Potential candidates for our Cult: Where to Find

We have received complaints about the following groups from a number of sources over the last few months. As usual always happy to hear views for and against.

Apparently the “Design for Living” franchise is opening up another branch in Newbury, Berkshire. This group is using the Wimbledon Template so presumably it will carry the same disclaimer: “The Design for Living AA Group.co.uk has neither been approved or endorsed by and is not affiliated with Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc. or any AA Service entity of any country” – so the question is: is it or isn't it an AA group? We think not! Whatever the case no doubt the newcomer will be faced with a table load of home-grown wisdom (non-conference approved literature, CDs etc) together with plenty of suggestions to help them along their way to utter confusion.

Next we have received a series of complaints about a cluster of groups in the Ealing area that would seem to be associated with the Visions gang. These are based at Bayham Road and bear all the hallmarks of a cult group. Slogans, literature, prompt cards etc are produced in prodigious quantities (none of which are conference approved nor indeed is this fact indicated on the “packaging”). Apparently the “personality” running these meetings has taken the “Misery is Optional” slogan one step further; even Pain is Optional now. Someone had better alert the British Medical Association – their services will no longer be required! The “lynch pin” of the group also (so it is suggested) has a regular slot in Share magazine. The publication must be in bad shape indeed to accept submissions from such sources!

We have also been notified of two more meetings carrying the Primary Purpose message (as opposed to the AA message). One of these is based in Loughton Essex, the other in Hertford. We drew to the attention of one of the supporters of these groups the article on the Primary Purpose movement (both here and in the US) together with an analysis of AA recovery rates (about which the PP movement knows little but has much to say!), both of which are presented under the Links section of our website. We received our usual reply: a deafening silence! This is an honest enough response since actually there is NO answer to these devastating analyses of the cult.

Finally, and perhaps more seriously (given the content of an email attachment which we received - see below), we have through our researches discovered that the Hampton Wick (Friday meetings - previously Kingston Hill) group also have connections with the cult, and the following document was sent to us which is said to emanate from there. (Click here). Interestingly precisely the same set of “suggestions” cropped up about three years ago in association with a cult group in North London. Put simply it is a “voyeur's charter” (and with paedophiliac tendencies). Hardly a coincidence!

Over to you

Cheers

The Fellas