Links and downloads

Religious Change around the World: the most comprehensive analysis to date of global religious trends

See also Links and downloads

AA Minority report 2012 (continued)(15)

Section 8

A.A.’s Future: Adaptation or Evolution?

Bill W, - Extracts from “Lets Keep It Simple But How?” AA Grapevine July 1960; Language of the Heart page 303 - 307):

“We shall be stepping over a new threshold into our future. We shall rejoice as we think of the gifts and the wonders of yesterday. And, as we re-dedicate ourselves to fulfilling the immense promise of AA’s tomorrow, we shall certainly survey how we stand today. Have we ‘kept A.A. simple’? Or, unwittingly, have we blundered? ............ Therefore we ask, has A.A. kept faith with Dr. Bob’s warning, ‘lets keep it simple’? How can we possibly square today’s Twelve Steps, Twelve Traditions, General Service Conferences and International Conventions with our original coffee-and-cake AA? …… Genuine simplicity for today is to be found, I think, in whatever principles, practices, and services can permanently ensure our widespread harmony and effectiveness. Therefore it has been better to state our principles than to leave them vague; better to clarify their applications than to leave these unclear; better to organize our services than to leave them to hit-or- miss methods, or to none at all. Most certainly indeed, a return to the kitchen table era would bring no-hoped for simplicity. It would only mean wholesale irresponsibility, disharmony, and ineffectiveness ………… A formless AA anarchy, animated only by the ‘lets get together’ spirit, just isn’t enough for AAs here and now. What worked fine for two score members in 1938 won’t work at all for more than 200,000 of them in 1960. Our added size and therefore greater responsibility simply spells the difference between AA’s childhood and its coming of age. We have seen the folly of attempting to recapture the childhood variety of simplicity in order to sidestep the kind of responsibility that must be faced to ‘keep it simple for today’. We cannot possibly turn back the clock and shouldn’t try.”

1962 Bill W

“We are sure that each group of workers in world service will be tempted to try all sorts of innovations that may often produce little more than painful repetition earlier mistakes. Therefore it will be an important objective of these Concepts to forestall such repetitions by holding the experiences of the past clearly before us. And if mistaken departures are nevertheless made, these Concepts may then provide a ready means of safe return to an operating balance that might otherwise take years of floundering to rediscover.” (Introduction to the Twelve Concepts for World Service.)

1958, February, Bill W

“Now there are certain things that AA cannot do for anybody, regardless of what our several desires or sympathies may be.

Our first duty, as a society is to ensure, our own survival. Therefore we have to avoid distractions and multipurpose activity. An AA group as such, cannot take on all the personal problems of its members, let alone the problems of the whole world. Sobriety – freedom from alcohol – though the teaching and practice of AA’s twelve steps, is the sole purpose of an AA group. Groups have repeated tried other activities they have always failed. We have to confine our membership to alcoholics and we have to confine our AA groups to a single purpose. If we don’t stick to these principles, we shall almost certainly collapse. And if we collapse, we cannot help anyone … …

… … Therefore I see no way of making nonalcoholic [sic] addicts into AA members, Experience says loudly that we can admit no exceptions, even though drug users and alcoholics happen to be first cousins of a sort. If we persist in trying this, I’m afraid it will be hard on the drug user himself, as well as on AA. We must accept the fact that no nonalcoholic, [sic] whatever his affliction, can be converted into an alcoholic AA member.” (Problems Other Than Alcohol: What Can Be Done About Them, A.A. Grapevine February 1958. Language of the Heart page 223)

1958, January - August, Santa Monica

Synanon began with Charles E. Dederick. He had been an alcoholic for twenty years, and a member of Alcoholics Anonymous. In January of 1958, he “had no job, two cents in my pocket, and was living off unemployment benefits, in a small apartment near the beach in Ocean Park, California.” (Yablonsky, L. 1965. Synanon: The Tunnel Back) He, and other friends from AA, started a regular weekly meeting. In this meeting, mainly because of Charles, or “Chuck” Dederick, as he became known, the discussions became heated…. …. … This AA group met until a dramatic break that solidified the difference between Synanon, and A.A. This is the story as told by Chuck:

“The break with Alcoholics Anonymous occurred about the middle of August (1958)

It happened right in the middle of an A.A. meeting. Our whole gang had taken over the Saturday night meeting of the Santa Monica A.A. group at Twenty Sixth and Broadway and built it up from its attendance of ten people to an attendance of about forty five or fifty. There was some objection on some issue by the members of the Board of Directors of the A.A. club. I recall the leader stopping the meeting. They didn’t like us. The alkies didn’t like the addicts, and they didn’t like me in particular… … and they didn’t like my gang because they were mostly addicts. They made things difficult for us. I remember getting up in the meeting and saying, ‘All right, let’s go home-the hell with this.’ So the whole meeting got up, and we all got into our automobiles and came down to the club, and we never went back to A.A. again…. … … We were building something new and different… … … We have a live-in situation, with family characteristics. We emphasize self-reliance rather than dependence on a higher being. We assumed a responsibility; we had to get up the rent, we had to feed the people when they came in, and so on. This was the point at which the few alcoholics in the club began to fall out. They didn’t want any responsibility. In fact, it was even verbalized. ‘We don’t want to do this; we want to have a lot of fun; we want to have a club as a club.’ The alkies began to say, ‘Well, it’s our club,’ and I said, ‘No, it’s my club.’ I became the champion of the addicts, chucked the alcoholics out, and Synanon was then fully launched for addicts.”(Yablonsky, L. 1965)

(From the Desk of Juan Lesende: How Drug Abuse Treatment Turns into Mistreatment By Juan E. Lesende - September 18th 2009)

The Washingtonian movement evolved into multi purpose activity and collapsed. The Oxford Group evolved renaming itself Moral Rearmament in 1938. The cult of Synanon evolved into multi purpose activity and collapsed.

AA has stood the test of time because it cannot evolve like other organisations, Traditions and Concepts prevent this. The direction of AA evolution was from diversity to simplicity. AA cannot evolve to get any simpler than groups with meeting rooms, single purpose, single affiliation, and a service structure to support them.

It is important to distinguish between adaptation and evolution. The service structure must organise and adapt to changes in society, but the A.A. group is bound by A.A. Tradition, its teaching of the twelve steps through least possible organisation.

Tradition Nine (Long form):

“Each A.A. group needs the least possible organization. Rotating leadership is the best. The small group may elect its secretary, the large group its rotating committee and the groups of a large metropolitan area their central or intergroup committee”

Bill W, New York 1939: “They were structured to the extent that there was always one speaker and Bill- maybe half an hour each - and then a long coffee session, a real get together. We were often there till 12 o’clock, started at eight.….. At this time there were no 90-days requirements. No birthdays – no recognition was made if you were sober a week or a year, If you felt you would like to speak in a year or in a month or two weeks they let you get up and speak, and they didn’t throw you out if you were drunk, either. They felt it was encouraging, hoping some word would stick.” (Ruth Hock, the first secretary of the New York General Service Office. Pass it on page 219)

AA. Grapevine 2010

I struggle to understand the "Twelve and Twelve," even with a college degree and help from my sponsor and other AAs. Meanwhile, my room-mate, also newly sober and with a grade school education, can't make any sense of her Step workbook and is about to give up. How many people do we lose this way? How many, when asked to read from the Big Book at a meeting, stumble through a few sentences, acutely embarrassed, and never come back? A literature-based program effectively shuts out people who desperately need help but do not have good reading skills”. (Dear Grapevine, Shut Out; A.A. Grapevine November 2010)

“Education will not only pay off in numbers treated; it can pay off even more handsomely in prevention… … it is both a community job and a job for specialists… … but AA as such cannot, and should not, get directly into this field.” (Bill W. AA Grapevine March 1958. Language of the Heart page 186-187)

Norman Y, 1977, joined AA in 1939

“‘I never read a word in A.A.’ he said. ‘You don’t have to read. You don’t have to have all these pamphlets they put out. You can learn to live this program by learning to think. A.A. is a wonderful thing to know and apply’ he said, ‘- but in your life. You’ve got to live it out in the street. You see somebody having a little problem, help them, no matter who they are. That’s A.A.” –Norman Y. (Dr. Bob and The Good Old Timers page 251-250)

“We have no doctrine that has to be maintained. We have no membership that has to be enlarged. We have no authority that has to be supported. We have no prestige, power or pride that has to be satisfied.” Bill W. (Concept 12, warranty Five)

What worked structurally in 1938 wouldn’t work in 1960, what worked in 1960 doesn’t appear to be working very well in 2011. Perhaps there needs to be a willingness to be open to change.

There are the new dynamics of non-AA published literature, global internet communication; the fellowship is much larger and yet the new communication channels make it more intimate.

If the fellowship has grown too big for the Trustees in the UK and USA to cope with the numbers of those who exploit the fellowship, perhaps some of this responsibility could be passed to the groups via communication to them.

There needs to be new thinking to suit new situations. The way in which groups are registered could be considered. The passing of responsibility of group registration from GSO to the intergroup would free the A.A. group conscience to discern whether a particular group that is operating outside the service structure is operating according to Tradition and warranties of Conference; whether it is one that is simply exercising its right to group autonomy by not being part of the intergroup; or whether the group is misusing the AA name by other purpose or affiliation. These matters could be settled locally by intergroup conscience.

Improved communication in the fellowship could be encouraged.

Where internationally affiliated cult groups exist, AA groups and intergroups could be encouraged to communicate with each other directly across regional and international boundaries instead of being isolated, giving information exchange and cooperation. As responsible individuals any A.A. member is fully entitled to act freely according to his or her own conscience. Letters or emails could be sent to any Traditions violator, group, or company that is misusing the A.A. name.

“I am responsible. When anyone, anywhere, reaches out for help, I want the hand of A.A. always to be there. And for that: I am responsible.”

(our emphases)

Cheerio

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

ON CULTIVATING TOLERANCE

By Dr. Bob Smith, July 1944, AA Grapevine©

"During nine years in AA, I have observed that those who follow the Alcoholics Anonymous program with the greatest earnestness and zeal not only maintain sobriety but often acquire finer characteristics and attitudes as well. One of these is tolerance. Tolerance expresses itself in a variety of ways: in kindness and consideration toward the man or woman who is just beginning the march along the spiritual path; in the understanding of those who perhaps have been less fortunate in education advantages; and in sympathy toward those whose religious ideas may seem to be at great variance with our own.

I am reminded in this connection of the picture of a hub with its radiating spokes. We all start at the outer circumference and approach our destination by one of many routes. To say that one spoke is much better than all the other spokes is true only in the sense of its being best suited to you as an individual. Human nature is such that without some degree of tolerance, each one of us might be inclined to believe that we have found the best or perhaps the shortest spoke.

Without some tolerance, we might tend to become a bit smug or superior - which, of course, is not helpful to the person we are trying to help and may be quite painful or obnoxious to others. No one of us wishes to do anything that might act as a deterrent to the advancement of another - and a patronizing attitude can readily slow up this process.

Tolerance furnishes, as a by-product, a greater freedom from the tendency to cling to preconceived ideas and stubbornly adhered-to opinions. In other words, it often promotes an open-mindedness that is vastly important - is, in fact, a prerequisite to the successful termination of any line of search, whether it be scientific or spiritual.

These, then, are a few of the reasons why an attempt to acquire tolerance should be made by each one of us.

Dr Bob of Akron"

(our emphases)

Comment: Cult members might like to consider the above rather carefully 

Cheerio

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

Links and downloads

World Health Organisation: http://www.who.int/topics/alcohol_drinking/en/

ALCOHOL REPORTS: An international website dedicated to providing current information on news, reports, publications,and peer-reviewed research articles concerning alcoholism and alcohol-related problems throughout the world: http://alcoholreports.blogspot.com/

ETOH: Alcohol & Alcohol Problems Science Database: http://etoh.niaaa.nih.gov/

UK Pub Med Central: A unique, free, information resource for biomedical and health researchers: http://ukpmc.ac.uk/

Billy the Kid Rides the Range! (or Hampton Wick Friday/Richmond Ormond Rd Tuesday anyway!)

“Dear ‘Fellas’,

“I am interested in your website, and have been encouraged to submit an email to you by other members. I currently live in …....... I attend intergroup meetings for the London (South West) Intergroup (LSWIG), which meets in St Mark’s Church Hall, Compton Road, Wimbledon, …...... I have witnessed the behaviours of the individual whom you refer to as ‘Billy the Kid’ at both group and intergroup levels, as well as outside AA.

Billy used to attend intergroup as GSR for Richmond Tuesday, and every time he would attempt to raise the same issues (usually revolving round compliance to his ideals; trying to make the six suggestion card conference-approved, trying to get conference to adopt Dr Bob’s ‘Back to Basics’ programme from the 1940s to combat “AA Shrinkage”). He invariably sat in the same corner of the room with his sponsor, a couple of his sponsees and a few other pals of his, and when everyone came to vote at intergroup or GSR, if they voted differently to him, Billy would sigh or roll his eyes, pull them to one side and try to explain them why they should be voting with him, and demand a recount. I also attend the Hampton Wick meeting on occasion with a friend who still lives in Kingston. I was in attendance when Billy grabbed the secretary by the arm to stop him from walking away while he told him to ‘stick to the crib sheet’ (for your information, grabbing someone by the arm in a manner like that is considered a form of common assault by UK law, not that this is a surprise – Billy fell out with a sponsee and became really aggressive towards him, and in Billy’s own words, the sponsee thought “...[Billy] was going to hit him”. Billy’s view, however, is that, in spite of the aggression and getting in the sponsee’s face, Billy claims it’s not his problem as the sponsee only thought he was going to hit him. Well, that’s alright then! Incidentally, this is the ethos behind Billy's manner - he behaves abusively and the blame lies with the other person for having the resentment).

I feel really sorry for the members of AA who fall foul of Billy’s actions. He appears to have a lot of ‘yes-men’ sponsees who are suggestible and do things because he tells them to. He also has a sponsee called D. (who from my understanding is better known in AA by his surname than his first name) who actively claims to promote the Tuesday meeting in a lot of other meetings using fliers (I do not have one). Billy also has a sponsee called S. who on two occasions called me to ask me if I was calling my sponsor every day; he called me once at around midnight and once at 1.30am. I also feel sorry for Billy – so convinced is he that AA has lost its way that he and his cohorts pre-screen chairs before allowing them to share (but only if they are from ‘outside’ groups rather than the politically-approved groups – Tottenham/North London, Strood etc) and ask every newcomer who their sponsee is, and often advise that they should change sponsors to one from the group. Then again, I am not surprised Billy is the way he is; his sponsor is an actor named R. who tells his sponsees not to pick their kids up from school and to leave them waiting until after the meeting because they need to be at their home group an hour before the meeting starts - one of his several 'Joys of Recovery' traits.

…..... there is a very ‘happy clappy’ meeting in Burnham on a Saturday morning. Someone from the area tells me the American woman who ‘runs’ the meeting formed the Joys of Recovery in Detroit with her husband (who is now the secretary at Hampton Wick). ….... I am willing to be of any assistance I can. I am also curious as to what other information you have on this meeting.

Yours in fellowship,

….... (Anonymously)”

(our edits)

Comment: Apparently Billy is clinging to the hope that we're just going to lose interest in his thuggery, and that aacultwatch is going to go away! Doesn't look like it does it! We've also been informed that our website has been proscribed by the cult hierarchy – and that on no account should their sponsees surf us. Fantastic! What an endorsement! But you know what they say about forbidden fruit? Tastes all the better!

Cheerio

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

PS More to follow on the Detroit connection

Links and downloads section

Indiana University: Alcohol Research and Health History

http://www.indiana.edu/~engs/index.shtml

A bit of 'foot-shooting'? Why not!

Well it must be that time of the month again. There were our feet looking so nice and clean, and we'd just had a lovely pedicure ….. nails trimmed, and corns neatly abraded too! As feet go they were looking pretty damn good even if we say so ourselves. But when you think about it feet can really be quite tricky things to deal with. The leg has to end with something, we know, but surely the Divine Creator could have come up with something slightly more aesthetically pleasing. They do seem a bit.... untidy …. with toes going off occasionally in odd directions, bending in peculiar places, and the odour – well sometimes we just don't know what to do with them! But now here's an intuitive thought.... a moment of spiritual inspiration.... we have a solution.... we'll … shoot them off!

And so with a steady eye and unerring aim Alcoholics Anonymous has once again carefully - and with great precision - shot itself in the foot! It is not yet clear if the fellowship has managed to completely remove both of these appendages but there is no doubt at all, from press reports, that considerable damage has already been sustained by this 'self'-inflicted act. We refer of course to the current mess which constitutes Iain Duncan Smith's most recent inspiration; to 'tax' alcoholics (and addicts) back into recovery. Wherever you look articles abound concerning the Work and Pensions Secretary's latest wheeze, and with hardly a word to be found anywhere in favour of his particular brand of lunacy. And who has been of sufficiently unsound mind to provide a platform for this foolish politician to air his views – well …..Alcoholics Anonymous of course! It was at an event “hosted” by AA in parliament that the main man for the DWP expounded upon his latest cost cutting measures, aimed, of course - and as usual - at the more vulnerable groups in our society. Under the rather flimsy guise of 'assisting' addicts back into work IDS has proposed to reduce the burden to the good old tax payer with measures which include on the spot 'medical' assessments by Job Centre staff. Apparently IDS is of the view that these unqualified individuals would perhaps be able to carry out a quick DSM IV on their 'patient' or maybe just ask them to submit to a “breath test” to establish whether they're “over the limit” or not. We can see it all so clearly now: “Just blow into this sir if you please”, and then, if further evidence is required, they can ask their victim – sorry … 'patient'....for a blood sample. The candidate for rehabilitation, where they fail this stringent medical assessment, can then be pointed in the direction of the nearest AA meeting, no doubt clutching a “chit” in their sweaty mitt, to be “signed on” by an obliging group secretary (otherwise known as a Job Centre intern – ie. an unpaid volunteer – yet another scam!). In fact, come to think of it, why not just set up AA meetings IN the Job Centre? Everyone can have a meeting while they're waiting to be interviewed, get them sorted out in double quick time, and Bob's your uncle, they're clean and sober, and all ready to get back on the treadmill! (Meanwhile of course the bankers can go on 'trousering' their bonuses, Osborne can pretend to take action on tax avoidance/evasion whilst in fact looking the other way – and at a cost to you and us of £25 BILLION a YEAR - real incomes can continue to fall while regressive tax rates spiral upwards .... No! …..Don't even get us started on this one!).

Thus, and in an uncharacteristically efficient fashion, Alcoholics Anonymous has managed, on an unprecedented scale, to break its own traditions concerning non-affiliation and non-controversy (Tradition 10.—No A.A. group or member should ever, in such a way as to implicate A.A., express any opinion on outside controversial issues—particularly those of politics, alcohol reform, or sectarian religion. The Alcoholics Anonymous groups oppose no one. Concerning such matters they can express no views whatever") through its widely publicised association with yet another ill-conceived government proposal (and moreover its implied endorsement of this!), and may also have set itself up for an influx of 'involuntary' referrals (who may or may not be alcoholics) with all the ill consequences that follow from that. …......WAY TO GO! - NOT!

Cheerio

The Fellas (Friends of …. a now footless …..Alcoholics Anonymous)

PS If the bright spark who thought this one up has any more clever ideas – just a word of advice – KEEP THEM TO YOURSELF!

The Last Mile Foundation – another firm cashing in!

Extract from our discussion forum:

“I don’t know the situation with Al-anon, but the Last mile Foundation is active in AA in South East England. The Last mile foundation also goes under the name of “Stepnahead” and “Step’n Ahead into Emotional Sobriety”. I was handed a “Step’n Ahead into Emotional Sobriety” workshop flyer, distributed in an AA meeting in Sussex. The workshop was in London, September 2009, with Workshop speakers Wayne B and Tina A. (Los Angeles, CA). Last year I acquired a 12 step workbook produced by the foundation called “We are… Step’n Ahead” from someone who was involved with Primary Purpose groups in the South East.

There’s something about a retreat in Scotland on the Last Mile foundation’s website, in a testimony by a guy called Lawrence D:

“My first 'in person' experience with the Step'n Ahead workshop was in Scotland, and it provided me with immense hope. When I attended the Scotland workshop, I was blown away with the information they espoused about The ISM Factor, the Faulty Emotional Dependency Syndrome……”

https://thelastmilefoundation.org/Lawrence_D.html

Lawrence also says in his testimony: "I was six months sober when I left London England. I had completed the first 9 steps with my sponsor. I immigrated to Perth Australia. I started a new group at two years into my sobriety.....”

To follow the story of “Step’n Ahead” in Perth Australia, see this article on aacultwatch:

http://aacultwatch.blogspot.co.uk/2011/12/minority-report-ends-up-in-australia.html

On the last mile foundation’s website home page, it can be seen that it targets its business at AA members for them to refer other members, especially those who might be considering professional medical help or counselling, (in other words, the vulnerable) to the Last Mile Foundation’s business.

This is from the Last mile Foundation website’s home page:

“..We need your help on two fronts: Referrals and donations.

1] We want and we encourage AA members to refer alcoholics to us who fit our demographic, especially those who are talking about going on medication or into a treatment program or talk therapy; most importantly, before they do so.

2] We want to ensure that those who suffer from symptoms of The ISM Factor in alcoholism in sobriety -- regardless of an ability to pay -- has an

opportunity to attend Step'n Ahead.

In addition to our affordable fees, we will fund our program through tax-deductible donations from Friends of Step'n Ahead, small business owners, corporations, individuals, government grants, and other fund raising efforts.”

Links to the Last mile Foundation:

http://www.stepnahead.com/

https://thelastmilefoundation.org/Home.html

I don’t think having an opinion on this matter is breaking Tradition Ten. The opposite is true. These things have to be taken seriously. Tradition Ten is not the relevant Tradition, this is a matter of upholding Traditions Four and Six, and also the General Warranties of Conference (Concept 12, warranties Five and Six) It is a matter regarding the affiliation to, or endorsement of, related facilities or outside enterprises. In this case, where a business is operating in AA, to call it an outside issue is a misunderstanding of traditions. AA has to protect itself from businesses which attempt to merge their activities within AA. Traditions Four, Six and Concept 12, Warranties Five and Six are clear The AA name cannot be lent to any outside enterprise; they must be entirely separate. There is a responsibility for AA members to see this is done by actively upholding AA Traditions and General Warranties of Conference. (Concept 12) This is not having an opinion on outside issues; it is having an opinion on an outside interference in the affairs of AA. It is something which AA members need to address at all levels.

I wouldn’t be surprised if it is targeting Al-anon as well, it doesn’t make much business sense to only make money out of one fellowship when you can make it out of two.

I have seen a retreat business under a different name advertising retreats in the USA, Ireland, England and Scotland, targeting its business at AA, Al-anon, NA, and their families.

I think for a newcomer to be “blown away with information they espoused” as stated by Lawrence D, which excite feelings of euphoria followed by emotional attachment to the mission could be interpreted as brainwashing, especially if they are in a particularly emotionally vulnerable state which ought to be treated by a medical professional or counsellor instead.

I think the workbook is complicated and absolute nonsense in places. In some places I can't work out it out at all. If I'd had to work through it in early recovery it would have made me feel inadequate to the point of being neurotic.

I hope this info. Helps”

Comment: None needed

Cheerio

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

Useful sites

MedlinePlus: the National Institutes of Health's Web site for patients and their families and friends. Produced by the National Library of Medicine, it brings you information about diseases, conditions, and wellness issues in language you can understand. MedlinePlus offers reliable, up-to-date health information, anytime, anywhere, for free: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/

NHS Choices: NHS Choices is the UK’s biggest health website. It provides a comprehensive health information service that puts you in control of your healthcare: http://www.nhs.uk/Pages/HomePage.aspx

Clarence Snyder: a legend in his own mind!

Extract from the AA Grapevine forum

 

re: VERY GOOD NEWS INDEED! -STEPS 1-12

"Submitted by anonymous on Mon, 2012-05-07 09:42.

Thank you for taking the time to reply. No, I don’t particularly like quoting old timers, but with all this myth and misrepresentation about AA history in outside published literature and on the internet, I feel that quoting Conference approved AA literature has now become a necessary aspect to writing in the Grapevine magazine and forum; in order to provide some balance to such misrepresentation. Otherwise AA is in danger of loosing sight of its program and therefore in turn, its good public relations and members. Quoting from Conference approved AA literature shows up the many individual opinions that were around in A.A. in the 1940s, and none is more special than any other. I think it is important to distinguish what were individual opinions or local group practices and what was and is now overall AA policy. Quoting Conference approved AA literature might inspire people to read it. It also sparks a healthy, lively debate and keeps AA Tradition alive.

Here’s another old timer quote; his remembering of 1942:

“…Most of us in Akron didn’t like all this praying” said Oscar, “We had enough of it in the Oxford Group. I still don’t like praying in A.A. I don’t like the Serenity Prayer. New York brought it in, and we resented it. We thought they were bringing back the Oxford Group…” Oscar W. (Extract from Dr. Bob and the Good Old timers, p 271)

I read what you asked, including appendix E, an interpretation of the steps written by Clarence S, January 1972 ["How It Worked" the story of Clarence S] . Afterward, I thought of what Dr. Bob said of such interpretations:

“As finally expressed and offered, they [The Twelve Steps] are simple in language, plain in meaning. They are also workable by any person having a sincere desire to obtain and keep sobriety. The results are proof. Their simplicity and workability are such that no special interpretations, and certainly no reservations, have ever been necessary.” (Extract from Dr. Bob and the Good Old Timers p 227)

The “How it worked” book is for me, a classic example of deviation from Tradition Six, where problems of money property and prestige are diverting us from our primary purpose. Too many alcoholics are seeking personal distinction or are making money out of A.A. and in so doing turning it into a cult-like religion. The adulation of personalities before principles is a process corroding the fellowship’s spiritual foundation of humility in Tradition Twelve. Tradition Four (long form) tells me that if ever I wanted to write a book which might affect AA as a whole, then I would consult with the General Service Board before publication. Tradition One would tell me to swallow my pride and throw my book in the trash if the trustees weren’t too keen on my glorious idea. Our common welfare should come first. Me second. (The Twelve Traditions (Long form) are in the Big Book Appendix 1)

After digesting the appendix of this outside enterprise, I only got to chapter 9, the chapter where Clarence S is described as a prophet in his home town, followed by the biblical quote explaining a prophet is not without honor except in his own country. I had to stop. I couldn’t take it seriously after that. I laughed so much that I couldn’t even compose myself to write you this reply until now. The “Prophet” Clarence S!!! How high his pedestal, his disciples doeth build? For a moment, I had this wonderful vision of what AA could become in a couple of thousand years time, a bunch of alcoholics hanging around a shrine in Ohio, singing the psalms of Clarence, bright eyes skyward, eagerly waiting for their beloved prophet’s return.

I wouldn’t pay too much attention to what “the prophet” Clarence says or any other old timer for that matter, they were all just ex drunks with huge egos like me. Together though, I say they did make a fine group conscience with AA policy and Traditions; with a little help from something else, of course. Not to mention those oft’ forgotten non-alcoholic humans who manned the backup higher power generators in the Depts. of Psychiatry; Dr. Silkworth M.D., his accomplice “power-house” nurse Teddy, Dr. Harry Tiebout M.D. and others; standing by whenever the patients thought they were well enough to switch off the higher power and light up the fellowship with the emotional dynamite instead. Dangerous thing emotional dynamite, you need to put your charge in its right place, otherwise it can blow the whole thing. That’s why we’ve each been given a fire proof metal box called AA Traditions in which to keep our very own stick. You can read about “the prophet” Clarence S. in “Pass it On” and “Dr. Bob and the Good Old Timers” if you like, (Though note his title “prophet” is not used in these books). Apparently, “the prophet” was on a bit of a short fuse at times, clashed a lot with Bill W. I gather. No surprise there for me.

“..By 1942, Bill was not in such favour with Clarence and his faction in Cleveland as in earlier days. In the years to come, there were further clashes, over finances, policy, the start of the A.A. General Service Conference, and other matters. The criticism was directed more at Bill than Dr. Bob...” (Extract Dr. Bob and the Good Old Timers p 270)

“..I don’t know why we had that built-in animosity. Clarence didn’t like Bill and would cuss him out, so you can see my animosity came secondhand,..” (Oscar W.) (Dr. Bob and the Good Old Timers p 271)

In his book Mitchell K states that Clancy S [should be Clarence S] was his sponsor. Neither Bill W. nor Dr. Bob were fans of sponsor worship and I was wondering where all this religious sponsor worship stuff and Bill W. denigration was coming from. Bill passed away in 1971, His old adversary Clancy [again - Clarence S] writes his own interpretation in 1972. You might like to read appendix E:b, Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age pp 309-319. Knowing about my typical alcoholic “narcissistic ego-centric core” helps me understand the nature of ego deflation in depth in Step One, I know my ego comes back soon enough, once I stop applying the steps. Were all nuts aren’t we? We believe our own egos and just keep on denying it to ourselves, then delude ourselves that we’re being honest when we’re not.

All this diversion from principles to personalities reminds me of “Mad Mitch” a now deceased Lieutenant-colonel in the British army. (Don’t ask why, my head constantly pops full of random thoughts, sometimes sane, often quite bizarre). If you like, you can find out more about “Mad Mitch” by using the search terms “Mad Mitch Mitchell.” (Not to be confused with the author Mitchell K) You can also find out more about AA prophets in a minority report to conference, using the search terms: “AA minority report (GB) 2012” (AA prophets p 32) I suggest you read it, the AAs who compiled it did a good job, a well researched and compelling document. That’s just my opinion, though I wouldn’t take my self seriously.

Now I’m stuck with this crazy vision of “The Prophet” Clarence and Lt. Col. “Mad Mitch” Mitchell racing round and around the desert in a heavily armed 4x4, bagpipers-a-blowing and loudspeakers-a-preaching the book, as they go amidst their hot air with lots of explosions and incoming fire. (Not unlike the scene in my intergroup at the mo.) It’s going to cause me much mirth for the rest of life. And today, well, I haven’t laughed so much since yesterday, so thanks for giving me these thoughts!

For “power-house” nurse Teddy, see The Language of the Heart pp 156,176

Keep it Simple- Keep it Conference Approved”

Comment: Clarence S – yet another example of 'personalities before principles'.

Cheerio

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

New additions to Files and downloads

Research Society on Alcoholism (lecture series): http://www.rsalectures.com/index.html

Behavioral Health Recovery Management (papers and publications): http://www.bhrm.org/papers/papers.htm

PMC: a free full-text archive of biomedical and life sciences journal literature at the U.S. National Institutes of Health's National Library of Medicine (NIH/NLM) (simply insert search terms eg. alcoholism, alcoholics anonymous etc for listings and links): http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/

Conference Questions (2012) forum discussion (contd)

Committee No. 1

Question 1:

“Would the Fellowship share experience and make recommendations on how to make AA more visible to the general public, particularly by increasing awareness and understanding of how the AA programme works?"

Extracts

“Suggestion 6

Suggest encouraging a greater awareness within the fellowship of one of AA public information’s most challenging problems in communication; explained by Bill W:

“..We much regret that these facts of AA life are not understood by the legion of alcoholics in the world around us. Any number of them are bedeviled by the dire conviction that if ever they go near AA they will be pressured to conform to some particular brand of faith or theology. They just don't realize that faith is never a necessity for AA membership; that sobriety can be achieved with an easily acceptable minimum of it; and that our concepts of a higher power and God as we understand Him afford everyone a nearly unlimited choice of spiritual belief and action.

How to transmit this good news is one of our most challenging problems in communication, for which there may be no fast or sweeping answer. Perhaps our public information services could begin to emphasize this all-important aspect of AA more heavily.”

(Bill W. Extract from “God As We Understand him: The Dilemma of No Faith” The Language of the Heart p 251. AA Grapevine April 1961)”

“Suggestion 7

Suggest AA groups hold group consciences on whether newcomers are being turned away from AA by symptoms of what Bill W. described in 1961 as “spiritual pride” and “rank aggression:”

“We can also take a fresh look at the problem of "no faith" as it exists right on our own doorstep. Though three hundred thousand did recover in the last twenty-five years, maybe half a million more have walked into our midst, and then out again. No doubt some were too sick to make even a start. Others couldn't or wouldn't admit their alcoholism. Still others couldn't face up to their underlying personality defects. Numbers departed for still other reasons.

Yet we can't well content ourselves with the view that all these recovery failures were entirely the fault of the newcomers themselves. Perhaps a great many didn't receive the kind and amount of sponsorship they so sorely needed. We didn't communicate when we might have done so. So we AAs failed them. Perhaps more often than we think, we still make no contact at depth with those suffering the dilemma of no faith.

Certainly none are more sensitive to spiritual cocksureness, pride and aggression than they are. I'm sure this is something we too often forget. In AA's first years I all but ruined the whole undertaking with this sort of unconscious arrogance. God as I understood Him had to be for everybody. Sometimes my aggression was subtle and sometimes it was crude. But either way it was damaging--perhaps fatally so--to numbers of nonbelievers. Of course this sort of thing isn't confined to Twelfth Step work. It is very apt to leak out into our relations with everybody. Even now, I catch myself chanting that same old barrier-building refrain, "Do as I do, believe as I do--or else!".

Here's a recent example of the high cost of spiritual pride. A very tough-minded prospect was taken to his first AA meeting. The first speaker majored on his own drinking pattern. The prospect seemed impressed. The next two speakers (or maybe lecturers) each themed their talks on "God as I understand Him." This could have been good, too, but it certainly wasn't. The trouble was their attitude, the way they presented their experience. They did ooze arrogance. In fact, the final speaker got far overboard on some of his personal theological convictions. With perfect fidelity, both were repeating my performance of years before. Quite unspoken, yet implicit in everything they said, was the same idea--"Folks, listen to us. We have the only true brand of AA--and you'd better get it!"

The new prospect said he'd had it--and he had. His sponsor protested that this wasn't real AA. But it was too late; nobody could touch him after that. He also had a first class alibi for yet another bender. When last heard from, an early appointment with the undertaker seemed probable.

Fortunately, such rank aggression in the name of spirituality isn't often seen nowadays. Yet this sorry and unusual episode can be turned to good account. We can ask ourselves whether, in less obvious but nevertheless destructive forms, we are not more subject to fits of spiritual pride than we had supposed. If constantly worked at, I'm sure that no kind of self-survey could be more beneficial.”

(Bill W. Extract from “God As We Understand him: The Dilemma of No Faith” The Language of the Heart pp 252-253. AA Grapevine April 1961)”

For the next batch of conference questions we will be including a section on the aacultwatch forum specifically devoted to these but with considerably fewer constraints on members' contributions, and with considerably more licence to cite sources directly in support of their arguments (currently not possible on the AA website). Moreover members will be able to to exchange private messages via our forum (a facility which is currently denied on the AA website). Anyone may join in the discussion.

Cheers

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

Newly reorganised Links and downloads section

http://aacultwatcharticles.blogspot.co.uk/p/links-and-downloads.html

Another encounter with the cult

“Thank you for your reply,

When you mentioned the term 'ex-cult members', it made me realise that I have never told you my story around all this - you might find it useful for either the website or your own information.

Having been in contact with AA for about six weeks, I had my last drink on December 30th, 1989. I am an accountant and have worked on a semi-freelance basis since the late seventies.

The first meeting I attended was in Kingston-Upon-Thames in Surrey in November 1989. My memory isn't what it used to be, but, for whatever reason, I have no difficulty in remembering my first meeting, or seeing my doctor with regards to my drinking - I remember the latter, because it was the day the Berlin Wall came down. My doctor suggested I attended a few AA meetings and see if I liked what I saw. After stalling on the idea for a while, I went into Kingston on a Tuesday evening and attended an AA meeting in the Quaker Hall on Eden Street; this meeting no longer takes place here, but now at St. Luke's Church, Gibbon Road (also in Kingston). A man called Bob (who would eventually become my sponsor) gave me his number (all landlines back then), and invited me back the following week.

Some time after this, I began doing some contract work for a friend's company, so was travelling to his company's office in Elvaston Place, SW7 on Mondays and Wednesdays. I was informed, by someone within my local meeting, that there was a meeting in the Scottish Episcopal Church on Pont Street on a Monday night. From here, I was encouraged to attend a meeting in Collingham Road the coming Wednesday. As both meetings were very close to my office at the time, I couldn't think of a reason not to. I was two months sober or so at the time and felt that it would help. By this point, I had heard talk of sponsorship and the steps in the meetings I had been to so far but felt it was better to get my feet on the ground in AA before venturing in that direction.

There was a much larger crowd in this and the Pont Street meetings than in Kingston and Staines where I had previously attended, but I figured that, as we were in Central London, this was inevitable. I walked down to the crypt and sat to the side of the speaker's table, facing inward. the rest is all a blur but I remember people asking me for my number. I remember at my first meeting people gave me their numbers - at this one they asked me to give mine. I didn't find this particularly ominous at the time. One thing I did notice was that the sharing was somewhat harmonious, somewhat seemingly word-for-word. I didn't share in this meeting; nevertheless I went home, glad for having been to a meeting.

Things became slightly awry when, at around six o'clock the following morning, I received a telephone call from a man called David (whom I now understand to be David C)[aka “The Icon” – see site for more info] telling me he was calling me on the advice of his sponsor. I asked him what I could do for him (I, for a moment, thought he'd been pointed in my direction because of an accounting query!) his response was "I was just told to call you". That was pretty much it. After a brief exchange of how-are-you-s, the conversation was over, with my wife and our young son dishevelled after being awoken abruptly. I was working at home this day, and as the morning went on I shrugged off the incident and carried on with my day, before receiving a telephone call from an individual called John C which essentially took the same course. I got a third call that day from someone whose name I can't remember (who was also quite new into the programme), and thought this was all rather odd and maybe there had been some sort of mistake and that they thought I was someone else.

I continued to attend both meetings, as well as the Tuesday meeting in Kingston and occasional others in my area and decided that this man called Bob (who passed away in 2001) was the man I wanted as a sponsor. Shortly after this, I attended the Vision meeting one Wednesday and I was asked if I had a sponsor yet. I affirmed and said the name 'Bob the Beard' (as was his name). The people I spoke to did not know who he was, thus insisted that it would probably be best if I found a sponsor from this meeting. Before I could answer, I was 'paired up' with this man called Tony and was informed he would sponsor me. I declined the polite offer and went home after the meeting. The next morning I got the usual 'phone calls (albeit later in the day after I asserted six o'clock was too early). This is where things became conspicuous: I was asked what I had been up to so far that day. My response was that I had been doing accounting work all morning. My 'correspondent' seemed quite surprised that I hadn't got on my knees that morning and prayed, or that I hadn't called a newcomer that day, or that I hadn't called my sponsor. I ended the 'phone call feeling like I'd been slapped in the face and decided to call my own sponsor to discuss this. My sponsor asserted that, seeing as his physical health prevented him from getting down on his knees anyway it would be wrong of him to tick me off for not doing so. By the next day I had disregarded the whole thing.

Six months into my sobriety, my wife left me. She decided that she wanted to make a fresh start in her home town in Staffordshire. In spite of my emotional upset, I remained sober and the divorce procedures were relatively smooth and we sold the house and I moved to a smaller house in Ashford, Middlesex. On some days I found this more difficult than others and embarked on a series of counselling sessions. At Collingham Road one Wednesday I shared towards the end of the meeting that I was struggling with the emotional side of the divorce and that I was receiving counselling and asserted that I had not felt like drinking in this time thanks to my Higher Power, and this set off a number of murmurs from those in attendance. Once the meeting ended I got up to head for the toilet and was literally grabbed by the arm and was told by David C and one other that I shouldn't be sharing about my emotions in the meeting. Two more 'Joys' folk joined this and one man called Paul asked me why I was seeing a counsellor when I had a 'so-called sponsor' who would perform this duty for me. I told him that it was, in fact, my sponsor who suggested I began counselling. I was then told that I was being fed a watered-down version of AA, and that I would never be well if I continued this. "Great", I thought, "I've been attending AA for six months only to find I'm not going to get well". I told them that I would continue the counselling for the time being, at which point a man called Tony told me that I was "probably going to turn up next week, pissed out of my fucking head" (quote). The next morning I spoke to my sponsor and he was genuinely shocked and I was sickened. I shortly received a verbal amend from David C, which he read off a piece of paper.

I never attended the Collingham Road meeting after that, but, about three years later (and long after my contract in SW7 expired), I was informed that a meeting had been formed in Eaton Square after some individuals had left the Joys meeting. I decided to attend, thinking that maybe these people had left for the same reason. This was around 1994 and I recognised some of the people there and got talking to a few. I only attended this particular meeting on occasion (maybe once a month) until around 2001, when I moved away to South Wales. I also attended the infamous Richmond meeting between 1998, the year of its creation, and when I moved. It was attended by four men in particular: John B, Donald, 'Billy the Post' and a man interestingly known as 'Skittles' and their sponsees. I also attended Kingston Hill (now Hampton Wick)[Hampton Wick Friday – to be distinguished from the Monday and Thursday AA meetings at the same venue]. These were very similar to the Joys meeting, but, from my observation, less intrusive (or so I thought). These men had attended the Joys meeting and Donald and I had kept in contact during my 'sabbatical period'. What I didn't realise was that these meetings had a similar agenda of both sponsorship idolatry and dictated meeting structures. There were strong links between these people and David C (from the Joys) with his sponsees, among others Happy Dennis and Rupert (later sponsored by Donald). I remember Rupert being told not to pick up his young children from an after-school activity because he needed to be at the meeting an hour early. David C said the only thing he could do was to leave them waiting until after the meeting to be picked up, as his sobriety depended on him being an hour early for the meeting.

I lived and worked in Cardiff, whilst attending meetings until 2006, when I returned. The only times I left Wales were to visit my son over Christmas and his birthday, and to attend my sponsor's funeral in Hampton Court in 2001. I moved back to Twickenham in 2006 to find nothing had changed. Rupert had set up a meeting on Twickenham Green on a Thursday called 'One Primary Purpose' (possibly called such as an aim to condition the sharing, but it would appear to be a mainstream meeting with no involvement from Rupert these days), and the Tolworth meeting had also been formed. I have attended both meetings in my time. The Tolworth meeting worried me more as I heard that Newcomers were being assigned sponsors from this meeting, regardless of where they were in their voyage into AA at the time.

I still attend Richmond and Hampton Wick on occasion, more for observation than anything else. For my recovery I prefer meetings in Teddington, Twickenham and Staines. I have not had a sponsor since Bob died in 2001, but I have many friends and confidantes within AA with whom I can share and seek advice.

I'm sure none of this is new to you, but you may find it useful for background or your stories section.

Best wishes as always,

R..........”

(our edits)

Comment: none required

Cheerio

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

AA Minority report 2012 (continued)(14)

Section 7

Inventory

Extract from Bill W’s address to the 20th anniversary St Louis convention (AA Comes of Age page 231 -233):

“In the years ahead we shall, of course, make mistakes. Experience has taught us that we need have no fear of doing this, providing that we shall always remain willing to confess our faults and to correct them promptly. Our growth as individuals has depended upon this healthy process of trial and error. So will our growth as a fellowship.

Let us always remember that any society of men and women that cannot freely correct its own faults must surely fall into decay if not into collapse. Such is the universal penalty for failing to go on growing. Just as each A.A. must continue to take his moral inventory and act upon it, so must our whole society do if we are to survive and if we are to serve usefully and well.

I have great faith that we shall never embrace and persist in a fatal error; and yet we still might do so, fallible human beings that we are. This is the area in the future life of A.A. where we can never be too prudent or too vigilant. Let us not suppose, just because A.A. as a whole has never had a grievous problem, that it never will……..

Within A.A, I suppose we shall always quarrel a good bit……. We shall have our childish spats and snits……... Any bunch of growing children (and that is what we really are) would hardly be in character if they did less. These are the growing pains of infancy, and we actually thrive on them. ……

But there are nevertheless certain areas where anger and contention could prove to be our undoing. We know this because stronger societies than our own have been undone. The whole modern world is in fact coming apart as never before because of political and religious strife; because men blindly pursue wealth, fame, and personal power, regardless of the consequences to anyone, even themselves. These are the destructive drives that are inevitably spurred on by self – justification, and in all their disastrous collisions they are powered by righteous indignation, then by unreasoning anger, and finally blind fury. With the most heart felt gratitude I can report that we have never yet had to endure any such trials by fire in A.A. In all these twenty marvellous years no such thing as religious or political dissension has touched us. Very few have tried to exploit A.A. for wealth or fame or personal power……..”

This year, 2011 marked another A.A. anniversary, which a few might have acknowledged. This, the 40th anniversary in which A.A. has stood without Bill W’s ever prudent, ever vigilant “Stop Look Listen” (Concept 1) leadership. This passed away with him on January 26th 1971. As we can survey the fellowship today, perhaps it is now time to “Stop Look Listen.” Perhaps we have taken our eyes off the ball with “Our promoter friend”. Perhaps it is time to look very seriously at our Traditions, not as suggestions, but the very principles upon which the survival of our fellowship depends. Just to the degree that we deviate from these principles is precisely the degree to which the fellowship disintegrates.

Perhaps it is now time to look very closely at Concept IX. And ask ourselves, to which party do I belong to, the politician’s or the statesman’s?

A ‘statesman’ is an individual who can put the principle of A.A. Tradition before their own personality; self sacrificing, ever vigilant, prudently on guard, with an integrity that brooks no compromise; like the Statesmen who encountered Chuck D. in 1958.

“A statesman is an individual who can……..even in a small minority take a stand against a storm…… stick flat footed to ones convictions about an issue until it is settled…… face heavy and sometimes long-continued criticism………gobs of rumours, gossip, and general scuttlebutt…” (Concept IX)

Examples of non alcoholic Statesmen in A.A. history:

“Much later we realised what Mr. Rockefeller had really done for us. At risk of personal ridicule, he had stood up before the whole world to put in a plug for a tiny Society of struggling alcoholics” (Bill W. referring to the help given to A.A. by John D. Rockefeller Jr.) (A.A. Grapevine May 1955. Language of the Heart page 147)

“Dr. Silkworth let me work with a few people in the hospital at the risk of his reputation.” (Bill W. AA Grapevine July 1968. Language of the Heart page 285)

“At very considerable risk to his professional standing Harry Tiebout ever since continued to endorse A.A. and its work to the psychiatric profession.” (Bill W. A.A. Comes of Age page 4)

The following paragraph is an example of the voice of one of today’s Statesmen; though it is unfortunate the review committee could not come out with a unified voice on this principle:

“Finally Tradition Two tells me we have but one ultimate authority – a loving God as He expresses himself in our group conscience. It seems to me if we allow interpretations of the Big Book through study guides we will also undermine our ultimate authority.” (From A.A. World Services “Big Book Study Guides: Reviewing a position paper' – AA Service News, No.127 Summer 2006 / Box 459, vol.51, No.6. December2005)

A ‘politico’ is an individual who carries a principle only so far as for it not be of personal cost to himself; he absolves himself of his delegated responsibility and authority by trying to keep the peace, trying to please the people, one “who is forever trying to ‘get the people what they want” (Concept IX), by twisting sayings like “I have no opinion. I neither endorse nor oppose” “Live and let live!” “There’s nothing we can do, each group is autonomous.” “Keep your side of the street clean.” “Hand it over” “God will sort it out”, “Its God’s will!” “Vote with your feet!”

Politicians, please be aware, the disaffected are “voting with their feet.”

“No society can function well without able leadership at in all its levels, and A.A. can be no exception……but when he too meekly becomes an order- taker and exercises no judgement of his own – well, he isn’t a leader at all…. A ‘politico’ is an individual who is ‘forever trying to get the people what they want’…… Good leadership never passes the buck”…… “As individuals and as a fellowship, we shall surely suffer if we cast the whole job of planning for tomorrow onto a fatuous idea of providence. God’s real Providence has endowed us human beings with a considerable capacity for foresight and He evidently expects us to use it”. (Bill W, Concept IX).

Extract from the Conference Charter - Great Britain:

Article 3. Conference in relation to A.A.

“The Conference will act for A.A. in Great Britain in the perpetuation and guidance of its services and it will also be the vehicle by which A.A. in Great Britain can express its views on all matters of vital A.A. policy and all hazardous deviations from A.A. Tradition…….” (A.A. Service handbook for Great Britain section 9.1)

The General Service Board

“The General Service Board is the custodian of the Twelve Traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous in Great Britain. As such it has the responsibility to ensure that the Traditions are preserved intact and that the fellowship of A.A. In Great Britain acts in accordance with the Traditions.” (A.A. Service handbook for Great Britain section 9.1)

Perhaps it is time to reflect on all previous Conference recommendations regarding the use and display of non A.A. published literature and trinket business in A.A. meetings and in A.A. conventions, events; and also, recommendations on special purpose groups. Have previous recommendations stuck firmly to the principle of A.A. Tradition or have they deviated? Can the fellowship afford Conference to make compromises on Traditions? Is the fellowship suffering the consequences?

“The Conference, as we know, is the ‘guardian’ of the A.A. Traditions” (Concept 12, warranty five)

Is the broadside of A.A. Tradition being delivered in Conference recommendations, or is it the narrow side “To get the people what they want”?

UK General Service Conference 2011:

Extracts from conference question and committee response:

“Can Conference make suggestions on how groups and Intergroups can work better to carry the message to the still suffering alcoholic? - There is evidence that strained relationships between some Groups and Intergroups could be inhibiting the effectiveness of our primary purpose.” (AA Service News 145, 2010)

“All service bodies are reminded that AA is an inclusive fellowship. Adherence to AA Traditions, concepts and warranties ensures inclusivity. This committee found that strained relations between some groups and Intergroups can inhibit the effectiveness of our primary purpose. The principles of Unity, right of participation, that minority opinion must be heard and that no service body has the authority to take punitive action were emphasised to help resolve some of the difficulties encountered.”(Committee 4, Question 2) (AA Service News 147, 2011).

Another side to A.A. Tradition:

“In AA, the group has strict limitations, but the individual scarcely any.”

(Bill W. AA Grapevine February 1958 - Language of the Heart pages 222-225).

Tradition One: “Our common welfare should come first…”

Tradition Two “There is but one ultimate authority…”

Concept 12 warranty six: “That our conference will be ever prudently be on guard against tyrannies great and small, whether these be found in the majority or in the minority.”

Concept 12, warranty five “Feeling the weight of all these forces, certain members who run counter to A.A.’s Traditions sometimes say that they are being censored or punished and that they are therefore being governed…..”

Tradition Two: “A few haemorrhage so badly that – drained of all A.A. spirit and principle - they get drunk. At times the A.A. landscape seems to be littered with bleeding forms.” (Tradition Two; Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions page 137-139).

Concept 12, warranty 6: “Finally, any two or three alcoholics gathered together for sobriety may call themselves an A.A. group provided that, as a group, they have no other purpose or affiliation”. (Concept 12, warranty 6)

Concept 12, warranty five: “These examples illustrate how far we have already gone to encourage freedom of assembly, action, even schism…….If they can do better by other means, we are glad.”

“A.A. started in a riot. It grows in riots” (Warren C. ‘Good Old timer’, joined A.A. 1939)

(Dr. Bob and the Good Old Timers, page 209)

There can be no peace without justice, no serenity in anarchy, no unity without adherence to Tradition. Our history and Traditions tell us that we need never fear internal controversy, argument, split and schism. But what we do need to fear is a false unity at the price of Traditions and false pride at the expense of humility. We do need to fear public controversy caused by the communication of a garbled message and deviance from Traditions. The integrity of A.A. Traditions and warranties of Conference must be preserved in their active principles, because if they are compromised it will lead to our disintegration.

A quote of Dr. Bob on humility:

“...a thing which not too many of us are blessed.” This was not the “fake humility of Dickens’s Uriah Heep” Nor was it “the doormat variety.” (Dr. Bob and the Good Old Timers page 222).

Cheerio

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)