Conference Questions (2013) forum discussion (contd)

Committee No. 2 

Question 1:

Share experience on getting articles on AA in the local press and make suggestions on how the Fellowship can get articles into the national press.

Background

1. Members are having some success on getting articles on AA in their local newspapers
2. The Fellowship has not succeeded so far in getting articles on AA in the national press.

[See also: The Traditions, Preamble and Concepts]

Extracts:

“ I would say the press articles are significant rather than interesting. The Washingtonian movement collapsed after getting a “black eye” from the public (The Language of the Heart, p 5). According to one estimate, numbers in the Washingtonian movement reached up to around 600,000 before the movement collapsed. AA is only around four times larger than the Washingtonian movement. The reason why AA has grown is down largely to the maintaining of positive public relations. I don’t think it is a pity that Guideline 19 precludes me from including links to the press articles. I think I have made my position clear and given reasons for it in the committee 6, question two topic. You can read them easily enough online by pasting the newspaper name and article title into your search engine. I suggest you read them. Here are a few quotes from a number of the articles:

“Some get turned off “when someone comes up to you as a new member of AA and tells you, ‘if you don’t find God, you’re going to die a drunk’,” “That rigidity is very religious, very intolerant and very hurtful to a number of recovering alcoholics who are looking for an avenue to get sober.” “Those who have been through its mill claim it is `authoritarian' and `fascistic', employs brainwashing techniques and is cult-like in its attitude to members.” “AA is bondage of another form. It is evangelical and rabid in outlook.” "After a year with AA, you're like a Moonie and you're probably in a relationship with another AA member," “AA only works if you're prepared to take it on as a religion.” “A number of ex-members and addiction treatment professionals have accused it of having cult-like qualities and using brainwashing and bullying methods that weak and vulnerable people are particularly susceptible to.” “A federal appeals court found two years ago that "AA is a religion" and a state court of appeal ruled: "Adherence to the AA fellowship entails engagement in religious activity and religious proselytisation."

Perhaps the press articles might go some way to explain why one of the most frequent questions asked by professionals on the GSO (GB) website is: c) Is it a cult? (Information For Professionals, FAQs). Last Year I twelve stepped an alcoholic being detoxed on a hospital ward. The doctor referred him to several agencies for help after he was discharged, but not AA. I asked him if the doctor gave a reason. He said it was because the doctor thought AA is “unquantifiable.” ”

Cheerio

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

See also AA Minority Report 2013

AA Minority report 2012 (continued)(5)

“The assertive leadership in protection of “our common welfare” was well demonstrated by Bill W, the “trusted servants” involved with Chuck D. in 1958 and recently by those in the Toronto intergroup in Canada:

“Toronto’s A.A. Intergroup Bounces Atheists after Spirited Battle” by Dirk Hanson, The Fix, 06/06/11, issue 141:

http://www.thefix.com/content/does-aa-need-god

“Is There A Place For Atheists in Alcoholics Anonymous? – A long-simmering feud is spreading around the world, after one AA establishment voted to expel two atheist/agnostic groups in Canada” by Jesse Beach, The Fix 14/06/11: http://www.alternet.org/story/151294/is_there_a_place_for_atheists_in_alcoholics_anonymous?akid=7112.275856.JI6Ij2&rd=1&t=5

No doubt the courageous Toronto “trusted servants” have received plenty of “accusations…… gobs of rumour, gossip and general scuttle-butt” (Concept IX), perhaps attempts to twist warranty five “incitement to public controversy,” to try and throw them off beam. However, although it is unfortunate this matter has gone public, when compared to the incitement to public controversy caused by the behaviour in cult groups described in the Washington Post and The Independent, and the potential incitement to public controversy to be caused by A.A groups re-writing the A.A. program, each according to their dictator’s own sundry ideas, personal beliefs and prejudices, the article does show A.A. (In Canada at least) to have a legitimate organised structure with a duly elected responsibility and authority, rather than a headless anarchy.

“Salute to Canada – Our congratulations and thanks to Canada; no finer AA exists.” (Bill W. May 1951, Language of the Heart page 191)

For an A.A. group to re-write the Twelve Steps is to violate Tradition 4 (Long Form).

“For instance no group or intergroup could feel free to initiate, without consultation, any publicity that might affect AA as a whole. Nor could it assume to represent the whole of Alcoholics Anonymous by printing and distributing anything purporting to be AA standard literature” (Bill W. A.A. Grapevine March 1948,  Language of the Heart page 81).

“Our literature is a principle means by which A.A. recovery, unity, and service are facilitated” (Concept XI).

“And again, “Some [of the Washingtonian local groups] dipped into their treasuries to finance their own publications. There was no overall editorial policy……We are sure that if the original Washingtonians could return to this planet they would be glad to see us learning from their mistakes…… Had we lived in their day we might have made the same errors. Perhaps we are beginning to make some of them now.” (Bill W. AA Grapevine August 1945. Language of the Heart page 5) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washingtonian_movement

However, the principle applied to the atheist-agnostic groups in Toronto ought to be applied to any dual purpose group presenting itself as an “on your knees pray to God” Christian “early AA” - neo Oxford Group, or any other religion:

“Some years ago, numbers of AAs formed themselves into “retreat groups” having a religious purpose. At first they wanted to call themselves AA groups of various descriptions. But they soon realized this could not be done because their groups had a dual purpose: both AA and religion”. (Bill W. AA Grapevine February 1958; Language

of the Heart page 222).

“Speaking for Dr. Bob and myself I would like to say that there has never been the slightest intent, on his part or mine, of trying to found a new religious denomination. Dr. Bob held certain religious convictions, and so do I. This is, of course, the personal privilege of every A.A. member. Nothing however, could be so unfortunate for A.A.’s future as an attempt to incorporate any of our personal theological views into A.A. teaching, practice or tradition.” (Bill W. AA Comes of Age page 232)

“Beyond a Higher Power, as each of us may vision him, A.A. must never, as a society, enter the field of dogma or theology….. Lest we kill our usefulness by being bogged down in theological contention” (Bill W. Letter 1954, As Bill sees It page 116)

“This was the great contribution of our atheists and agnostics. They had widened our gateway so that all who suffer might pass through, regardless of their belief or lack of belief.” (Bill W. A.A. Comes of Age page 167)

“The atheist may stand up in an A.A. meeting denying God, yet reporting how he has been helped in other ways”….. we make no religious requirement of anyone…..In this atmosphere the orthodox, unorthodox, and the unbeliever mix happily and usefully together” (Bill W. “Pass it On page 172-173)

We wonder if the motivation behind the Toronto atheist group’s actions is out of a sense of insecurity arising from the influence of Traditions 4, 6 and 12 violations; the missionaries of the dishonest rendering of AA’s history by fundamentalist Christian authors emanating from the USA; Dick B. Joe McQ and Wally P.

Extracts from “By the Power Of God, A Guide to Early A.A. Groups & forming similar Groups Today” by Dick B:

“Of course the A.A. of yesteryear is truly gone forever. There is no Dr. Bob – physician, Bible student, ‘Prince of Twelve-Steppers,’ ambassador for Christ. There is no loving Anne Smith,- ‘Mother of A.A.’ ‘Founder’ nurse, evangelist, employment agent, and dispenser of ‘spiritual pablum’[sic] … …There is no quiet time…. where the Bible is studied,…prayer is made to God……. “(page xiii)

“There is a Good Big Book/Bible study group in California……There is also a ‘Safe to Talk about Jesus meeting’…….There is a Big Book/Bible study meeting in Florida. There are spiritual retreats for AAs and their families in at least seven locations in the United States and one in England.” (Page xiii)

“So also ‘Absolute purity.’…. And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out…. (Page 42)

And – ‘Absolute unselfishness’….So likewise who ever he be of you that forsaketh not all….” (Page 42)

“And ‘Absolute Love’ A new commandment that I give unto you that ye love one another …” (Page 42)

“Carrying the Message…As part of AAs Twelfe [sic] Step…And he[Jesus] said unto them….”(Page 189)

“Possible Approaches in Meetings 1. Listening to the readings of scripture. Perhaps segments of the Oxford Group book, How to read the Bible [Roger Hicks, How to read the Bible (London: Moral re- Armament, 1940)]” (Page 215)

“Alcoholism can be cured. Today’s people have just changed the language to satisfy the unbelievers” (page 233)

Dick B’s Alcoholics Anonymous History website: http://www.dickb.com/index.html

Extracts from “Back to Basics Alcoholics Anonymous Beginners meetings” by Wally P:

“In order for the process to work, newcomers need to be matched up with A.A. members who are willing to guide them through the four one hour sessions……..Newcomers do not attend beginners’ meetings alone, they are accompanied by their sponsors/sharing partners…..

For the Newcomer: 1.Your primary obligation is to attend all four sessions…. 2. We will read the appropriate parts of the ‘Big Book’ to you…. (Page 38)

“It is time to assign sponsors or sharing partners to those who need them. Will the newcomers please stand. These are the people who are about to take the Twelve Steps” (Page 39)

“Next the author instructs us to check what we have put on paper. Here the sponsor or sharing partner can be very helpful: Check…When in doubt and when it is important, what does another person who is working two way prayer think about this thought or action? .... Talk over together what you have written…Tell each other what guidance has come. This is the secret of unity….Then the author explains, to what many of us, is the most difficult part of all …Obey... Carry out the thoughts that have come. You will only be sure of guidance as you go through with it… [How to listen to God, p3]” (page 120)

“It is time to make a commitment to working with others…please stand. This is the Twelfe [sic] Step question ‘Will you carry the message to other alcoholics?’ please answer, one at a time, ‘yes’ or ‘no.’ After you have answered, please be seated. [Have each newcomer answer the question]” (page 146)

The following are some early A.A. definitions of God and prayer, by what some of today’s Back to Basics, “original A.A”., “On your knees” missionaries might call the “Original AA members” or “The first One Hundred”, “Big Book Authors,” “founders”:

“Most of us in Akron didn’t like all this praying…….We’d had enough of it in the Oxford Group. I still don’t like praying in A.A. I don’t like the Serenity Prayer. New York brought it in, and we resented it. We thought they were bringing back the Oxford Group” (1942, Oscar W. Early Akron A.A. group member) (Dr. Bob and the Good Old Timers, page 271)

1937: “And their concept of a Higher Power was different from that of the groupers, who were not prepared to accept light bulbs and Third Avenue buses as examples of “God as I understand Him .………… This, too, was an attitude that represented a fundamental difference between the A.A.s and the Oxford Groupers. A.A.s were more and more inclined to allow newer members to arrive at a concept of a Higher Power in their own time and manner.” (Pass It On, page 161)

“Try to find your own God – As you understand Him.” (Quote of Dr. Bob) ( Dr. Bob and the Good Old Timers, page 281)

1940: “ At his time – January – 1940 he wasn’t making you get out of bed to pray on your knees, to pray with you, I’m not sure that would have worked too well with me.” A recollection of Dr. Bob by John S. (Dr. Bob and the Good Old Timers, page 276)

1941:”Any concept of the Higher Power is acceptable. A sceptic or an agnostic may choose to think of his inner self, the miracle of growth, a tree, man’s wonderment at the physical universe, the structure of an atom, or mere mathematical infinity. Whatever form is visualized, the neophyte is taught that he must rely on it, in his own way, to pray to the power for strength.” (Jack Alexander article about AA , page 19)”

Comment: Toronto AA is an example of a pro-active service structure rather than a moribund one; this is what is meant by “leadership”. Here also is illustrated the necessity of a “canonical” literature within AA (ie. conference approved) which establishes the foundation both for our programme of recovery and the constitution of our society. Without these we are simply directionless and clueless – or as it might be put - just another bunch of drunks! Similarly the formation of “dual purpose” groups (of whatever denomination or type) by definition creates an “outside affiliation” and therefore (under Tradition 3) excludes these from further participation within the AA service structure (which will necessarily entail de-listing of the group and removal of its members (qua “group” membership) from service structure participation (and where necessary appropriate notification to outside agencies to that effect under Warranty Five, Concept 12) etc – but which does not affect in any way the right of each individual to be a member of AA as such ie. the only requirement for membership is a desire to stop drinking).

Finally – and very very briefly:

Dick B – a revisionist (and flawed) perspective of AA history with a Christian agenda.

Wally B – yet another version of doing the programme by “rote”. No thinking required here!

'Nuff said

Cheerio

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

A Minority report (continued)(2)

“The incidents with Chuck D. and “Our promoter friend” show that in the past, cult groups in AA have been stopped before they could even begin by active intervention of “trusted servants” and “elder statesmen” upholding A.A. Traditions. They recognised the link between figureheads and “degeneration into a cult.” (Jack Alexander article about AA, page 23) In other words, the rise of a “tyranny of very small minorities invested with absolute power.” (Concept V). These “trusted servants and” “elder statesmen” in the 1940s and 1958 were therefore evidently “prudently ever on guard against tyrannies great and small.”(Concept 12, warranty six). They also clearly understood the Traditions to be principles upon which the survival of the fellowship depends, rather than “just suggestions.” They evidently understood it to be their responsibility and duty to be active guardians of Traditions by informing “Traditions violators that they are out of order” (Concept 12, warranty five). They evidently understood their duty of care to protect a vulnerable minority from coercion and abuse, “That care will be observed to respect and protect all minorities,” (Concept 12, warranty 6). They evidently understood their responsibility and authority as “trusted servants” that they were trusted to actively guard the principles of AA Traditions and assert their leadership in Tradition Two, to perform the “duty of leadership, even when in a small minority, to take a stand against a storm,” (Concept IX), - The upholding of Tradition Two, of which Bill W. was later to go to great lengths to explain in the Twelve Concepts for World Service in 1962:

“…All of this is fully implied in A.A.’s Tradition Two. Here we see the ‘group conscience’ as the ultimate authority and the ‘trusted servant’ as the delegated authority. One cannot function without the other” (Concept X) “Hence the principle of amply delegated authority and responsibility to ‘trusted servants’ must be implicit from the top to the bottom of our active structure of service. This is the clear implication of A.A.’s Tradition Two” (Concept II) “Trusted servants at all A.A. levels are expected to exercise leadership, and leadership is not simply a matter of submissive housekeeping” (Concept VII) “Leadership is often called upon to face heavy and sometimes long-continued criticism” (Concept IX) “All around us in the world today we are witnessing the tyranny of majorities and the even worse tyranny of very small minorities invested with absolute power” (Concept V) “that care will be observed to respect and protect all minorities… …That our Conference shall ever be prudently on guard against tyrannies, great and small, whether these be found in the majority or in the minority” (Concept XII: Warranty 6). “Feeling the weight of all these forces, certain members who run counter to A.A.’s Traditions sometimes say that they are being censored or punished and that they are therefore being governed. It would appear however, that A.A.’s right to object calmly and privately to specific violations is at least equal to the rights of the violators to violate. This cannot accurately be called a governmental action” (Concept XII, warranty 5).

In contrast to the leadership described above, recent history reveals the apparent lack of it, perhaps a 20-30 year trend toward liberty above that of our common welfare, leading to a “tyranny of apathetic, self-seeking, uninformed, …..majorities” (concept V), this in turn, has led to the presence of figureheads, and the motivation for an “even worse tyranny of very small minorities invested with absolute power” (concept V), and in some groups, a “degeneration into a cult” (Jack Alexander article about AA, page 23). This has resulted in abuse of the vulnerable and bad press for AA, as reported in the Independent (UK) and in the Washington Post (USA).

The difference between good service leadership and no leadership at all in the face of rising dictators, spells the difference between future A.A. unity and anarchy. If A.A. continues the current trend in autonomous groups, “personality before principle” speaker recordings, lectures, guides and trinket business, then this may eventually lead to a systemic failing of the “but one ultimate authority” in Tradition Two. The experience of the disintegration of the Washingtonian movement (Language of the Heart page 5; Tradition 10, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions page 180-183) predicts the future:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washingtonian_movement

If, on the other hand, A.A. opts for A.A. Tradition, “Each group should be autonomous except in matters affecting other groups or AA as a whole”, then the exception to group autonomy in Tradition 4 implies that “elder statesmen” and “Good Service Leaders” (concept IX) will face their responsibility to intervene when necessary. As Synanon cult leader Chuck D recalled 1958: “They made things difficult for us… ... and we never went back to A.A. again.” And as Bill W. recalled his encounter with “Our promoter friend”: “We assured our well-meaning friend that we would certainly uphold his right to free speech. But we added that he ought to uphold ours, too. We assured him that if his “lectures” went on air, we would advise every A.A. group of the circumstances and ask them to write strong letters… ... … letters of a kind the sponsor might not like to receive.” (A.A. comes of Age page 131)”

Comment: The emphasis in this section is clearly upon the moral responsibility of “leaders” to LEAD (by example), to have the COURAGE to SPEAK OUT when they witness corrupt practices, to CHALLENGE those who would abuse their power, and finally to DEFEND AA and its principles against those “personalities” who would subvert our fellowship. However we would go further than this and argue that it is the duty of every AA member to actively uphold our traditions, and that when they witness evil they should oppose it; failure to act, to look the other way, is no longer an option. Cult leaders have demonstrated time and time again their utter contempt for our principles. They are more than willing to set these aside or indeed pervert them in pursuit of their sole aim: personal power. Their victims constitute the most vulnerable section of our fellowship - the newcomers. We are manifestly failing in our duty of care to these and if we continue to do so why should we expect others to place their trust in us; we simply would not deserve it. The writing is very clearly on the wall. If we do not learn from the lessons of the past then history will surely repeat itself..... Either we shape up or ship out!

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)