Some things never change - and some people never learn

The Strood/Rochester gang - or is it the Rochester/Strood gang nowadays? The word is that attendance is falling at Strood (Cult HQ West Kent) - seems that even some of their own members can't quite stomach this extremist approach. Still it's a caring sharing programme isn't it? Except when it comes to newcomers .......

.......for it would seem that yet another of these unfortunates (unfortunate, that is, to fall under the influence of cult propaganda) has been on the receiving end of their version of "tough love" (cult speak for "getting the cold shoulder"). The individual in question had apparently been accelerated through the programme and was up to step Four (under the guidance of that all-embracing icon of the cult recovery programme - "THE SPONSOR") and this in a matter of three months. Somewhat bizarrely they picked up a drink (Who'd of thought it! An alcoholic relapsing - well we never!!). Needless to say the experience was quite devastating and some might even say necessary - after all - if you're unconvinced "step over to the nearest bar....."! Compounding their bewilderment they simply could not fathom why they were not getting it!! There they were, sitting in a meeting, week after week, surrounded by the massed (or not so massed!) ranks of the "happy, joyous and free" brigade, row upon row of faces fixed in that rictus grin of enforced bliss, giving it large with yet another rendition of the cult anthem beginning with the immortal words "My sponsor says....." - and yet nothing! They were left instead with that gradually dawning - and perhaps bleak - reality - a life without alcohol! It would seem that a smile and another chorus of "My sponsor says..." was just not going to fix this problem! So now the real work begins - real sharing about real problems, and this with real people with a real solution - no more Disneyland recovery! No more pretending, no more papering over the cracks, no more playing to the gallery and putting on yet another performance to gain the approval of your SPONSOR or whoever happens to be flavour of this particular month! Time indeed for a REALITY Check!

Needless to say (but we'll say it anyway) the relapser was dropped like the proverbial hot potato by their SPONSOR. Well maybe it was time for a change anyway! But then the word got round and a second attempt to get a SPONSOR was similarly rebuffed - persona non grata is the alcoholic indeed who has the temerity to relapse whilst under the direction of a cult SPONSOR - it just doesn't look good at all!

Fortunately there is life after the cult experience - it's called Alcoholics Anonymous. The individual in question had sufficient wit to ring up the AA helpline where they were listened to, not patronised, not lectured, not told off and then subsequently referred to an AA meeting - a real AA meeting.

This incident reminds us of another occasion where a newcomer at the Strood meeting fell off the wagon. When they managed to finally get back to the room they were actually told to sit at the back and keep quiet as if they were some naughty school child! Something of a contrast with an AA meeting where they would be welcomed into the centre of the room and encouraged to speak up - if only to remind the rest of us what could so easily happen to ANY alcoholic who fails to maintain their "spiritual condition" (and this according to their own - not their SPONSOR's - conception of what this might constitute).

Finally a little nugget from down Bournemouth way. It would seem that the local branch of the cult - "Bournemouth: Road to Recovery"  has made yet another attempt to join the Bournemouth intergroup:

"Hi Fellas, An update from Bournemouth Intergroup. Last Wednesday evening the Intergroup dealt with an application from the Bournemouth "road to recovery group" to be allowed to join the Intergroup. At the February meeting the Chairman invited all GSR's to ask their groups to consult their conscience and vote if the RTR group could be allowed to join in the Bournemouth service structure. All groups within Bournemouth did take part and the issue was widely and fairly debated and principles of AA were followed.

The resulting vote at the Intergroup meeting led to just 3 groups supporting the RTR application. The overwhelming decision by Bournemouth group members was no.
Keep at it fellas.

ps. That's about 5 years now."

It's a pity this cult group doesn't get the message. Still it is an effective way of dealing with a cult meeting - quarantine the contagion, deny it access to newcomers, prevent its members from gaining access to the AA service structure and then watch it wither and die (take note other Intergroups - e.g. West Kent).

PS Maybe Bournemouth: Road to Recovery are now getting some idea of what it's like to be given the cold shoulder - perhaps there's a God after all!!

Cheerio

The Fellas
(Our usual thanks to AA members for the above contributions - information is power!)