Oxford Groups – absolutely NOT!

Extracts from the aacultwatch forum (old):

“........Some people seem to get confused with the Oxford Groups and early A.A. groups. The Oxford Groups were a different organization. When the alcoholic groups split from the Oxford Group they made it clear that they were not Oxford Groups. Nor were the four absolutes ever part of the A.A. program. Here are a few more bits on the Oxford Group absolutes:

“We are not saints… … …We claim spiritual progress rather than spiritual perfection.” (Big Book, Chapter Five , How it works, page 60)

“When first contacted, most alcoholics just wanted to find sobriety, nothing else. They clung to their other defects, letting go only little by little. They just simply did not want to get “too good too soon.” The Oxford Groups’ absolute concepts – absolute purity, absolute honesty, absolute unselfishness and absolute love – were frequently too much for the drunks… … … ... ...”

“Besides, the Oxford Groups’ ‘absolutes’ were expressions peculiar to them. This was a terminology which might continue to identify us in the public mind with the Oxford Groupers, even though we had completely withdrawn from their fellowship.” (AA Comes of Age Pages 74-75).

“In Akron and vicinity they still talked about the Oxford groups’ absolutes: absolute honesty, absolute purity, absolute unselfishness, and absolute love. This dose was found to be too rich for the New Yorkers, and we had abandoned the expressions.”- Bill W. (AA Comes of Age Page 161)

“The principles of honesty, purity, unselfishness, and love are as much a goal for A.A. members and are as much practiced by them as by any group of people; yet we found when we the word ‘absolute’ was put in front of these attributes, they either turned people away by the hundreds or gave a temporary spiritual inflation resulting in collapse.” - Bill W. (Pass It On page 172)”

“ …....Rejection of the "4 Absolutes" was part of the reason AA split away from the Oxford Groups. They do smack of sanctimonious religion and totalitarianism don't they! And of course they are ultimately unattainable....

I've always wondered exactly what "absolute Purity" is supposed to be. I know that the founder of the Oxford Groups, Frank Buchmann, admired Hitler, attended Nazi rallies in Germany, and held racist views. It always gives me a shudder when I hear the phrase Absolute Purity. It sounds like something that would resonate with the aims of the Third Reich, or a ranting hooded Ku Klux Klan preacher,... ( or an abusive AA cult sponsor who thinks he knows it all and is God's gift to AA and must be obeyed at all times).

What annoys me is when you hear people in AA referring to the 4 Absolutes in glowing or nostalgic terms - like they are some lost secret, or a worthy destination in recovery. Then of course you have the non-AA websites promoting these concepts. I've looked at several recently, including the David C Icons site, which warmly enthuse about the 4 Absolutes as if they were part of the AA program. Well, they are not, and never will be.   Their subtle re-introduction into the domain of AA by the likes of David C Icons, Dick B, Wally P etc  is a subversion of the fellowship and a perversion of the program of AA.”

Cheers

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

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