A further miscellany (various sources)

“I would like to talk to you about the origins of the Vision cult and its connection with Brompton Oratory and Mother Theresa! David B [founder Visions cult UK] read a lot of Mother Theresa but seems to have got it all garbled. David C "The Icon" [similarly connected] proceeded to import fundamentalist Catholic spiritual discipl[ine] and moral teaching into AA (Vision) and present it to his sponsees and newcomers as being "real AA" when of course it isn’t. By the way the guy called "Derek" who was involved in the North London Intergroup meeting where his meeting was shut down a few years ago ?? His assertion that he didn’t know that the Step 4 material he was distributing came from a non-AA website is a lie. …......David C "Icon" [one of the authors of the website] is his sponsor! He would have known fine [and] well where it [had] come from.”

“I witnessed many regular members leave too, sometimes in the most hostile and acrimonious manner. David B. sacked sponsees for the slightest failure to obey his every whim. Not long before David B died there was another acrimonious split. The Vision meeting at Eaton Square was very well attended and the numbers exceeded the limit for the building fire regulations. Following a group conscience, (which, through sponsorship, David B controlled of course), it was decided that once a certain number of attendees had been reached the door would be closed not allowing any further people to enter. Some people had a problem with this, notably Tony M, one of David B’s chief sponsees. At that time, Tony M was openly disagreeing with David B at the Wednesday night meeting. Other differences developed between the two. Eventually Tony M and his sponsees and some others, broke away from Vision and they formed their own group called "Happy Destiny" which met on Wednesday night in Pimlico.“ [long time defunct]

Ealing:

“According to Dennis relationships are only for the production of children in marriage....so tough if you are too old, don’t want children, gay, or medically infertile.. David C "Icons "is the author of that one. He knows all about relationships - he's never had one in recovery.

This same person has been told by Dennis that the only reason for relationships is to procreate children within marriage. Any other kind of relationship is invalid and a distraction from "being spiritual". There you have it !! I told my friend that statement was about more about AVOIDANCE of relationships than real spiritual growth. Dennis got that nonsense from David C of course.

(our edits)

Comment: Thus the bigots flourish!

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

PS Our usual thanks to our correspondents

Another survivor of the Visions' cult

“Hello Fellowship Members,

I was directed to your page erroneously while I was searching for the GSO email address at York, I was astounded when I found the page I was on was about "A Vision for You" AA meeting at St. Peters Crypt in Victoria, London [a later email indicated that the correspondent was referring to the Vision For You group, St Peters, Eaton Square (Wednesday) – see Trans 1 under the Transcriptions/Scans section of site for more information on this cult group].

I had some personal experience of this particular group around 2003/4, Thankfully I had been to plenty of different AA and NA meetings to recognise that something was not right with these groups , and I wish today that I spoken my mind with some of the unfortunate newcomers who attended these meetings. (I never noticed till the end of the article that the letters were written in 2001).

I remember the 1st time I attended, everyone seemed so enthusiastic, but as I took my seat I noticed that all the women were sitting in one area, and as it became clearer, certain 'members' were seated in strategic positions. Immediately after that 1st meeting I was offered the help of a 'temporary sponsor', I was also given a card which said I had to get 2 newcomers numbers at every meeting I went to, there were a few other "suggestions" which looked more like orders to me. I was then asked what meetings I attended, I said "this one and that one" and was told they were 'unhealthy' meetings and I should go to this, this and that meeting. I was also told that I couldn't share till I had taken Step 5, and that I couldn't speak to a member of the opposite sex until I had completed Step 9. This went on for about 6 months or so, every morning I would get a call from my sponsor, or someone else who had taken my number at the previous nights meeting, often as early as 7.30 am. The straw that finally broke my connection with them came when reluctantly I answered the phone at 7.30 [am] and was asked "what is the 1st thing you do each morning?" I said "I go to the Toilet", the other party said , "No, you must pray, that must be the 1st thing you do in the morning". I had visions of trying to pray or meditate while needing to empty my bladder took prime position in the list of things to do, and I realised how ridiculous and dangerous these people were.

I still see them from time to time, they have a definite agenda, though I'm not sure what it is apart from running someone else's life, and controlling what they do. They also used to have a annual trip to Plymouth where they would sleep on other members floors, and do multiple meetings. Some of the relative 'newcomers' that I had known came back, but they had a look of absolute fear in their eye's (that might be the unmanageability) and I was glad I hadn't succumbed to the pressure almost salesman like ways they would pressure people into doing certain things.

They are still going strong, and like shapeshifters they can appear anywhere, and appear to give a really strong AA message, but I feel bad for the newcomers, the people on psychiatric medicine who are encouraged to detox as soon as possible, I feel I have been led to this website for a reason, just not sure what if anything it is yet, but I see these self serving creeps as the worst type of people in A.A. They have no mercy, and they are a cult, almost of satanic standards, very OCD as well.

That's my say for now.

J”

Over to you

The Fellas

(our usual thanks to this AA member for their contribution to our campaign to remove this pernicious corruption from the Fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous)

How the cult proliferates

"The Wednesday Eaton Square "Visions for You" meeting transmuted into a Thursday Cardinal Hume Centre Westminster meeting about two years ago [2006]. Food was even served after the meeting where newcomers were 'made at home' though men and women were strictly segregated. This meeting then folded about 6 months ago [2007] supposedly on the grounds that there was insufficient interest but actually due to a nasty power struggle."

The above (sent in by a member) is an example of how the cult proliferates - not by consensus, but by power struggles within its own ranks, each faction seeking to outdo the others in terms of its "purity" of message. It is in this manner that it proceeds towards the ever more extreme poles of fanaticism and dogmatism, driven not by a desire to help the still suffering alcoholic but impelled only by ego-dominated power struggles - or as it puts it so simply in the Big Book - "self will run riot".