Cult meetings (London N1, NW1, W1, WC2)?

We quote:

“Dear AA Cultwatch,

…..... I recently had a very bad experience going to meetings in Islington and Bloomsbury not realising they were cult meetings and it made me angry as it affected my feeling of safety in AA. The cult concerned is the Vision For You cult. Historically, cults always thrive during a recession. However I am very concerned that the Vision For You cult are not only setting up their own meetings but also now taking over large newcomers meetings that used to be ordinary, traditional ones. I think they are making a play for central London.

The meetings concerned are:

Saturday 10.30am Angel Into Action : St Silas Church, Penton Street, N1. Definitely cult.

Friday 6pm Euston We Have A Solution: Lancing St, Euston, NW1. Definitely cult.

There are two other meetings run by the same people which I need to check but which I strongly believe are in the process of being taken over or have already been taken over.

Wednesday 6pm Pass It On Newcomers: American Church, Tottenham Court Road, W1.

Thursday 7pm Bloomsbury Recovery: Bloomsbury Baptist Church, Shaftesbury Avenue, WC2

…..........

Best wishes,

…...”

(our edits)

Comment: Certainly the cult is not merely satisfied with promoting its own grossly distorted 'AA message' via its own meetings but has for a long time infiltrated regular AA groups to that end as well. The solution lies of course as always in OUR HANDS. After all WE ARE RESPONSIBLE …... aren't we?

Cheerio

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

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)

Cult activity in South East London Intergroup Area (West)

An AA member has kindly sent us photos of a flier which was recently being distributed in AA meetings in this part of London. This advertising material would seem to emanate from a group recently established (July 2009) in the Kennington/Oval area on a Thursday evening (London Beginners Group). The event was not sponsored by the local AA groups nor by SELIG. Local members have challenged their attempts to advertise this non-AA event in AA meetings. In one instance a cult member was asked if the event was "AA approved". The fellow did not seem to understand the concept so it was explained to him: "Is this event put on by AA, approved by Intergroup [according to AA guidelines], with monies collected going back through Intergroup and into the service structure of AA?" Apparently the chap in question was unable to furnish an adequate reply and beat a hasty retreat. There have also been attempts by cult members to intervene in local groups by asking for group consciences to be held (a tactic by which they seek to incorporate their agenda into that of AA) - so far these have proven to be unsuccessful. SELIG contacted the organiser of this event and invited him to attend the next Intergroup business meeting (July 09) to offer an explanation, an invitation which was initially accepted but then subsequently declined. SELIG minutes indicate that these events 'should not be announced in AA meetings' since they have nothing to do with AA.

It will be observed from the flier that if it were sponsored by AA or an AA group it would be in breach of the following Traditions:

Trad 1: Acting without consultation with AA groups and thereby causing disunity
Trad 3: Charging for admission to event - financial status is not a requirement for membership (or attendance at any AA event)
Trad 4: Their conduct is adversely affecting other groups and AA as a whole
Trad 6: This group is endorsing an outside organisation viz. Emotional Sobriety
Trad 7: Event open to non AA members and accepting payments from these
Trad 8: It is unclear how the revenue collected from this event is disbursed - it is indicated that some of the speakers come from the US (Are they here in a professional capacity? Are they being paid expenses and/or fees? Is this a justifiable cost? For the last we think not - no one's that sober!)
Trad 11: Flier is promotional
Trad 12: Part of the promotional content includes reference to specific personalities

The flier carries misinformation relating to the financing of this workshop - an AA meeting is ANY occasion where two or more members of AA (that is someone who has a desire to stop drinking and declares themselves to be such) meet to share their experience, strength and hope so that they may help each other to get and stay sober - the ENTIRE business of AA is precisely that. If a meeting is being run for any other purpose it is NOT an AA meeting. Workshops, conferences, business meetings, however they may be labelled, are ALL AA meetings and ANY member of AA is entitled to attend them, and without financial charge. Any costs incurred should be borne by the Fellowship (either locally or as a whole) from VOLUNTARY contributions received.

Some research into one of the speakers indicates a connection with a non-AA website. (The site carries the usual disclaimer of non-affiliation. It is clear however from the circulated flier that the speaker is using this event to promote his own agenda (which we repeat, and according to the site's own disclaimer, has no association with Alcoholics Anonymous).

Clearly how an individual earns his living, or occupies his time, is entirely his own affair, but AA is not the place to tout for business.

Our thanks to the member who drew our attention to this.

Cheers

The Fellas

A bit of history - the London/Plymouth connection

"David B [one of the founders of the cult movement within AA] a number of years ago wanted to be elected to the GSB [General Service Board]. They had other ideas and was refused - he sulked - the following year ( 1995 or thereabouts) the GSB were involved in forming a new constitution relating to the application of the concepts in this country. They made some errors and subsequently rectified them and apologised (Step 10). David B's gang seized upon this and started a campaign down in the South West to try and get a vote of no confidence in the GSB. They wanted the Board to be removed. People in the area were resistant to the notion and refused to back the campaign. Their region refused the proposal and in fact made a vote of confidence in the board. This movement was led by the Chelsea intergroup (David B's patch). Then followed a dirty tricks campaign which involved people's anonymity being broken (eg letters being sent to members' homes with the AA logo on the outside of the envelope). They still had no impact. I believe that these events are the impetus behind the current Taliban campaign. They failed to achieve their ends and so they are seeking to subvert AA via the current methods. This could further show that there is a deliberate strategy to take over AA by these thugs....."

....which brings us back to Little Wayne. The word is that he's discovered IT'S COLD OUT THERE - and is panicking about his and the cult's move to form a separate Intergroup. Apparently a reconciliation is in the offing and noises are being made about the cult rejoining (ie taking over) Plymouth Intergroup again. Our prediction is that Tradition One will be much bandied about, the cult will go into all out "victim mode" and play the part for all its worth, and AA will repeat the same old mistakes (remember the AA definition of insanity!!) and allow them back into the fold, where they will continue to inflict as much damage on AA as they can in pursuit of their own agenda (some groups - and members - never learn). But IT IS worth remembering that the cult groups have identifiable connections with non-AA organisations (in breach of the Traditions) - much of their literature is derived from these sources (as is their programme), some have connections to commercial interests (in some instances advertising their wares on their websites)(in breach of the Traditions), none of them even have a nodding acquaintance with the recovery programme of Alcoholics Anonymous (ie. the one in the Big Book) and they are run by a core group of individuals whose primary interests certainly are not those of AA but rather their own self aggrandisement (sponsorship idolatry, circuit speakers ("big fish in little ponds"), local gurus etc) (in breach of the Traditions). Still at least one good thing will come out of all of this - we'll be able to say "WE TOLD YOU SO!!" - Every cloud has a....

Over to you

Cheerio

The Fellas