A member contacted us with
regard to a recent issue of Share
(spot the misspelling on the webpage!) magazine. In their perusal
they had noted the predominance of contributions from the Plymouth
area (usually from the local cult group: Plymouth Road to Recovery).
This is not the first time that mention has been made of this
phenomenon. Indeed Share magazine not infrequently resembles the
official publication for that group so infested is it with the 'lack
of experience, strength and hope' emanating principally from that
source. Article after article from this cult group merely
restates their central philosophy: get a sponsor and do what your
sponsor says! No need to bother with all that God mumbo jumbo! A
human power is the answer …. and make no mistake! However if you
finally tire of the bland outpourings from Plymouth and find your
'psychic defences' crumbling under this avalanche of dross you can
always take recourse in the ramblings of Happy Dennis (see blog for
more). Now Happy Dennis is well known in the Ealing area of London.
He is the founder of a series of meetings mostly based at the Centre
for Independent Living, Bayham Rd. His sponsor is David “The Icon”
C, a professional Roman Catholic and self-proclaimed aesthete based
in the US (although formerly from the UK), and himself and ex-sponsee
of David B (founder of the Joys of Recovery which itself has produced
the Road to Recovery franchise ….. and so the incestuous circle is
rendered complete!). But to return to the Happy One.... Dennis it
would seem is straying more and more into the realms of total
unreality. We thought he had reached his apogee in the Sunday
meeting (at the above location) where the participants are exhorted
literally to “jump for joy” at the end of the proceedings. But
no... various pronouncements have now followed with respect to a
number of alcoholism unrelated subjects including sex outside
marriage, saunas and women, all of which seem to reflect some aspect
of David “The Icon” C's rather extreme brand of Catholicism.
Clearly 'fooling around' outside marriage is out of the question but
one must wonder how the souls of our more distant ancestors are
faring given that Roman Catholicism has only been around for the last
couple of thousand years? Are we to take it that these ignorant
unfortunates are condemned to do a 'bit of porridge' in purgatory to
expunge thereby all traces of sinfulness from their souls or perhaps
they are presently languishing in that hellish realm forever
abandoned for merely doing what nature clearly intended? However
given the present debate (and possible legislation) on same sex
“marriage” we are eagerly looking forward not only to some
pronouncement on the subject from the Vatican but also as to what
David “The Icon” C (in his current manifestation as Dennis) has
to say on these vexing questions! Any guesses? But when it comes to
saunas it is obvious why such cautions have been issued. It is well
known that these are the favoured resorts of those dreadful
malefactors – THE HOMOSEXUALS – whose sole ambition in life is to
seduce all innocents and lead them down the path of eternal
damnation. Finally women …. well what more need be said? It was
after all that awful hussy Eve whose fatal allure finally led us all
to inhabit this vale of woe and misery. Mind you that Adam was a bit
'easy' wasn't he! All that for just a bite of an apple? Really? But
such creatures fashioned thus from this flawed template should be
avoided at all costs, and moreover without hesitation lest we too be
cast down into the eternal pit! Etc etc blah blah blah...... and so
it goes on and on and on ….ad infinitum.
So to return to Share.....
Is it really that difficult to get contributions from the remainder
of the fellowship? There are after all about 20,000 regular members
of AA in Great Britain (but see *). Or is there something else going on here?
When we previously contacted the magazine to ask for an explanation
for their apparent bias towards this group (and indeed Happy Dennis)
we were told that there was such a dearth of submissions that they
had no other choice! We pointed out that we were aware of a number
of articles sent in by members but which had subsequently never seen
the light of day! What about these? Here we were pointed in the
direction of the editorial policy which effectively rules out
anything but the bland and 'politically' correct (even if this does
only serve to mask a more insidious corruption!). But one only has
to look at the I-Say forum hosted on the Grapevine site in the US to
find out what AA members REALLY think about what's going on in their
fellowship. Perhaps it's time for Share to grow up and follow their
example. A more robust debate might serve to blow the cobwebs away
and alert the fellowship to what's going on in their very midst? A little less censorship if you please!
Cheerio
The Fellas (Friends of
Alcoholics Anonymous)
PS The argument that a
more lively debate necessarily leads to a weakening of unity …. We
don't buy that for one minute! Indeed we believe the precise
opposite! Obviously!
* Error - this figure refers only to a sample of groups. See here
* Error - this figure refers only to a sample of groups. See here
