Back to Basics/Primary Purpose

Extracts from the aacultwatch forum (old):

“In this USA area, about 2 1/2 years ago in 2008, a Yellow cover book - "Back to Basics " by Wally P.,   began to be passed around; soon many were buying it and some malcontented people from a few AA groups  began to gather to discuss the book.  They were generally outspoken and not received well by AA groups and the strong opposition seemed to bond the malcontents to each other.  They had a fixed idea of how the 12 steps should be done, an out of balance view of AA history and statistics.  Like claiming that AA once had 75% success rate; and futher claimed AA lost that sucess rate when AA became organized! 

The movement has grown more active and now "seeds"  meetings and discussion rooms with individuals who push their views.  Now, there seems to be an organized effort for 6 to 10 "Back to Basics" people to meet before a target meeting - they split up a few small groups - go to various tables or each Meeting Room and steer discussions into issues which give them a format to present half truths and their "sprituality" claims. 

Many of us "regular" AA people are concerned.  It seems to me that your experiences are similar and may be repeated here in this USA area.  I found your "Cultwatch" site on the Bing search engine.  The information is valuable and appreciated by me and I have passed the web address on to a DCM friend.” 

“Hi …....., you have given an a description of a couple of groups which started in my area in the UK a couple of years ago, though they are linked to Primary Purpose, they make similar distorted claims on statistics, preach "the first one hundred" this, the "Big Book authors" that; and make a big point that they are " recoverED." They also targeted other meetings in a similar way, which did not go down well especially when these groups also received the fallout of confused newcomers and complaints. There are 3 aabacktobasics groups in the UK, 2 in Scotland and one on the South Coast.

Leaving aside for a moment that aabacktobasics is a parasitic organisation riding on the back of AA, sucking finance and service time away from the AA World Service structure, the website and stuff on You-tube looks relatively harmless on the surface until you look closely at what's underneath. The content in the yellow books is disturbing. There is a clever manipulation of AA history and statistics, using selected bits of archive material, which meticulously removes all of the balanced viewpoints found in the official AA history. This leaves the reader with the impression the AA groups in the 1940s were following the Oxford Group absolutes. No mention that the earliest AA groups rejected these absolutes and split from the Oxford Group between 1937 and 1940. They say the most convincing lies are the ones laced with truth. I'm sure it will fool a lot of people who have little knowledge of official AA history.

The terminology in the yellow books is the opposite of AA and one of control, obligation and expectation on the newcomer. Before he has a chance to properly de-fog from alcohol and decide for himself whether he is an alcoholic, the newcomer is expected to start doing the steps, including a moral inventory of himself with his assigned sponsor. (No mention of the choice of being able to do this with someone outside AA, such as a clergyman or psychologist, as suggested in chapter 6 of the Big Book.) Then he is expected to sponsor another newcomer through the process after 4 weeks.

The defined guidance from "two-way prayer" is also disconcerting and of a type warned against in step 11. Thoughts (from God?) are written down, shared with others, rationalised and to be obeyed. It looks like a cult to me, complete with a figurehead as leader, Wally P; no doubt the executive director of the "not for profit" foundation and publishing company enjoys a very good salary.

Here is some online information which you might find helpful. It might be good idea to remind your intergroup public information committee of this line in Concept 12, warranty five: "Whenever and however we can, we shall need to inform the general public also; especially upon misuses of the name Alcoholics Anonymous."

http://www.aabacktobasics.org/

http://www.aabacktobasics.org/Faith%20With%20Works%20Pub%20Co/index.html

Independent competitive Public relations to AA:
http://www.aabacktobasics.org/New-Court%20Ordered%20Back%20to%20Basics.html

http://www.aabacktobasics.org/Faith%20With%20Works%20Pub%20Co/New-Houck-Richmond-602.html

Independent competitive fundraising to AA, Back to Basics foundation:

http://www.aabacktobasics.org/foundationpledge.htm

Independent competitive literature and merchandise to AA;

http://easycart.net/FaithWithWorksPublishingCo./12_Step_Bookstore_Discounts.html"

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

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