An Enquiry into Primary Purpose and Back to Basics AA Groups

A useful analysis on how corrupt practice has been introduced into AA via these two 'vectors'

See here

Cheers

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) Recovery Outcome Rates

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) Recovery Outcome Rates
Contemporary Myth and Misinterpretation
January 1, 2008

Updated with 2007 Survey Results
October 11, 2008

Cheers

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous …. and verifiable data)

Newcomers' Pack PLUS

aacultwatch's very own Newcomers' Pack Plus. Read this and you'll be well 'inoculated' against the cult!

Cheers

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

http://aacultwatch.blogspot.co.uk/

Our new site address:

http://aacultwatch.blogspot.co.uk/

Cheers

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

A Newcomers (Survival) Guide to Alcoholics Anonymous

Firstly …....DON'T PANIC! Most AA meetings are still safe to be around, and most AA members only want to help you.... because helping you helps them as well. So everyone's a winner! BUT.... and there's always a BUT.....there are people associated with AA who aren't very well, and have quite a different agenda. This article is intended to help you spot these pitfalls and avoid them. Otherwise enjoy the journey!

Membership of AA

You are a member of AA when you say you are. You don't have to prove to anyone that you have a desire to stop drinking - or that you “qualify” for membership in any way - or present a doctor's certificate - or swear an affidavit or even fill in a form. You decide …. end of! Similarly if you don't want to be a member of AA any more? Guess what! It's your choice. If you say you're not a member of AA then you're not a member of AA. Couldn't be simpler could it!

Meetings

You can attend any AA meeting you like (anywhere in the world) and go to as few or as many as you wish – or even none at all. It's your choice and no one else's. If a group places ANY restriction on you attending a (closed) meeting (other than the fact that you meet the self-determined membership requirement) then it's NOT AN AA MEETING.

Speaking (“sharing”) at AA meetings

Any member of AA can speak at an AA meeting (but one at a time – otherwise it's gets a bit messy!). No one can censor what you say (other than according to the criminal law of the country). You can speak if you're one hour sober or a lifetime off the booze. That's your choice – and no one else's! There are no qualifications for “sharing” eg. you do not need to have 'done' the programme, reached a certain step, have a sponsor etc in order to talk about your experiences. And of course if you don't want to say a word you don't have to. That's your business.

Money

You can make a contribution to help pay for the expenses of running the meeting and maybe towards other costs incurred by AA in “carrying the message”. e.g. general service office, telephone service etc. Or then again maybe you don't feel like giving – in which case you don't have to. That's your choice. But at least don't take any money OUT of the pot!

Service

You can help out at meetings right from the start. But if you don't want to and would rather just sit and listen (and share maybe) then you can do that as well. Remember – that is YOUR choice! And no one else's.

The programme

Generally this refers to Alcoholics Anonymous “suggested” 12 Step programme. “Suggested” means advised. You may elect to follow this advice. On the other hand you may not. Either way this is your choice and …. NO ONE ELSE'S!

Experts

In AA there are no 'experts', 'authorities' or 'bosses'. There are, however, people who think they are! Study guides, work sheets etc are entirely dispensable (including ours!) and none are provided by AA. Circuit speakers, “personalities” (for want of a better word) and gurus are merely the modern day equivalent of 'snake oil purveyors'. If what they promise sounds too good to be true … guess what! It probably is. Remember! While they're busy lecturing the rest of us are just getting on with our lives. Beware of the slick sales pitch because that's precisely what it is! All that glitters is not gold! Or maybe it's just fool's gold! So why buy it!

Sponsorship (see here for some ideas on the subject)

It isn't essential or even necessary for recovery, and no sponsorship is certainly better than bad sponsorship – and there's plenty of that around. If you've stopped drinking and you're getting some insight into your alcohol problem (and some possible solutions) then you're ALREADY ON THE PROGRAMME... and you don't need confirmation from anybody else as to whether you are or you aren't! Don't be in a rush. You've got your whole life to get well and it's better to lay sure foundations now than rush ahead only to have to retrace your steps later. Again if anyone claims they can show you the way to overnight success then remember what we said about it sounding too good to be true. It is!

If you do decide you want a sponsor (and that's your choice not theirs) then here are some things to look out for:

If someone offers to sponsor you (temporary or otherwise) they may have good intentions … or then again they may be control freaks looking for another victim. If in doubt DON'T take up the offer. Take your time and when you have got to know someone (and are confident they are NOT A CONTROL FREAK) then YOU MAY choose to ask them. Take the initiative and remain in control.

Don't give your phone number out to anyone who asks. They may offer their number to you – that's up to them. Again wait until you've got to know somebody before handing over this information. You have the right to privacy.

If, having got a sponsor, you find that they are trying to control any aspect of your life eg. relationships, medical treatment (including medication), therapy (eg. counselling), finances, relationships (sexual or otherwise), employment, dress code (No! We're not kidding here!), which meetings you attend, what time you contact them etc then you have by definition lumbered yourself with a control freak. This is not sponsorship. This is someone playing God! Again … DON'T PANIC – unlumber yourself forthwith... and then it's back to the drawing board! Don't blame yourself for the decision. Put it down to experience and move on.

The same guidelines apply with groups. Most AA meetings are run by members who are there simply to help. They will share their experience, strength and hope with you but the rest is your responsibility. But some meetings are run by groups of people (we call them cults) who want to run your life. Don't let them. Again don't be fooled by appearances. Some of these operations are quite slick and appear impressive. But again … look out for fool's gold. The fake stuff gleams just as prettily but just try and cash it in!

REMEMBER:–

You DON'T have to put up with bullying! You're worth more than that

You DON'T need your life run for you by someone else. That's YOUR responsibility

You have the RIGHT to THINK FOR YOURSELF. Don't let anyone try and undermine that

You have the RIGHT to FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION – don't let anyone try and stifle that

Your HIGHER POWER is your choice – no one else's

It's YOUR PROGRAMME OF RECOVERY that counts! Not theirs!

And finally - we did not escape the tyranny of alcoholism simply to be subjugated by another alcoholic. Freedom is the magic word!

Have fun! (and that IS a suggestion!)

Cheerio

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

Felicitous chance and ….

Through a combination of felicitous chance (balls up gone right!) and deliberate design (balls up gone very right!) we have abandoned our use of the original domain name “aacultwatch.co.uk” and gone back to the generic aacultwatch.blogspot.co.uk/. We don't really need a domain 'brand name' anymore (if we ever did) and certainly can't see the point of paying out dough for one.

We figure that our regular viewers will figure out where we've disappeared to and promptly rejoin us. As for the others …. well we couldn't have been that important after all!

Cheers

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

We're fiddling around with the blog at the moment .... don't panic!

Take your pick!

We seem to be getting conflicting information on the precise status of the Lee Mill group (Plymouth area) in terms of their relationship with the Plymouth Road to Recovery cult gang. We quote:

“I am a member of the Lee Mill group, and I can assure you, in no uncertain terms, that the group are not supporters of R2R!!!

Quite the opposite in fact.

A recent group conscience revolved around leaving Plymouth Intergroup due to the overbearing influences of R2R, and that many members are very unhappy that the [alleged] fraud issue remains unresolved.

As stated before, the previous Treasurer - …...... - is an employee of the …... , and if his dealings were to come to light then he would be out of a job, hence the R2R cover-up.

A reminder of this, is that the groups were informed that money had gone missing, only to find out 3 weeks later that the amount missing was £14k! Many people's view of this wrong doing has changed dramatically, and if they could have the opportunity again, would have voted for further [action] …...

And as for the f*****g incompetent Dave M, there is a very strong movement for him to be booted out of Intergroup, after all, he never checked the books and, funnily enough, has just had his bathroom converted into a wet room. And still there is no proof that the money that went missing during his tenure as chairman, has ever been replaced. And yes, his nasty little hands do remain outstretched awaiting expenses. Maybe he needs a new kitchen, who can say?

But for the record - Lee Mill are not fans of R2R, and if the blogger would like to visit the Monday meeting, you will see that R2R members, most of whom adore the sounds of their own pious voices and like to share for a considerable length of time, are regularly reminded to mind their language, to keep their shares brief and are cut off after 5 minutes.”

Many thanks

…....”

(edits to preserve anonymity)

Comment: Whatever else might be deduced it would seem that Dave M is pretty low in the popularity stakes not to mention (but we will) the ex-treasurer of this cult intergroup

Cheers

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

PS Thanks to our various correspondents. Further clarification would be welcome.

PPS Plymouth (cult) Intergroup corruption

PPS For AA Minority Report 2013 click here

Update to Plymouth (cult) intergroup alleged fraud

Our correspondent writes: 

“Where is the £14,000 that …. [the ex-Intergroup treasurer] [allegedly] stole from the Plymouth Intergroup bank account? 

No one has produced a document showing that the money has been returned. 

The new treasurer (a member of the Lee Mill Group) has adopted the attitude that "the stolen money issue should be dropped and everyone should move on". Lee Mill are, of course, fans of R2R. 

No bank statement has been seen to confirm that the £14,000 is in the bank account and no receipt from GSO has been seen to confirm that the money was sent to them. 

…........ informed Plymouth Intergroup that he had borrowed the money from ….. to make the repayment. If he was truthful and told ….... why he needed the money then one would assume that the money would have been paid into the Intergroup account via bank transfer from ….. account or that …... would have written a cheque made payable to Plymouth Intergroup. In the event of the payment being made in either of these ways then it should be seen as an outside contribution and declined/returned. 

If ….... was not truthful with ….... and told ….. that he needed the money for some other reason then one could assume that payment would go direct to him. In the event of this happening he would have had another £14,000 sitting in his own bank account!!!! 

There has been some reshuffling of the pack at Plymouth Intergroup but the same players have their grubby little hands on the table with R2R still in control and Dave M (former chair) clinging onto his prison domain with his hand out stretched for his expenses.....

(edits to preserve anonymity)

Comment: A lot of valid questions – and so far no answers! Business as usual at Plymouth (cult) intergroup!

Cheers

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous …. and with their hands NOT dipped in the till!) 

PS For AA Minority Report 2013 click here 

PPS See here for previous entries

The 'right to be wrong' gambit

See Tradition Four (12 Steps and 12 Traditions)

This is a much favoured defensive strategy employed predominantly by the cult groups which currently infest Alcoholics Anonymous. Whenever their twisted agenda is in any way threatened or brought to light they protest the 'right to be wrong' thereby obscuring their true intent under the guise of committing an entirely innocent mistake. Or to put it another way they plead ignorance, a defence which would fail entirely were it to be offered in a court of law. By these means any breach of the Traditions or guidelines may be committed with the ready excuse that should this be questioned they can immediately resort to the above stratagem. 'We didn't know', 'no one told us' they protest thereby neatly absolving themselves of all responsibility whilst placing the burden on others to clear up their mess.

Of course once the dust has settled they continue along their original path sure in the knowledge that should they again be discovered their defence still remains. After all an admission of error (at least in the cult's eyes) does not imply any requirement to mend their ways.

Bill Wilson's article (see above) although rather over-optimistically expressing faith in the ability of groups to be largely self-correcting in no way sanctions this approach. The “Middleton” group “had been humbly willing to apply the lessons it learned. It had picked itself up with a laugh and gone on to better things.” Not so the cult.....

Cheers

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

Court mandated attendance – 'chit' system

We quote: 

“Background 

At one time the government money was separated into alcohol money and drug money. A few years ago all the government money was put into one bucket called substance abuse money. This forced the Rehab centers to become Substance abuse recovery centers.  When this happened, the Rehab centers and Court system began to treat Alcoholics Anonymous as just another Substance abuse class and this loaded Alcoholics Anonymous with  substance abusers and criminal abusers including  sexual predators.
 
This brings us to this: “Alcoholics Anonymous World Services and Santa Clarita Alcoholics Anonymous has been sued by the parents of murder victim Karla Brada.”

“Grieving parents say in court that their daughter was murdered by her sociopathic addict boyfriend because Alcoholics Anonymous concealed his history of domestic violence.”

For more information go to:http://nadaytona.org/tag/lawsuits-against-alcoholics-anonymous/#sthash.exXy0u2P.dpuf 

Or Google, Lawsuits and Alcoholics Anonymous.

We have brought this about through our court card system.

I would like to see either the CPC committee or a special committee work with the Rehab facilities and the Courts to change the system.

My idea for a solution would be to send panels of AA speakers to the Courts and Rehabs; this would relieve us of the accounting for the attendance and put it back on the Courts and Rehabs. It would keep much of the criminal element out of AA. 

…......”

(our edits to preserve anonymity)

Cheers

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

PS Thanks to our correspondent 

PPS For AA Minority Report 2013 click here 

PPPS Plymouth Intergroup corruption

Dumb and dumberer!

Apparently the accumulated wisdom of Clancy can be summarised thus:

 

As communicated to his ever faithful 'mutt' Wayne (Plymouth Road to Recovery cult group)

We rather like this one as a metaphor:

 

It's difficult to work out which is the more stupid!

Cheers

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous) 

PS For AA Minority Report 2013 click here 

PPS Plymouth Intergroup corruption

A-wandering!

Yes. It's that time of year again - time for us to go a-wandering … and generally commune with nature. Gripping though the blog is we're quite sure you'll find ways of amusing yourselves

Cheers

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)