Wayne B – another fast buck to be made!

From Perth (Australia) we quote:

“Hi all

Wayne B returned to Perth last week to host another of his "Big Book" study workshops and is speaking at the WAYPAA (Western Australia Young Peoples in AA) convention being held this weekend. Last night (05/12/2014) he delivered a talk on the history of AA and it's evolution from the Washingtonians, Emmanuel Movement and Oxford Groups which was informative but was constantly interjected with statements like "rumour has it" when defending himself and also made reference to aacultwatch. Methinks he doth protest too much and as the saying goes: 'where there is smoke, there is fire.'

For all his stated loved for AA and the 12 Steps, I doubt anyone attending last night (other than his inner circle) is aware of his efforts to monetize and trivialise the 12 Steps by means of his Life's In Session board-game (http://www.lifesinsession.com/Home_Page.html). This violates the spirit and the letter of Traditions Six and Eleven. A cursory glance at his Facebook profile also leaves one in no doubt that he is a member of AA, thus violating Tradition Eleven. Tradition Eleven was written well before the advent of Facebook but it is my opinion that it could be extended to cover social media along with press, radio and films.

He also proceeded to extol the virtues of his sponsor and his grand sponsor and his great grand sponsor who was an eminent personality in AA. So much for placing principles before personalities (Tradition 12). He stated that he was here 'on vacation' and that he had been invited to speak at the convention and was not being paid. When a person is invited to do service in AA, it is customary to cover the person's travel expenses so he is here on a paid vacation...a subtle but important difference. As for the issue of his remuneration, as the CEO and President of his Last Mile Foundation (http://www.thelastmilefoundation.org/) he is no doubt drawing a salary and it would be interesting to see if the entity received funds from WAYPAA or any of the groups here in Perth, something for the CSO to look into.

On that subject, he has operated several foundations and legal entities including Step'n Ahead and Emotional Sobriety 101 (http://emotionalsobriety101.com/) which is identical to the Last Mile Foundation website. Both websites are a single page affair, clearly done in haste and poorly written with a nebulous mission statement. Granted, both are still under construction but the only professional aspect of either is the PayPal link.

pp. please see the attached screenshot as evidence of his association with this abominable board game:” [edited]

Comment: And he likes Tom Cruise …. say no more! (see Scientology – now there's a business model for making money!)

Cheers

The Fellas (Friends of Alcholics Anonymous)

PS Our thanks to our contributor

Skype – helping to propagate the cult message?

“I reckon Skype meetings and online sponsors have something to do with spreading cults so the following article might also be of interest to the members in Perth. (I came across it while on the trail of Clancy I. of the Pacific Group. I wonder why Clancy I is cited with this issue of AA in Australia on Google?)

Extracts from 'AA in the Twenty First Century–Speakers via Video Chat'; 'AA Around Australia pp1,3: http://www.aa.org.au/members/documents/AAAroundAustraliaMarch2012.pdf

“With a decent-sized screen and a reasonable sound system, it's almost as if the speaker were there in the room. Any slight disadvantages seem to be far outweighed by the ability to invite the speaker you want, at very low cost, irrespective of location world-wide"

"Q How did the idea come about?

A: I have been using Skype for years now as a tool to communicate with my sponsor and also for holding AA meetings online with friends and sponsees who live in different places. it enables us to do Big Book studies.."

Q: I've heard speakers at your meeting from as far apart as Perth, Silicon Valley in the US and Darwin. How does the group find these speakers?

A: Having been around a while I have gotten to know a lot of friends in the Fellowship. This comes from attending National Conventions and other Round-ups and Rallies......I have also had the privilege of having an American sponsor who is very active in General Service in the USA and so I have met many highly experienced members through him who are more than willing to share their experience, strength and hope. It would only be a matter of contacting via email or phone one or more of the many Central Service Offices in the US/Canada or in other countries to ask them to recommend speakers"

Q: I understand that online sponsorship is also possible. How does that work?

A: I have only ever had long distance sponsorship. This was more God‘s choice than mine and personally I think a local sponsor is the best.."

(Extract 'AA in the Twenty First Century –Speakers via Video Chat'; 'AA Around Australia pp )

http://www.aa.org.au/members/documents/AAAroundAustraliaMarch2012.pdf

Comment: We've been aware for some time that Skype is being utilised by cult groups to disseminate their 'message', and the fact that Clancy I's name (Pacific Group) seems to come up in a Google search in association with this is hardly surprising. His name seems to be linked with virtually every prominent (?) cult group we've investigated from the Plymouth Road to Recovery (GB) to the “Sponsorship Group” (New Jersey) to the Bristol Reunion (GB) (which “promoted” this speaker on a number of occasions) to the notorious Midtown groups (Washington DC) (he sponsored Mike Quinones – now deceased – who presided over this cesspool for a number of years and even acted as an apologist for their conduct). Clancy I (who we sometimes refer to as the Venerable C) is yet another anti-prescribed medication freak with a strange aversion to bearded men. He believes they are hiding something! (Are there some issues to be explored here?). He has also been described as an addiction and recovery expert but we're not aware that he holds any qualifications with respect to the former nor that there is any evidence for the latter. In fact two of our the team on different occasions have met him personally. One described him simply as arrogant and the second offered him his phone number believing the fellow to be a newcomer who was struggling! Or maybe it was a different Clancy I? (For more information on some of the above simply type in the relevant key words into Google Custom Search at the top of our blog)

Cheerio

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

PS Our thanks to our correspondent

The Last Mile Foundation aka Step'n Ahead aka Emotional Sobriety aka …. who knows what else!

Busy …. busy …. busy... No time to lose!...... So many addicts to 'save' and so much dosh to be collected.... how does Wayne Butler (president/CEO) find the time!

And so …..from Perth, Western Australia:

“Hi friends of AA,

It was wonderful to find your article on this Wayne B. and his company!

I live in Perth, Western Australia and I am a very concerned member of AA because of the same reasons written in your concerns!

You're correct …. he has been here often, got to the young members, how I have seen them change under him. They teach his words, follow like sheep!!

One of the most dangerous issues is they are preaching NO medication!!!!! I have had a young newcomer on the phone to me crying after his "Spons" had told him he was not to take any medication while coming off alcohol, this poor sweet young man had not one but two alcoholic seizures ending up in hospital, he could have died and almost did! The doctor treating him wanted the name of this sponsor from AA , this looks bad for the fellowship!! After being made to feel under the control of this "Spons" making many phone calls to AA members but not able to distance himself from this "group" he is missing/gone..

Yes he comes here to his "work shops" or using AA members not aware of his game to fund them!

The control over his followers here frightens me and many other AA members. They go out to our meetings promoting their next "Money Raising Event". And they have had many!! We were informed to have a group conscience meeting and add that we only announce changes to AA meetings or AA anniversaries. We do Not give medical advice at this meeting,please respect this in your sharing. Also if they do not, then do not ask them to share.

We have also stopped them announcing their "events" where you pay at the door, or prepay in our AA literature, this along with not being able sell their event to our members should stop the funding for his company from our true AA members!

The control is out of control!!!

God bless


….....
Perth”

and then... from Rochester, New York state:

“Hello -

It looks like the Emotional Sobriety folks are coming to my hometown for our annual fall conference. I am very glad to have come across your site, and the links back to their program. Something just didn't ring true. I certainly have no intention of attending!

http://www.rochester-ny-aa.org/ you'll find a link to the conference flyer on this page

….....”

(our edits)

Comment: Quite apart from the vicious consequences suffered by new AA members as a result of this commercial enterprise's irresponsible activities it would seem that the Rochester Area Intergroup is now complicit in promoting the very same! Now what was that tradition ….. the one about non affiliation.. And wasn't there another one about being self supporting through our own voluntary contributions? Nah! It's slipped our minds for the time being....... couldn't have been very important anyway..... could it?

Cheerio

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

PS Rochester Area Intergroup incidentally will shortly be receiving a link to the above!