To
quote:
“First
of all I want to say that, although I am not a Catholic myself, I
have no prejudice or issue with the Roman Catholic Church per se. The
point of this report is not to denigrate the Catholic Church or
debate its teachings, but to expose individuals within the
Vision/Joys hierarchy who, having converted to Catholicism, are
importing Catholic dogma and moral teachings into AA and presenting
and imposing these upon newcomers and sponsees as AA-program in
violation of the Traditions and the Preamble of our fellowship. I
also wish to say that, as far as I am aware, the Catholic Church is
not complicit in the activity
of the Vision/Joys cult.
Around
the mid-1990’s David B, founder of the Vision cult, began attending
the Brompton Oratory, a large Catholic church in Kensington. This
church is well known for its ornate Masses said in Latin, and its
professional choir, who sing classical church music, and its very
conservative Catholic outlook. I understand David B started going to
the Oratory after a sponsee of his called John converted to
Catholicism and invited him to go to the 11am high mass there. A
number of David B’s sponsees began to attend with him also,
including David C "Icons" and his sponsees, and after
Sunday mass they would all have lunch at a nearby restaurant.
Around
the same time as this was going on there developed a more judgmental
and “Catholic” attitude to moral questions and issues. Sex before
marriage was forbidden for David’s sponsees on the grounds that is
was supposedly “selfish”. Then suddenly artificial birth control
was also outlawed for any of David’s sponsees. This gross
interference in personal liberty and conscience was enthusiastically
reinforced later by David B’s successor, David C "Icons".
David C "Icons" decided that promoting the moral teachings
of the Pope, the head of the Catholic Church, on sexual matters was
part of the message of AA. Thus unwary newcomers and sponsees were
told, among other things:
1)
No masturbation. It’s selfish. It’s a defect. A sin against
“purity”, and something
to feel guilty about.
2)
No use of artificial birth control
(contraception). Birth control was seen as a
moral evil and "selfish" and encouraging "lust".
Sponsees who used birth control were "off the program" and
ran the risk of serious disapproval from David C "Icons"
and co, not the mention the Pope.
3)
No Abortion - abortion was described as "murder" and
contrary to the program.
4)
No sex outside marriage. Sex outside marriage was not allowed in the
group and offenders would lose their sponsor. Thus the life saving
message of AA was withdrawn from those who did not go along with this
moral dogma.
5)
Sex and relationships were only for the production of children within
marriage. Homosexuality was frowned upon.
6)
Extreme and outdated forms of sexual etiquette. For example; David C
"Icons" thought that women should be chaperoned
(accompanied by a responsible adult) on their early dates with men.
He was uncertain a lady should
even be kissed on her first date. Indeed he himself needed to consult
his sponsor about this delicate matter when he had a date one
evening. (It should be remembered that David C "Icons" was
a man in his late 30’s and not a young teenager. This childish
level of extreme sponsor dependency may make the reader laugh, but
should not be surprising. Obedience to David B and the whole
Vision/Joys cult style of sponsor worship definitely tended to
infantilize the sponsee for life). Needless to say the lady concerned
dumped him.
David
C "Icons" also decided that if one was to follow a faith
outside of AA, (which the Big Book suggests as a possible way of
improving one’s spiritual life (pages 87 & 132) - then that
faith should always be a WESTERN one. So, for example, Buddhism,
Hinduism etc were strictly speaking not to be encouraged. In fact,
people in the fellowship who turned to Buddhism to enrich the
spiritual life tended to be mocked by David C "Icons".
Only a western Christian faith would be acceptable, and of course,
Catholicism was particularly to be favoured and embraced. It is
noticeable that sponsees of David C "Icons" have also
converted to Catholicism – Jim W for one, co-author of the big book
website. And there are many others all the way down the line to the
latest influx of recruits to the Vision/Joys cult.
Not
long after I left the Vision cult, I was approached by a young man,
whom I shall call Mr. C, who asked me to sponsor him. He was a
refugee from Vision, his cult sponsor who was one of the Vision
hierarchy had “sacked” him and consigned him to the ”outer
darkness”. The “outer darkness” was an expression at the
Vision cult which referred to the rest of the fellowship. In this
case the reason was very interesting. Mr. C had been told by his
Vision cult sponsor that he should consider becoming a Catholic.
Rightly, Mr. C felt that this was a gross violation of his human
rights and freedom of conscience, and this cult sponsor had no right
on insisting upon conversion to a particular denomination. According
to the AA Preamble, read out at every meeting, AA is not allied to
any religious sect or denomination. However the Vision sponsor did
not seem to agree with the Preamble. According to the sponsor, Mr.
C’s refusal to become a Catholic was due to “a resentment against
the institution of the Catholic Church” and he should look at his
“defects” regarding this issue, and then pray to have them
removed. This is typical Vision/Joys cult tactic. If you don’t
agree with what they say, it’s because “you have a resentment”.
They are always right (it’s their “humility”, you see!). Mr.
C, having prayed a great deal, still did not want to become a
Catholic, and so he was “sacked” or “consigned to the outer
darkness” (might we even say “excommunicated”!) by the Vision
cult sponsor. This incident was interesting because it revealed a
tendency at the Vision cult which I had been aware of for some time -
and that was the Catholic Connection.
Another
incident I recall was when one of David C Icon’s sponsees (called
Jim) was sponsoring a man who was Jewish and who wanted to date a
Catholic girl. David C "Icons" ruled that this was not to
be encouraged, as he had decided mixed religion relationships were
not compatible spiritually.
David
C "Icons" also produced a “Helpful Books” reading list
as part of the Document he wrote called “Companion to the Big Book”
– this was an early version of his current big book website. The
reading list is interesting because almost all the books suggested
for reading are exclusively Catholic. These include the hefty
many-volumed Summa Theologica of St Thomas Aquinas, a medieval saint
and theologian . David C "Icons" opines that St Thomas was
the “biggest brain box ever”. I showed this list of “helpful
books” to a friend of mine who happens to be a Catholic priest and
he thought it looked like a reading list for someone who was studying
for Catholic priesthood or seminary. It is certainly heavily biased
in favour
of a Catholic viewpoint.
Since
all this happened, it would seem that David C "Icons" has
become even more extreme, fanatical and bigoted. He has developed the
“Way of Beauty” which is a concept inspired by a decree
of Pope John-Paul II. David C "Icons" derides and condemns
modern art as “selfish” (one of his favourite put downs of
anything he doesn’t like or understand); and, indeed, for him, any
kind of “self-expression” is regarded almost as a form of heresy.
For David C "Icons" only the “Truth” matters. And the
“Truth” can only be found within the Catholic religion. The high
Art of other cultures may look beautiful, may even be skilfully
produced, but it isn’t “True” so at best would only find a
place in his back garden, (perhaps by the compost heap, or beside the
garden gnomes). Belittling other religions, especially Buddhism
(“everyone today is a Buddhist” he sighs sarcastically during one
of his American Catholic TV broadcasts) is all part of his prejudice
against anything that does not reflect the rigid and rigorous dogmas
of his own one true faith. Clearly he
isn’t a very secure person.
I
don’t think I need comment on the mind-numbing arrogance, fascism,
bigotry,
selfishness, and sheer infantile idiocy demonstrated by the
Vision/Joys cult and its leadership. It is self evident and beyond
words. But perhaps I can conclude with some quotes from the
literature – the real message of AA.
From
the Preamble:
…AA
is not allied with any sect, denomination, politics, organization or
institution; does not wish to engage in any controversy, neither
endorses nor opposes any causes. Our primary purpose is to stay sober
and help other alcoholics to achieve sobriety.
Tradition
10 (Short form):
Alcoholics
Anonymous has no opinion on outside issues; hence the A.A. name ought
never be drawn into public controversy.
Tradition
10 (Long Form):
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.
And
perhaps David C "Icons" much vaunted “humility” might
extend to apologizing for his misuse and abuse of AA, and for having
damaged the chances of recovery of many alcoholics who have, over the
years of his influence and activity, been alienated
from AA and the AA program by his extreme arrogance, his narcissism
and his demagogy. Perhaps he might like to get off his well-worn
knees, clean up his AA act, and practice some genuine humility. We
won’t hold our breath. “
Cheerio
The
Fellas (Friends of
Alcoholics Anonymous)
PS
Thanks to our correspondent
