“non AA literature” - that means ANYTHING!

Extracts from old aacutlwatch forum:

“Don't quite see how that is the case given that (what I take to be) the parts you are referring to are listed as "Unofficial AA Sites".

Isn't that rather like the guideline that says you can have non-AA literature in a meeting provided that it is on a separate table from our stuff.

Even if that shouldn't be on the website how does that make it cultish??”

and:

“... which illustrates precisely the point - that by establishing such a guideline a precedent is set for the display not only of "non-AA literature" (which means literally anything) but also by extension other forms of communication (e.g. DVDs, CDs, and of course websites). Therefore, it can easily be envisaged that a group (or groups) could end up disseminating information to the newcomer which they (the newcomer) would take in turn to be legitimate guidance on recovery whereas in fact this literature (websites etc) simply reflects the personal preferences (and biases) of those people making the selections. In the case of conference approved literature it is to be hoped that this material has been scrutinised by a wider range of individuals (and over a longer period of time) and such biases have been eliminated (or least minimised) - or in other words - why bother having any kind of general scrutiny other than to ensure that the information supplied is not misleading or contrary to AA traditions? In theory I could argue in my group that we should carry literature on the harm-minimisation approach (non-AA literature) and should anyone object I can simply point out (and by citing the Big Book) firstly to the different "types" of alcoholics, and moreover that not everyone attending the meeting may in fact be an alcoholic (this last defined in whatever way I choose) and therefore such literature might be helpful. Should this fail I can point to the conference guideline and say that it allows for such literature etc. Of course the group may decide against it but then of course I could go off and start my own group (quite legitimately) together with like-minded people (naturally) and display such literature, and we could still call ourselves an AA group. The notion that simply putting the non-AA stuff on a separate table and that this somehow distances it from "authentic AA" is about as daft a notion as the quaint idea (in the days when people still smoked in meetings) that one side of the room could be set aside for the smokers and the other for the non-smokers, and that somehow, and quite magically, the smoke would never migrate from one section to another.

As for the cult activities of this group take a look at the website [Wimbledon Design for Living] - seems pretty cultish to me whichever way you cut it – and then appearances can be deceptive – most cults present an attractive front to newcomers – the soft sell, followed by the hard sell – followed by.....”

Cheers

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

Encounters with the Wimbledon Design for Living (cult) group (Sunday)

Extracts from old aacultwatch forum: 

“........ briefly (and on the basis of just one attendance) we were regaled at one point by the local "bleeding deacon" on the evils of medication (contrary to AA guidelines), got a lecture on "pseudo- spirituality" (addressed presumably at all those whose beliefs didn't quite conform to whatever norm was set by the local guru) and who then proceeded to make recommendations to the group on the disposal of group funds (which were themselves a breach of Tradition 7). Not a bad effort for just one meeting eh! And incidentally the group still displays non-conference approved literature through which I had a quick browse and some of which was recommended to me (and indeed thrust into my hands gratis) by that same bleeding deacon (and this after I had quite insouciantly indicated I had not seen this literature on display at other meetings).  Not much doubt who runs this group!” 

“Firstly, I am delighted to have found this site after a year of turning away from AA because of a sponsor from the Design for Living Group.

Discovering this site has spurred me to revisit the meetings in Wimbledon, excluding my previous home group.

I was a lucky recipient of rehab in …..... in October 2008 and three months later emerged committed to AA and furnished with the tools to remain sober.

Emotionally I was a soft-boiled egg without a shell, and experienced those inexplicable emotional trips and falls which AA enabled me to work through.

I spent another 3 months in ….... and I attended 2 meetings a week where you were effectively 'nailed' by the chair to identify every time. It was scary but empowering - especially an English middle-aged 'Sheila' amongst predominantly tough 'Bruces'. I made friends. 

Returning to my home in Wimbledon in the summer of 2009 I followed suggestions and attended many meetings whilst seeking a sponsor with many years clean. Unfortunately I fell in with a duo at Design for Living who demoralised me. One became my sponsor, although they operated as a pair. I was led to believe I had not even passed Step One and needed to attend 5 meetings weekly. I had plans to sell my home and move back to …...... but was advised by my sponsor to remain in my flat, draw back from my family, and cover my bosom!

I was thoroughly miserable and found myself questioning the enormous commitment I was being asked to make at the expense of my previously established new found confidence. Was I really just at the beginning again?

Visiting at one of the duo's homes, the sight of an industrial-sized Jesus on his cross hanging from the wall began to ring warning bells.

As I was driven to a meeting one Sunday the other side of town by the duo, instead of visiting my family, I was asked to read my daily journal aloud. I was questioned by the elder of the duo in a Spanish inquisition style at every sentence. I realised I was not being treated as an equal where we were sharing experience, strength and hope, but rather as a novice who needed to be shown the light. 

I found myself fighting for my right to be me and sharing about this at meetings. It felt contrary to the warmth the fellowship had first given me. 

I stopped going to meetings December 2009 and fell into a clinical depression for which I was prescribed medication. I withdrew and isolated and have just surfaced with renewed hope gained from quiet contemplation and rest. And having discovered this site and had my misgivings validated, I shall be going to a meeting tomorrow in Wimbledon, by my own design!

Thank you Fellas !”

Comment: None needed!

Cheers

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous …. the real one!)

Newbury Design for Living (affiliated with Wimbledon DFL)

The word is that the Newbury Design for Living group, which closed back in September 2011, has been resurrected as the Wednesday NEWBURY MIDWEEK RECOVERY group – same people and with a sponsee of Dorothy (Wimbledon DFL “grand fromage”) as GSR.

For those who may not recall the Wimbledon group runs a website which includes links to “outside organisations” (including at least one that has commercial interests). Additionally a plentiful supply of non conference approved literature can be found at the Wimbledon meeting (despite us being told that this had been withdrawn – naughty naughty!). The Where to Find entry for the Newbury group indicates that they are: “Group Not in A Region / GROUP NOT IN AN INTERGROUP / “ although an application has been put in with Thames Valley Intergroup recently to remedy this. We shall see though what we shall see.....

Cheerio

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

Tadley Monday Newcomers (Hampshire – Northdown Intergroup)

“Hi fellas

I went to Tadley Monday Newcomers meeting for the first time in November and noticed some things that tripped my cult radar, so I decided to return a few times and delve a bit deeper.

This is a very weird little group. It meets in one of the small rooms in the village Community Centre, and its regulars struggle to make themselves heard over either the aerobics class in the main hall or the wannabe pop stars strumming out the same riff for an hour in the next room. When they do raise their voices above the background din, they love a cross share down Tadley way. Advice offered to anyone bold enough to share a difficulty ranges from the cult standard 'WORK THE STEPS HARDER!' to sagacity that doesn't appear to be based on any sort of sober experience of the problem on the part of the adviser.

The meeting appears to have been set up by a chap named R....... He flounced out of Basingstoke AA with about nine months sober just over a year ago and set up Tadley Monday on a resentment that some people were not content to watch him scare the living daylights out of every newcomer who came within a quarter mile of the town's meetings. He seems to have quickly risen to guru status in Tadley, despite several of his disciples getting spectacularly pissed. These slippers don't seem welcome back at his meeting. I witnessed him literally bawling one of them out not long after I first went. Mainstream AA is left to comfort these castoffs, however Tadley regulars are rarely seen at any other meetings or getting involved in wider service work.

Yet what is most worrying is the cult of newcomers sponsoring other newcomers. The Tadley meeting takes this practice to ridiculous extremes. At the moment, the group has one girl with 9 months (sponsored by R......., naturally), who is sponsoring another with 3 months who in turn has a sponsee of 2 months. All have one eye on the door to pounce on the next unfortunate who really just needs a welcome, a coffee and a bit of time to find their feet and get some identification.

To any questioning of their methods they hide behind the often quoted dogma that they are glad Bill and Bob didn't wait two years to sponsor anyone. When those with slightly less evangelical tendencies point out that we have a very different fellowship today, and that "obviously you cannot transmit something you haven’t got" (page 164) it sadly doesn't seem to cut much ice. They just get entrenched with intensive work with others to save their own hides, no matter what the consequences for the poor unfortunates they put at grave danger with their lack of experience.

I'd appreciate your help in exposing these zealots and making the Northdown area a bit safer for those yet to come to the rooms.

Keep up the good work.

Love in fellowship”

“Hi fellas

…......

I believe there may be some connections to the Design For Living Group that spread from South-West London and got a brief foothold up the road in Greenham before it shut last year. Greenham and Tadley sprung up at around the same time.

So far we have been reasonably lucky in keeping Visions and Primary Purpose off this patch. There is a Basic Text group in Theale, but having been a few times they seem to be a few harmless fundamentalists studying the book really intensely. There is no big recruitment drive, father figure or cult of sponsorship so it seems relatively (I use the term advisedly) healthy.

Keep up the good work.”

Cheerio

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

PS Our usual thanks to our local reporter

Newbury Design for Living (affiliated with the Wimbledon Design for Living group)

It would seem that the above group is in a state of suspended animation. According to the online update the venue itself is closed although other sources indicate that this is not the case. However don't be at all surprised if it should resurface - properly rebranded of course! The Wimbledon branch however is still going strong although we might say that one of its attendees has been rather economical with the truth. Despite the fact that we were told by this person that only conference approved literature was on display we found on our last visit that alongside this was a whole load of other stuff - booklets, pamphlets, even CDs (no doubt the production of some eminent “circuit speakers” plying their trade), some of which carried the imprimatur of the Wimbledon Design for Living Group. But then of course variety is the spice of life! (assuming that there is no 'poison' intermixed!)

Cheerio

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

(our usual thanks to our reporters)

Potential candidates for our Cult: Where to Find

We have received complaints about the following groups from a number of sources over the last few months. As usual always happy to hear views for and against.

Apparently the “Design for Living” franchise is opening up another branch in Newbury, Berkshire. This group is using the Wimbledon Template so presumably it will carry the same disclaimer: “The Design for Living AA Group.co.uk has neither been approved or endorsed by and is not affiliated with Alcoholics Anonymous World Services, Inc. or any AA Service entity of any country” – so the question is: is it or isn't it an AA group? We think not! Whatever the case no doubt the newcomer will be faced with a table load of home-grown wisdom (non-conference approved literature, CDs etc) together with plenty of suggestions to help them along their way to utter confusion.

Next we have received a series of complaints about a cluster of groups in the Ealing area that would seem to be associated with the Visions gang. These are based at Bayham Road and bear all the hallmarks of a cult group. Slogans, literature, prompt cards etc are produced in prodigious quantities (none of which are conference approved nor indeed is this fact indicated on the “packaging”). Apparently the “personality” running these meetings has taken the “Misery is Optional” slogan one step further; even Pain is Optional now. Someone had better alert the British Medical Association – their services will no longer be required! The “lynch pin” of the group also (so it is suggested) has a regular slot in Share magazine. The publication must be in bad shape indeed to accept submissions from such sources!

We have also been notified of two more meetings carrying the Primary Purpose message (as opposed to the AA message). One of these is based in Loughton Essex, the other in Hertford. We drew to the attention of one of the supporters of these groups the article on the Primary Purpose movement (both here and in the US) together with an analysis of AA recovery rates (about which the PP movement knows little but has much to say!), both of which are presented under the Links section of our website. We received our usual reply: a deafening silence! This is an honest enough response since actually there is NO answer to these devastating analyses of the cult.

Finally, and perhaps more seriously (given the content of an email attachment which we received - see below), we have through our researches discovered that the Hampton Wick (Friday meetings - previously Kingston Hill) group also have connections with the cult, and the following document was sent to us which is said to emanate from there. (Click here). Interestingly precisely the same set of “suggestions” cropped up about three years ago in association with a cult group in North London. Put simply it is a “voyeur's charter” (and with paedophiliac tendencies). Hardly a coincidence!

Over to you

Cheers

The Fellas