Newbury Design for Living (affiliated with the Wimbledon Design for Living group)

It would seem that the above group is in a state of suspended animation. According to the online update the venue itself is closed although other sources indicate that this is not the case. However don't be at all surprised if it should resurface - properly rebranded of course! The Wimbledon branch however is still going strong although we might say that one of its attendees has been rather economical with the truth. Despite the fact that we were told by this person that only conference approved literature was on display we found on our last visit that alongside this was a whole load of other stuff - booklets, pamphlets, even CDs (no doubt the production of some eminent “circuit speakers” plying their trade), some of which carried the imprimatur of the Wimbledon Design for Living Group. But then of course variety is the spice of life! (assuming that there is no 'poison' intermixed!)

Cheerio

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

(our usual thanks to our reporters)

A taste of freedom.....

“Without a Higher Power - One Size does not fit all for this atheist in recovery

AA Grapevine January 2010

This atheist "walked into our midst," and stayed.

 At the age of 52, I attended my very first AA meeting on Oct. 7, 2001. I have not found it necessary to take a single drink since. Were it not for AA it's likely I would never have put together one continuous week of sobriety.

Finding all the "God stuff" in the Twelve Steps a bit hard to swallow, I immediately latched onto Tradition Three, which states, "The only requirement for AA membership is a desire to stop drinking."

I also had the good fortune of stumbling across a Twelve Step study during my first week of recovery. It has been my home group ever since. That was where someone drew my attention to the chapter on Step Two in the "Twelve and Twelve" where it states, "First, Alcoholics Anonymous does not demand that you believe anything. All of its Twelve Steps are but suggestions."

I also learned in my home group about a fellow called "Ed" in the essay on Tradition Three in the "Twelve and Twelve." His real name was Jimmy B. One of the pioneering members of the New York group, Jimmy B. was apparently the first diehard atheist to find lasting recovery in AA. His personal story eventually made it into the Second Edition of the Big Book as "The Vicious Cycle." An internet search turns up lots of interesting information about Jim. He is my personal AA hero.

Eventually I also discovered the pamphlet "Questions & Answers on Sponsorship" where, much to my relief, it points out that "some alcoholics have been able to achieve and maintain sobriety without any belief in a personal Higher Power." That includes me.

In an article published in the April 1961 edition of the Grapevine (reprinted in "The Best of Bill"), Bill W. laments: "Though 300,000 have recovered in the last 25 years, maybe half a million more have walked into our midst, and then out again. . . . We can't well content ourselves with the view that all these recovery failures were entirely the fault of the newcomers themselves. Perhaps a great many didn't receive the kind and amount of sponsorship they so sorely needed."

I certainly know what that's like! I ended up firing two sponsors in my first three months of recovery. The first one dogmatically insisted that I absolutely had to turn my will and my life over to the care of some kind of Higher Power if I wanted to stay sober long. My second sponsor relapsed.

Unfortunately, sponsors who actually follow the excellent suggestions outlined in "Questions & Answers on Sponsorship" seem to be about as rare as four-leaf clovers. I ended up without a sponsor for 15 months before hooking up with my current sponsor. By then I had made a lot of progress working a personalized program of recovery I had designed for myself, one that makes absolutely no reference to any kind of "Higher Power" concept--not even using my home group or AA as a whole as a substitute for God. My new sponsor's first official advice to me was, "Whatever you've been doing is obviously working well for you, so let's not try to 'fix' it."

After years of studying the Twelve Steps in my home group and discussing them with my sponsor, I now understand why faith in "God as we understood Him" was so vitally important to Bill W. and most of the AA pioneers.

As clearly explained by Dr. Harry Tiebout in the appendix of the book Alcoholics Anonymous Comes of Age, they nearly all suffered from some form of narcissism. Their narcissism had effectively blocked their recovery from alcoholism and eventually turned them into low-bottom drunks of the "hopeless variety."

The obvious cure for rampant narcissism and grandiosity is greater humility; and as it says in the essay on Step Seven in the "Twelve and Twelve," "the attainment of greater humility is the foundation principle of each of AA's Twelve Steps."

However, as Dr. Silkworth points out in "The Doctor's Opinion," "The classification of alcoholics seems most difficult." Ultimately, he tells us, all alcoholics "have one symptom in common: they cannot start drinking without developing the phenomenon of craving." That certainly describes me. All of us do have issues of our own that we need to deal with if we are to stay both sober and happy, often issues that "the attainment of greater humility" simply will not touch.

The program of recovery I work directly addresses my issues. The only person in the world it needs to work for is me, and it does that very, very well. Today I am not only sober, I am far happier than I had ever dreamed it was possible for me to be.

I now have a dozen sponsees of my own. Four of them, like me, are atheists who have absolutely no use for the Higher Power concept. Two of those have already enjoyed over four years of continuous sobriety.

Obviously I do not insist that my sponsees must all work the same program of recovery, nor do I tutor them in the program of recovery I designed to address my own issues – "defects of character," if you wish. Instead, I encourage each of them to follow my example by identifying their own issues, and then working a deliberate, systematic, active program of recovery designed by themselves, for themselves, to directly address their issues.

Over the years I have endured a lot of criticism from other AAs for my unorthodox beliefs, especially for my refusal to endorse the Twelve Steps as a perfect one-size-fits-all program of recovery for every alcoholic. But if Bill W. were alive today, I'm sure he would approve. As he suggested in the long form of Tradition Three, "Our membership ought to include all who suffer from alcoholism. Hence we may refuse none who wish to recover."

That certainly includes me. My fondest hope is that if enough others follow my example, someday it will include millions more like me who previously might have "walked into our midst, and then out again."

GREG H.

San Diego, Calif”

Comment: None needed!

Cheerio

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

What's in a logo? Quite a lot apparently! (“Wessex Intergroup”)

It would seem (or so we have heard) that the newly formed “Wessex Intergroup” has jumped the gun somewhat so eager was this fledgling enterprise (or “cuckoo in the nest”) to establish its credibility as part of the AA service structure. In their efforts to give some semblance of authenticity to this “bastard” creation (note the use of the term “bastard” in this context does not imply invective, but merely an established reference to progeny who may not be entirely “legitimate”) the members in question purloined the AA logo, subsequently employing it as a letterhead on at least one of their “official” communications (see here). Apparently their use of the AA logo on this particular piece of correspondence aroused indignation in some quarters viz.

“A number of people have questioned the use of the AA logo and letterhead by an outside enterprise.”

The application of the terms “outside enterprise” so incensed the newly elected (?) chairman (?) of this “bastard” invention - “Wessex Intergroup” - that he was inspired to protest in a characteristically bombastic style (in our view he would definitely qualify as a “Mr Outraged from Tunbridge Wells”), and even managed to drag us into his objections. In another communication addressed to some unfortunate (in this case “sans logo”) he argues:

“Dear......

I think it should be remembered that the Wessex Intergroup is not an outside enterprise. All the constituent members are members of the Fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous, this does rather sound like typical Cult Watch indoctrination twisting Guidelines and Traditions to suit their own questionable aims.

I have asked the Board to tell us on what authority they can deny the existence of an Intergroup which may make the use the logo quite legitimate. However, in the meantime we are not using the AA logo on our letter head as a matter of courtesy. Unfortunately the document that went out was written earlier and it was an oversight in my not changing the logo.

With love in Fellowship,

Paul P

On behalf of the Wessex Intergroup”

Well there you have it! Obviously it's all our fault! We really should know better by now! Remember: We (the cult) are ALWAYS right and you (the rest of the world) are ALWAYS wrong! Phew! That's a relief! For one horrible moment there the whole fabric of the cosmos seemed rent asunder! But now that the proper order of things has been fully restored we can continue with our little history. Unfortunately for Mr Outraged it would appear that it isn't in fact our fault at all! Who would have believed it! Nope.... Despite the new “Chairman's” protestations (and his fall back position “a matter of courtesy” …... Oh purrrrlllease!) it would seem that the General Service Board seem to hold to the same opinion ie.:

“ A number of people have questioned the use of the AA logo and letterhead by an outside enterprise.

The enclosed communication from ….... ( our board member ) clarifies the current situation :-

In response to …......'s request I can inform all parties, that the General Secretary of AA has sent a letter to all those who have an interest in "whether this Intergroup would be of benefit to the Fellowship".

A copy of that letter has also gone to Paul P along with a request NOT to use the logo until such times as the Fellowship accept the new Intergroup.

When all the replies are back from the Fellowship the Board will inform those concerned of their decision.

…....”

(our edits)

So it would seem that the novice “Chairman” of this new “Intergroup” has actually got it all WRONG! (sounds of the universe disintegrating all about us – we cower in terror!). Still this shouldn't be a problem because you MUST recall at this point that the cult operates on the basis of a completely different set of guidelines and principles to Alcoholics Anonymous – most notably their version of Tradition Four: “Each group should be completely autonomous, free to do absolutely anything it likes, and without any regard to any possible consequences for any other group or member or even AA as a whole”. (We think we got that right – feel free to correct us of course Mr “Chairman”!). But then if that particular sleight of hand doesn't do the trick they can always fall back on the “minority view” defence together with a bit of “punitive action” thrown in, and maybe even play the “martyr” role etc – but then what do we know? Who are we to question our betters? (Is it here that our sponsor is supposed to come to the rescue perhaps?)

Cheerio

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

PS We do hear that the “bastards” (see above on invective) are still actively involved in cult service activity in PI work, hospitals etc. Would the real AA like to stand up?

PPS We would request that if we are to be maligned by cult members (something, by the way,we enjoy greatly!) we would appreciate it if at least they got the name of our organisation right! It's aacultwatch

More from Derbyshire....and Mid-Trent....and Notts....and Leicester... the plot thickens!

“They [Derbyshire intergroup] had us [Derby City groups] thrown off the local list of meetings twice, had every member of our meetings removed from service twice, and persuaded all three local intergroup to deny us membership. Their sponsees and those influenced by them reliably neglected to mention the existence of our group to helpline callers even when we were allowed on the list.

The intergroup situation is essentially a sham. The old East Midlands Intergroup was felt to be too large, and was dominated by a few Notts old-timers, so …..... created The Mid-Trent and Derbyshire Intergroups, which are still run by acolytes of those same Notts old-timers …....... with the cultists in tow or leading on occasion. Mid-Trent IG failed in fairly short order, and Derbyshire IG is just a fig-leaf for the Notts old-timers (or "senior AAs" as they like to be called) continuing to run things. They would rather have the cultists at the helm than a truly independent IG. We showed the senior AAs the literature we sent you and they did nothing, then allowed the cultists to throw us off. Leicester simply ignores the Intergroup, "Notts and Leicester IG" is only so called because Leicester can't even be bothered to turn up to announce that they are leaving.

I can give a lot more detail, but that's the essential position. When we were denied IG membership,we were told by ….. members (acting as IG emissaries) that all three IGs had had to deny us membership as a "unity issue". That this was the basis on which we are not in the IG makes our expulsion from service on the grounds of our non-membership all the more unreasonable.

In terms of documentary evidence, they have not in the past minuted any decision to throw us off, and have only gone in writing about the decision at all on this occasion, in the letter they sent to us."

Comment: We did contact Derbyshire IG to get their side of the story – the silence is still quite deafening!

Cheers

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

(our usual thanks to this contributor)

Tolerate all but the intolerant!



Dissent in Derby – what exactly is going on in this intergroup?

We have received recent contacts from members within this intergroup including the following:

“Whilst we may not agree with you in every detail of your approach, we are happy to offer you information and assistance to try to support the achievement of our common goal, an AA of genuinely autonomous and effective meetings.

As well as their base in Long Eaton, the Derby Wednesday and Sunday "Friends Meeting House" meetings were taken over by the cultists around a year ago, and they also now run a number of "informal meetings" in Derby and Long Eaton. These "informal meetings" do not appear on the GSO list, and are run by the cult as explicitly and exclusively Christian affairs with no pretence of following AA tradition.

You can see confirmation of what I am telling you on the intergroup website here. Look at the meeting minutes for confirmation of their promotion of "informal meetings" [apparently this entry has now been removed from the intergroup website], their version of step 4 worksheets, and the use of a 1940's version of "questions and answers on sponsorship".

Bill is the name of their local leader. He is based in Long Eaton. His firmest follower is Geraldine, who has infiltrated the local Derbyshire intergroup, along with a number of other cultists including her soon to be ex-husband Jez.

The local intergroups under the influence of the cult removed every member of our groups [Derby City centre] from the 12-step list, and responders rota a couple of weeks ago.

Regards

…..”

Cheers

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

(our usual thanks to this contributor)

Joys of Recovery Detroit (US)

Over the past few years from time to time we've received a few emails in relation to the above group. The name is suggestive (although not necessarily) of some kind of connection with the Joys/Visions cult in the UK. It does seem though that there is more of a direct linkage than that. Indeed we are given to understand that David (The Icon) C has been a regular visitor over the years and is even sponsor to at least one of its members. We are told that he enjoys some status within the group hierarchy, this led apparently by a husband and wife double act who function as “mummy and daddy” to its members. (The latter two have moved out of the area but still continue to sponsor many members of the group “cascade style”” thereby effectively controlling the group conscience. See below). English by birth David C has is now a resident in the US. For those of you who are not familiar with the cult lineage the Icon took over from the founder of the Joys movement, David B, when the latter finally shuffled off this “mortal coil” in 1998. He is one of the central coordinators of the cult's activities in the Great Britain and Ireland, and co-author of one of the cult websites from which so much of their ideas are drawn (including this little sample – now withdrawn from the website). We are told that the Detroit group exhibit all the usual characteristics of the Joys cult. As mentioned above they operate a “cascade style” of sponsorship ie. a hierarchical system based on the notion that recovery is impossible without the “direction” of a sponsor and moreover that compliance must be absolute; the sponsee must ALWAYS defer to the will of the sponsor. This is an effective paraphrase of Step Three (see here for our ironic interpretation of the steps 'cult style') . This dogma driven approach results in a top down pyramid power structure with the main sponsor(s) “running the show”, and dictating the group conscience to successive layers of sub-sponsors (sponsees). Those who fail to fall into their appointed role within this schema will find themselves excluded and indeed subject to summary “excommunication” from the collective; dissent - unlike misery apparently - is NOT optional. Effectively the central principle of AA , that each person (in order to recover) should seek to establish some kind of conscious contact with a God or Higher Power of their understanding, has been displaced by “sponsor power”, this last concept a direct contradiction of both the Steps and of the second “pertinent idea” referred to in Chapter Five “How It Works”:

(b) That probably no human power could have relieved our alcoholism

leading to the conclusion:

(c) That God could and would if He were sought.

Note: the complete absence of the terms “sponsor”, “sponsee”, “sponsorship” throughout the entire basic text.

We shall see though what we shall see

Cheerio

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

(our thanks to our various reporters)