Two more groups in the East Kent area have signed up with the Primary Purpose cult movement (see here for a discussion). In the latest edition of the cult directory (August 2011) the following appear:
Dover
Monday at 7.30pmRear Room
Our Lady of Dover RC Church
Roosevelt Road
Dover
All meetings ‘Open’
Contacts: Harry K …..Harry A
Herne Bay
Wednesday at 7.30pmThe Retreat, RC Church
2 Clarence Road
Herne Bay
All meetings ‘Open’
Contact: Harry K …....
This movement (should you need to be reminded) knowingly misrepresents AA recovery rates (we say “knowingly” because we've pointed it out to them – still no reply on that? We wonder why? See here for a thoroughly researched – and accurate – study of actual recovery rates). Moreover they frequently quote from a draft of the Big Book in support of their erroneous arguments (a version incidentally that was rejected by the early fellowship in favour of the published first edition). Further they circulate an essay entitled Gresham's Law and Alcoholics Anonymous, a piece which is intended to demonstrate a decline in recovery rates and the reasons behind this (but which fails entirely to provide ANY evidence to support these opinions – see Critique). This “faction” places much emphasis on “personalities” before “principles” with their heavily promoted study guides (unvaryingly these are examples of micromanagement taken to the extreme and with very little scope for individual interpretation. It's so much easier isn't it, to let other people do your thinking for you? See here our own recovery course. Of course NEITHER of these methods are required in order to recover from alcoholism!) They are also a “primary” source for the latest rash ('rash' indeed being the operative word!) of circuit speakers (with accompanying CDs, work sheets, websites, audio file links, and all the other paraphernalia so essential to the “professional” alcoholic) with much advertised appearances by these “personalities” in both this country and the US. In one instance at least these promotional events are associated with commercial interests (drawing resources from AA and into the pockets of these individuals). Finally they talk frequently about the traditions but ignore these when they become 'inconvenient'. They are the “experts” on recovery who no one actually needs; otherwise known as “oxygen thieves”!
You will note from the contact details of the two groups mentioned above the unusual proliferation of “Harrys” in East Kent. Harry A is well known in the area and has been responsible for single-handedly boring the entire local fellowship for quite a number of years now (actually it seems like forever!). Ever the AA guru Harry never passes up the opportunity to deliver a lecture to anyone who cannot make good their escape quickly enough. In one instance (that we know of) a group got so tired of being subjected to his weekly sermonising that they formally asked him to desist. He did so and left never to be seen again – much to their relief. To the best of our knowledge Harry has never actually had a conversation WITH anyone in AA (and probably not elsewhere for that matter); he talks AT you rather than TO you! As for the other one this brand of Harry (Harry K) hails from “across the pond” originally. Again he is a classic example of the AA “know it all” and is frequently to be seen ostentatiously carrying his own well thumbed (and no doubt heavily indexed) copy of the Big Book to meetings. This AA “lawyer” is well renowned (would that be the correct designation?) for his erudition when it comes to quoting from the text (something that he does frequently and with great enthusiasm), employing his “synthetic knowledge” to great effect and thereby vanquishing all who dare to stand in his path. Again he is a prime example of someone who has substituted the superficial gloss of 'expertise' for the practical (and perhaps rather boring) application of spiritual principles in “all his affairs”. As usual the disparity between appearance and reality predominates – do not under any account scratch below this particular 'surface'!
It will be interesting to discover if either of these groups are aware (or were even consulted) of their inclusion in the cult directory? Was this the result of a group conscience or did the “bleeding deacons” dictate the terms?
Cheerio
The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)
