activities outside the group. (Not logically, one could
have secondary purposes I guess, but that does not appear to be how
it works in practice.) And secondly, it violates the principle that I
can practice my religion or spirituality (which could be
philosophical) without interference from AA. As it says in one of the
Appendices, to paraphrase, AA makes better Catholics of Catholics,
etc.
Well, let me tell you, carrying the message of AA is not what one is taught is one's "primary purpose" in the Catholic faith. And I suspect not in most versions of orthodox Protestantism or Judaism. I would extend that right to other spiritual paths any AA may want to pursue along side AA, namely the right of the spiritual tradition to ask its members to adopt a primary purpose other than the one proposed by these fundamentalist members of AA. AA sets itself up as a competing religion when it goes beyond the bounds set for it in the Traditions and starts preaching primary purposes for its members' lives.”
Cheers
The Fellas
(Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)
Our thanks
to the above for their contribution
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