Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a Cult? (contd)

See here for original blog entry

Under Readers' comments. We quote:

“cult like groups within AA

AA is not a cult, but there are certainly "cult like" groups within AA. A famous example from this past year would be the "Midtown Group" which has been operating around the Washington DC Area for a while. Plenty of well documented coverage can be found in Newsweek, USA Today, Washington Post, etc. An affiliate of that group operates out of Chatham, New Jersey and they are called the "Sponsorship Group" of AA. They all live in a compound in Summit, NJ. This "Sponsorship Group" actively recruits new members into their cult by infiltrating various rehabs, hospitals and other facilities in the greater NY and NJ area. Young people are lured in by this cult and given a place to live, a job and are bombarded with coercion, manipulation and mind control to conform group doctrine. If a new person has been taking any kind of prescribed medication, they are told to stop or else they are not sober. Young women who get involved with this group are led to believe that they should be sponsored by [explicit name reference removed by editor] and that having sex with him is all just part of the recovery process(!) Next, the newcomer is presented with an ultimatum, get the "SG" tattoo or leave the group. (The tattoo is a circle, surrounding a triangle and in the middle are the letters "SG"). Members of this group are not allowed to check out other AA meetings, unescorted. A member may only attend a different AA group, while being escorted by a more senior member of the "Sponsorship Group". Like the "Midtown Group" from the Washington DC area, the "Sponsorship Group" is part of the "Clancy I" empire of cult-like groups, …...”

(our edits)

Cheers

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

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From 'tat' to 'tats'

A member with a slight tendency towards lateral thinking (and in connection with our previous entries on the subject of 'AA related' tat ) sent in the following link: see here 

And some examples:

As you may observe at least some of these have modest artistic merit (although quite why anybody would want to have AA insignia indelibly marked upon their bodies is quite beyond us) and therefore may be regarded as one step up from genuine 'tat'. We do recall however that this is a practice employed by some members of the so-called Sponsorship (cult) Group (New Jersey) who have the name of the group tattooed about their persons - somewhat unimaginative and rather more reminiscent of 'branding' cattle we would have thought but then these little 'doggies' are 'barking' mad anyway! 

We've also recently received an enquiry following our entry on the subject of the two thugs currently operating in East Kent (Westgate-on-Sea Big Book Study – Sunday) as to whether there any plans to bring out '”bobbleheaded dolls” (so beloved of Clancy fans!) of the two Harrys (aka Batman and Robin). Our correspondent writes: 

“Christmas is coming and I want to buy some for all the people I hate or for the dog to chew!” 

Phew! They must really have it in for them! And to give one to a dog to chew? We think this might constitute animal cruelty and then we'd have the RSPCA on our backs! Fortunately (or unfortunately depending on your point of view) there are no immediate plans to bring out such items. Our contact will simply have to find an alternatively horrific 'gift' with which to punish their enemies and/or entertain the dog. Any ideas! 

Cheerio 

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous – and free of any 'brand' marks!) 

PS Our thanks to our correspondents as usual

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

Friends of Dorothy!

We were most entertained to discover that the 39^th Northern National Convention 2013 will be featuring a: “Yellow Brick Road to Recovery Banner”.

Now of course the designation “Road to Recovery” is entirely legitimate, and derived from the book “Alcoholics Anonymous”. Unfortunately for AA this has been highjacked as a symbol by one of the extremist cults operating within our fellowship (in much the same way that the Cross of St. George was pirated by the National Front in its various guises – yet another bunch of neo-fascists!). However (and putting the unfortunate “Road to Recovery” connotation to one side) perhaps there are other associations that the organising committee might like to consider when deploying the Yellow Brick banner for all and sundry to see. For those not familiar with the story (and film) see here: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and here. Briefly the adventure (a fantasy tale) involves a young girl Dorothy (played in the 1939 film by Judy Garland) teaming up with a cowardly lion, a tin man without a heart and a scarecrow who's looking for a brain. Together they set off in search of the Wizard of Oz who they believe will produce a solution to their singular problems. Various adventures ensue whilst they travel the Yellow Brick Road including a series of encounters with the inevitable Wicked Witch and her minions, and then various others hazards that one would expect when making such a journey (including an interlude where they all get seriously stoned whilst traversing a field of poppies!). Finally they discover the wizard who apparently is not all he seems but who contrives nevertheless to cobble something together. Dorothy is returned home to Kansas where she discovers that it all may have just been a dream.......

Now one thing that usually becomes evident to most members of AA (and quite rapidly) is that there is no single road to recovery (yellow brick or otherwise). There are however a set of “suggestions” which indicate the general direction one might take. All roads indeed “lead to Rome” and there are innumerable routes by which one might arrive at that destination. Some travellers may be in a burning hurry and set off by what they believe is the most direct path only to discover it to be impassable and who are then forced to retrace their steps and start again. Others, although similarly inclined, recognise that the journey might have to be undertaken at a more moderate pace and that perhaps the scenic way is more to their taste. Other still may like to break their journey from time to time and explore intriguing side avenues.. and so on … and so forth.....Count the number of AA members and there you will discover the number of 'roads' to recovery.

Allegories and metaphors aside recovery is not a fairy tale. It's real and sometimes harsh. The notion that all you have to do is follow 'directions' and all will be well is a pleasant conceit but not necessarily reflected in reality. Doing the “next right thing” does not guarantee of itself that the desired end will follow (see here, pp. 61). Good will not always triumph finally over evil (nor the converse). They exist in an uneasy equilibrium and indeed neither could subsist without the other. Good things happen to bad people and bad to good etc etc …... and as for 'happily ever after'... well now we're back to fairy tales again!

Finally the 'guru' at the end of Dorothy's quest really had nothing to offer her or her friends. Indeed all he could point out was that what they thought they lacked they in fact already possessed but otherwise it would seem he was as much in the dark as they. So as gurus go he wasn't a complete loss after all!

So although the Yellow Brick Road might be quite an enticing and even consoling notion perhaps you might prefer to trudge your own path along the Road(s) of Happy Destiny where you may meet fellow wayfarers as your routes occasionally cross.

Cheerio

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

PS Some snippets:

It's official! According to the Road to Recovery (cult) group Plymouth humility has now been redefined as: “Obedience to your sponsor” ….. nothing new there then!

And from....

The Sponsorship Group (North New Jersey, US): (from their website):

“Our homegroup is notorious in the North Jersey area for being adamant and at times even fervent about offering the solution to Alcoholism as described in the "Big Book" of AA - And we wouldn't change that if we could”

Taking a leaf out of the BBC 3's excellent series “The Revolution Will be Televised” (where among other civic minded activities it 'slices and dices' bankers, tax avoiders (Boots, Vodaphone .. the list grows ad infinitum.....), politicians ie. the usual suspects) we offer the following translation of the above under “HONEST” (in red):

“Our homegroup is well known as a royal pain in the arse in the North Jersey area for being arrogant and at times even fanatical about offering the solution to Alcoholism according to our extremely limited knowledge of the “Big Book” of AA – And because we're closed minded, ignorant nutters we wouldn't change that if we could”.

We suggest the Sponsorship Group consider these extracts from the text with which they claim to have some - albeit extremely - limited acquaintance: (see BB, Chapter 7, Working With Others)

“Don't start out as an evangelist or reformer” (p. 89)

“You will be most successful with alcoholics if you do not exhibit any passion for crusade or reform” (p. 95).

So much for the “fervent/adamant” approach!

Cheerio... again!

"Someone or other" and “The Sponsorship Group”

From time to time we receive emails from people complaining about the site and the fact that: 1) they have been mentioned (although we tend to stick to the traditional first name plus initial or their nick name or even one we have assigned to them ourselves eg. The Venerable C – which “Honourable Member” incidentally is about to grace the Bristol Reunion with his august presence – but more on that later!); 2) their group has been alluded to; 3) the name of their cat has been misspelt etc, and, thereafter (and occasionally), flourishing the “(L)ibel ” word at us or even the “(D)efamation)” word, and, finally (and most recently), the “(S)lander” tag. However - and for the very first time - the "S" word has been waved in our direction and this without the person (or his group) even being mentioned on our site (until now that is!).

See the following interchange of mails:

---

“From: Jim B***
Subject: Slanderous statements on your blog
To: "aa_cultwatch.......
Date: Tuesday, 23 August, 2011, 21:33


Please remove all references to me and the alcoholics anonymous group i attend that have been posted on your site.

All references to: "Jim B***" or "Jim B." And "The Sponsorship Group"

They are not true.

These statements have caused me irreparable financial harm.

Yours truly,

Jim B***

908-***-****

On Aug 23, 2011, at 5:54 PM, aa cultwatch wrote:

Well the only reference we can find in the section to which you refer to a Jim B is to someone who is dead? Perhaps you'd care to elucidate

From: Jim B***

Subject: Re: Slanderous statements on your blog

To: "aa cultwatch"
Date: Tuesday, 23 August, 2011, 23:07

I am alive and well.

Jim B***

908-***-****

From: aa cultwatch

Subject: Re: Slanderous statements on your blog
To: "Jim B****”
Date: Wednesday, 24 August, 2011, 6:16

We repeat. The only references on our site are to a Jim B who was a contemporary of Bill W. However we have done a search of your name and the Sponsorship group and the results do incline us to further investigation.”

---

(our edits)

….. which of course we did. It seems there DOES exist a Jim B and he IS associated with something called the Sponsorship Group based in Chatham, New Jersey (Sunday nights 8:30pm, Chatham, NJ, at the Presbyterian church on Southern Boulevard), and, by and large (or so we discovered), the comments on the net are hardly flattering concerning this operation (some references to “Midtown” cropped up – hardly a recommendation!). Moreover (and perhaps not so coincidentally) we received an email shortly thereafter (from another source) which went into some detail on the activities of this group, and for all of which the expression “hardly flattering” would be something of an understatement! Of course we're always willing to be corrected on an error and it may well be that Jim B might in fact be quite entitled to be outraged by our previously non-existent “slanderous” comments. However you will note that we have not asserted that any of this is true – simply that we have received some rather odd emails from the Chatham New Jersey area concerning Jim B and the Sponsorship Group (or maybe someone does have a guilty conscience?).

Cheerio

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

(our thanks to our reporters in the US)