The Art of Chivalry

From our correspondent: 

“Picture this: a crusader Knight, clad in medieval armour, helmet & chain mail; proudly riding his trusty steed. Sword by his side, Banner in hand. Is he off to fight a new crusade ? Or perhaps on his way to rescue a damsel in distress imprisoned in the lofty tower of a far-away castle? Or maybe he is off to do some jousting with the local chapter of the Knights of the Round Table?

Well, no, actually. He is more likely to be heading off to his local AA cult home group - call it Joys of Recovery or Road of Recovery, either title will do. You may wonder what on earth this is about. Well, this is based upon the latest brainstorming idea of cult guru David C (aka the Icon).

You see, David C, like Wayne P, is preoccupied with “promoting chivalry and the ideal of the catholic gentleman”. Is it coincidental that David's website article on chivalry appeared the day after aacultwatch posted (on the 13^th July) an article on Wayne P's hypocrisy in presenting himself as a Catholic gentleman entitled to lecture us all on personal conduct, in spite of his own adulterous caprices? What we know for sure is David C has produced an Icon (below) of a knight with a horse; a sword; and catholic prayer book (lying on the ground for some reason); and an article intended to inspire and inflame our hearts and minds to acts of chivalry and true masculinity.

Tally-ho Sir Knight! And …..Alleluia !

All this could be laughingly dismissed as the harmless musings of an eccentric buffoon living in a fantasy world. However David C has a track record of imposing his prurient and fundamentalist catholic beliefs upon unwary AA newcomers and sponsees. All done (falsely) in the name of “carrying the message and working the AA program”, For example he made it quite clear to an AA acquaintance of mine, that practicing artificial birth control (i.e. condoms, the pill etc) was “not on the program”. The ultimate reason given was that the “Holy Father” (aka the Pope) disapproves of it, It would seem that, in David C's mind, the Roman Catholic Pope should have authority over AA members and how they run their lives and work their programs. So much for our Traditions, and our AA Preamble which talks about not being aligned to any sect or denomination. And notice also how David's self-justification is always based upon an appeal to authority, either his sponsor's or the Pope's. True to this fallacious and lazy mindset he also abhors sex before marriage. Indeed sex of any kind should only be for the procreation of children within the context of heterosexual marriage. And masturbation? Another heinous heresy! Strictly forbidden in accordance with true catholic dogma. And please don't even mention same sex relationships. And as for saunas.... don't ever go into one! They are to be avoided like the plague for fear of encountering the “disorder” of homosexuality. Get on your knees and say a pious prayer in a church instead. David C's fanatical prurience and voyeurism in sexual matters reached a sordid climax a while ago, with the creation of his so-called “Big Book recovery” document and webpage, in which he commanded those who wish to do step 4 & 5 to relate, in a detailed and voyeuristic way, the most intimate and devious sexual practices, including sex with children, animals and bottles. I believe he removed this creepy demand only after being shamed by aacultwatch and others.

Of course, all this is in stark contrast with the clear and simple message of AA as found in the Big Book, and other AA literature. Which wisely cautions us not be be the arbiter of another's sex conduct (Big Book page 69); to follow our own conscience in spiritual matters (ibid pp 95 & 132) - not someone else's (e.g a sponsor's), and not to lecture or talk down from a spiritual hilltop (ibid pp 18 & 95). And to choose carefully who we share with – allowing more than one person if necessary, an AA member or an outsider, to hear our story (ibid p 74 ff). Believe it or nor, we in AA are also allowed the freedom to follow a Higher Power OF OUR OWN UNDERSTANDING, and spiritual expressions AS WE UNDERSTAND THEM (ibid p 47) – which may not be the same as David's narrow understanding. (In my case, and in many others, it will never be the same). It seems David C,, Wayne P., and similar cult clowns and dunderheads, have great difficulty in grasping and understanding the simple and liberating concept of spiritual freedom and practice as suggested in the AA Big Book.

Back to our noble Knight. Think of chivalry, and maybe, like me, you think of good manners, courtesy, tolerance, respect and defense of the weak and down-trodden. Not so cult “chivalry” David C's “chivalry” in his homeland of England is remembered with disdain. Examples are too numerous to mention here. But it will suffice, perhaps, to relate just a few to give readers a flavour of his so-called “chivalry”. Some years ago, in a “Vision for You” cult meeting in Eaton Square, London, he cross-shared and silenced, in front of the entire meeting, one young lady who had begun to share about a painful personal experience regarding her young son who was ill in hospital. Oh dear! No emotional or “negative” sharing allowed in David's pure and knightly presence! The end result was the lady left the meeting, sobbing, never to return. On another occasion I recall a young lady was sharing her experience of Step 9, describing how she had made her amends to her mother, who, in turn, had received and accepted the amends very well. No sooner had the young lady finished sharing her lovely story, when our Sir chivalrous Knight David C came charging in, cross-sharing just about everything she had said, and making it clear that, in his opinion, (first taught to him by his sponsor, the sponsorless David B), she had NOT done Step 9 properly. After the meeting ended, David C skedaddled out the door as fast as he could. And well he might. The young lady in question was hurt and tearful, having been shamed and humiliated by him in front of an entire meeting. Yes, such is David C's “chivalry” and gentleman like manner. To date, there has been neither apology, amends, nor even an expression of remorse or regret from the self-appointed chivalrous Übermensch. You see, as far as David C and Wayne P are concerned, they never do anything wrong. It is the rest of us, the 99.99% bog standard AA members who are always wrong. We have long been judged as the “walking wounded” and the 'do nothings” no matter how long we are sober, or how much service we have done over the years. However, reality and practice reveal the exact opposite. And if we replace the word chivalry with hypocrisy and humbug, we have the true picture of David and Wayne, and all their co-dependent cult groupies and sock puppets.

Chivalry may exist somewhere at some times, but cult chivalry is well and truly dead. In fact, it never existed in the first place. “

Comment: None needed

Cheers

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous …. and far too liberated to engage in archaic and irrelevant romanticism)

PS Thanks to our correspondent