AA Minority report 2012 (continued)(8)

“Is A.A. beginning to turn on to the same triumphant road as the Washingtonians?

Washington movement mass public events:

“Lets cast our eyes over the Grapevine piece about the Washingtonians and excerpt a few sentences: ‘Mass meeting in 1841, at City Hall Park, New York City, attracted 4,000 listeners. Speakers stood on upturned rum kegs,’ ‘Triumphant parades in Boston. Historic Faneuil Hall jammed.’ (Overdone self-advertising – exhibitionalism? Anyhow it all sounds very alcoholic doesn’t it?) … … … The original strong and simple group purpose was thus dissipated in fruitless controversy and divergent aims.) And again, ‘Some [of the Washingtonian local groups] dipped into their treasuries to finance their own publications. There was no overall editorial policy”.

(Bill W. AA Grapevine August 1945. Language of the Heart page 5)

Alcoholics Anonymous 2010 mass public event:

“FOUNDERS' Day comes once a year in the city of Akron, in the state of Ohio... … … the best part was on Sunday, when a procession of motorcycles went to Dr. Bob's gravesite. Here there was such harmony, emotions, spiritual awareness and respect shown for Dr. Bob, People come from all over the world to take part in this celebration. Last year, at 7:30 A.M., the roaring of motorcycles was all I could hear. Thousands of bikes—all different styles, models and colors--were lined up into four single file lines that took up the radius of one city block, near the University of Akron. The police blocked off the streets to provide safety for the motorcade and to prevent the bike procession from being broken up. As the bikes proceeded to the cemetery, people on the sidewalks cheered for us. Some waved, some gave peace signs, and others held up signs with slogans on them. The best sign I saw was on a fluorescent orange posterboard. In large, bold, black marker lettering, it said, "Ain't it great to be sober?" … … As we approached the graveyard, the cemetery fence was lined with fellow alcoholics who cheered us on… … … At Dr. Bob's gravesite, bagpipers played "Amazing Grace."… … Next, everyone put a coin of recovery on the gravestone…” (Bikes and Bagpipes A rider in the annual Founders' Day motorcade finds new spirituality in Akron; A.A. Grapevine July 2010)

(Overdone self-advertising – exhibitionism? Anyhow it all sounds very alcoholic doesn’t it?) (Bill W. AA Grapevine August 1945. Language of the Heart page 5)

Dear AAs: Dr. Bob and I have a problem. In actuality, AA has a score of ‘founders,’ men and women without whose special contributions AA might never have been. But somehow the title ‘founder seems to have attached itself almost solely to Dr. Bob and me – a phenomenon due perhaps to the general lack of information about our early days… … … But we are beginning to ask ourselves if this overemphasis will be good for AA in the long run. Is so much sentiment for the ‘founders’, entirely wise? (AA Grapevine October 1947. Language of the Heart page 108)

“While I thank God that I was privileged to be an early member of A.A., I honestly wish that the word ‘founder’ could be eliminated from A.A. vocabulary”. (Bill W, letter 1945, As Bill Sees It page 67)

“For this reason Dr. Bob and I have often deplored being called co- founders because such titles may create the impression that we pretty much invented, structured and spread AA all by ourselves. Nothing could, in fact be further from the truth.” (Bill W. AA Grapevine March 1960. Language of the Heart page 297)

Are A.A. member organised alcohol free dances, social events, “spiritual” retreats, sustaining the newcomer’s withdrawal from society and promoting an unhealthy emotional and social dependence on the A.A. members who organise and attend these events?

“So our rule is not to avoid a place where there is drinking, if we have a legitimate reason for being there. That includes bars, nightclubs, dances, receptions, weddings, even plain ordinary whoopee parties… … … … If you are a person who wants to eat in a bar, by all means go along. Let your friends know they are not to change their habits on your account. At a proper time and place explain to all your friends why alcohol disagrees with you. If you do this thoroughly, few people will ask you to drink. While you were drinking you were withdrawing from life little by little. Now you are getting back into the social life of this world. Don’t start to withdraw again just because your friends drink liquor.” (Alcoholics Anonymous “Big Book” page 101-102).

Road to Recovery AA group (Plymouth, UK) Website Diary dates page (September 2010):

Friends of Scotland AA introduce Step N ahead into “emotional sobriety” with Wayne B from St Petersburg Florida USA & Sean D from Washington DC USA.

Panmure St, Dundee, Scotland.

On Fri 30th Sept & Sat/Sun Oct 1/2nd 2011.

Cost £20 PRE registration & £25 on the day.

Welcome to AA reunion in Bristol God willing the honourable member for the Pacific Group, Los Angeles, is coming to Bristol to be the principle guest speaker at the AA reunion 14,15,16, October 2011 at the council House, Bristol

Stateline Retreat the ‘original’ Woodstock of A.A.

Welcome to the official home of Stateline Retreat

December 8, 9, 10&11 2011

Stateline Retreat, Las Vegas USA, Dec 2011

http://www.statelineretreat.org/

We question how much power and influence A.A. related business people have now got in A.A? Tradition tells us it is time to reverse the trend of business being done in A.A. before too many more people and A.A. as a whole suffers the consequences of it. There needs to be a simple and uncompromising message of A.A. Tradition, coming from all who serve in the A.A. service structure and at all levels. The A.A. name needs protection. It may be suggested that A.A. members boycott any merchandise produced by outside enterprises which operate under A.A. name and to discourage any individual A.A. members who misuse the A.A. name for their personal gain. It may be suggested members boycott public exhibitionist A.A. Events; and discourage those who organise them.

“Public ill will could stunt our growth; even bring it to a standstill.”

(Bill W. AA Grapevine, June 1955. Language of the Heart page 150)

“We cannot lend the AA name, even indirectly, to other activities, however worthy. If we do so we shall become hopelessly compromised and divided. We think that AA should offer its experience to the whole world for whatever use can be made of it. But not its name. Nothing can be more certain." (Bill W. Tradition Three, AA Grapevine 1948, Language of the Heart page 79-80)

We question whether content of A.A. literature is now beginning to be influenced from by A.A. related business. Whether the book “The Home Group Heartbeat of A.A.” is not contributing to organised A.A. groups with a hierarchical pyramid power structure, by highlighting the 'traditions deviant' Little Rock Plan as a lesson from experience, but without mentioning it was Traditions deviant. We question whether this book should be reviewed and edited.

Lessons from experience, Tradition Nine and meetings led by the A.A. co-founders:

Tradition Nine (Long form):

“Each A.A. group needs the least possible organization. Rotating leadership is the best. The small group may elect its secretary, the large group its rotating committee and the groups of a large metropolitan area their central or

intergroup committee”

Bill W, New York 1939: “They were structured to the extent that there was always one speaker and Bill- maybe half an hour each - and then a long coffee session, a real get together. We were often there till 12 o’clock, started at eight.….. At this time there were no 90-days requirements. No birthdays – no recognition was made if you were sober a week or a year, If you felt you would like to speak in a year or in a month or two weeks they let you get up and speak, and they didn’t throw you out if you were drunk, either. They felt it was encouraging, hoping some word would stick.” (Ruth Hock, the first secretary of the New York General Service Office. Pass it on page 219)

Dr. Bob, Akron: “Oldtimers remember early meetings as being pretty much the same as they are now, with a few exceptions. There was no chairperson or secretary to introduce the speaker. Through the mid - 1940’s, it was felt that grand titles and flowery introductions might go to an alcoholic’s head…. … … … We had our sense of humour, but for us, recovery was a life - or- death matter. Nor was there any clapping. At that kind of meeting, applause would have seemed out of place” (Dr. Bob and the Good Old Timers page 220-221)

It can be noted that a successful numerical growth rate for A.A is not a goal in itself; means do not justify the ends. Spiritual growth has to be maintained as well. The cult of Synanon was numerically very successful until it collapsed, as was the Washingtonian movement.

“Our whole gang had taken over the Saturday night meeting of the Santa Monica A.A. group … … and built it up from its attendance of ten people to an attendance of about forty five or fifty… … … We were building something new and different”. (Chuck D. Synanon cult leader,) (From the Desk of Juan Lesende: How Drug Abuse Treatment Turns into Mistreatment By Juan E. Lesende - September 18th 2009)

“We had a well defined purpose; to focus on the content of our Basic Text and improve the effectiveness of our Fellowship… … …Only a couple of “old timers” expressed their concern … …. …. I wish I could dig those old suckers up and let them see what happens at our meetings and what the members of our Group do between meetings… …. … Those who make up our Group are very active in taking the message of the Big Book into those places where suffering alcoholics wind up seeking shelter and help. We try to get to them before they become ‘discussionized.’… … … So what we have in Dallas is a group of alcoholics who try to emulate the man who was our inspiration. A spark that was thrown off that spiritual bonfire, Joe McQ., landed in Dallas, Texas and ignited another spiritual bonfire which throws of many sparks and has ignited and is igniting other spiritual bonfires around the world. It seems to me this Group of Big Book oriented alcoholics was destined to be exactly what it has become… …” Cliff B. Primary Purpose Group of A.A. (Dallas)

http://www.kellyfdn.com/BigBookStudy/bbstudygroups.htm

“We have no doctrine that has to be maintained. We have no membership that has to be enlarged. We have no authority that has to be supported. We have no prestige, power or pride that has to be satisfied.” Bill W. (Concept 12, warranty Five)

There appears to be a misconception by some in A.A. that service committees ought neither endorse nor oppose private enterprise elsewhere in A.A., because it is an outside issue. This ignores Tradition one, each is part of the whole. Private enterprise inside A.A. and the misuse of the A.A. name outside A.A. are not outside issues. They violate Tradition. A.A. sponsorship is not an outside issue it is part of the A.A. program.

“We are apt to warp the traditional idea of ‘principles before personalities’ around to such a point that there would be no ‘personality’ in leadership at all. This would imply rather faceless automatons trying to please everybody regardless.” (Concept IX)

Such warping of the traditional idea of ‘principles before personalities’ appears to lead to a misconception that Traditions violators should not be named in internal discussions on such matters. Skirting around such issues merely leads to politics outside committee meetings, unaccountability and ineffective action. Clearly Tradition Twelve is not there to provide a convenient anonymity cloak for those who violate Traditions, but to protect the fellowship. It can be seen from warranty five that Tradition violators need to be identified in order to effectively apply the principles of warranties five and six.

“Privately, however we can inform Traditions violators that they are out of order. When they persist, we can follow up by using such other resources of persuasion as we may have, and these are often considerable… … … This combination of counter forces can be very discouraging to violators or would be violators. Under these conditions they soon find their deviations to be unprofitable or unwise… … …Some deviators have suffered rather severe personal criticism from individual A.A. members, and this is to be deplored. However, this is no reason for us to stop reminding all concerned of the undesirability of breaking A.A. Traditions before the entire public. It can be said that the difficulties of those who contravene the Traditions are chiefly troubles of their own making."

(Concept 12, warranty five).

Additional extracts from A.A. literature:

“Through the mid - 1940’s, it was felt that grand titles and flowery introductions might go to an alcoholic’s head.”

(Dr. Bob and the Good old Timers page 221)

“Don’t applaud me. Don’t applaud any alcoholic”

(Dr. Bob and the Good old Timers page 221)

“It is traditional in Alcoholics Anonymous that we do not make speeches.”

(Bill W. A.A. Comes of Age page 52)

“AA Is Not Big Business” by Bill W. AA Grapevine November 1950:

“Our Traditions are set down on paper. But they were written first in our hearts. For each of us knows, instinctively, I think, that AA is not ours to do with as we please. We are but caretakers to preserve the spiritual quality of our Fellowship; keep it whole for those who will come after us and have need of what has been so generously been given to us… … … So the hour has come when you must take these things into your own keeping. We ask that you guard them well, for the future of Alcoholics Anonymous may much depend on how you maintain and support these life - giving arms of service.” (Language of the Heart page 124)

“They forget that, during their drinking days, prestige and the achievement of worldly ambition were their principle aims. They do not realize that, by breaking their anonymity, they are unconsciously pursuing those old and perilous illusions once more. They forget that the keeping of one’s anonymity often means the sacrifice of one’s desire for power, prestige, and money. They do not see that if these strivings became general in A.A., the course of our whole history would be changed; that we would be sowing the seeds of our own destruction”. (Bill W., As Bill Sees It, page 198)(our emphasis)

“They tell us that we alcoholics are the biggest rationalisers in the world; that fortified with the excuse we are doing great things for AA we can, through broken anonymity, resume our old and disastrous pursuit of personal power and prestige, public honours, and money – the same implacable urges that when frustrated once caused us to drink; the same forces that are today ripping the globe apart at its seams. Moreover, they make clear that enough spectacular anonymity breakers could someday carry our whole society down into that ruinous dead end with them.” (Bill W. AA Grapevine January 1955. Language of the Heart page 216)

“If, through enough anonymity lapses, we finally caused the press, the public, and our alcoholic prospects themselves to wonder about our motives, we’d surely lose this priceless asset; and along with it, countless prospective members. Alcoholics Anonymous would not then be getting more good publicity; it would be getting less and worse. Therefore the handwriting on the wall is clear. Because most of us can already see it, and because the rest of us soon will, I’m fully confident that no such dark day will ever fall upon our society” (Bill W. AA Grapevine January 1955. Language of the Heart page 217)

“We envisaged the writing of a uniform A.A. literature, the development of a sound public relations policy.”

Bill W. 1962 (Concept I)

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

Bill W. 1962 (Concept XI).(our emphasis)

“Suppose, for instance, that during the last twenty five years, AA had never published any standard literature – no books, no pamphlets. We need little imagination to see that by now our message would be hopelessly garbled. Our relations with medicine and religion would have become a shambles. To alcoholics generally we would today be a joke and the public would have thought us a riddle. Without its literature, AA would certainly have bogged down in a welter of controversy and disunity” Bill W. (AA Grapevine May 1964; Language of the Heart page 348)(our emphasis)

“..Together with numbers of friends, I decide to take a brief detour. We pick our path and happily plunge along it. Elatedly, somebody soon says, ‘Maybe we’ll soon find gold on top of that mountain.’ Then to our amazement we do strike gold – not nuggets in the streams, but fully minted coins. The heads of these coins each declare, ‘This is pure gold – twenty-four carats.’ Surely, we think, this is the reward for our patient plodding back there in the everlasting brightness of the Highway. Soon, though, we begin to notice the words on the tails of the coins, and we have strange forebodings: Some pieces carry rather attractive inscriptions. ‘I am Power,’ ‘I am Acclaim’ ‘I am Wealth’ ‘I am Righteousness’ they say, but others seem very strange. for example: ‘I am the Master Race’ ‘I am the Benefactor’ ‘I am Good Causes’ ‘ I am God’ This is very puzzling. Nevertheless we pocket them. But next come the real shockers. They read: ‘I’m Pride’ ‘I’m Revenge’ ‘ I’m Disunity’ I’m Chaos’ Then we turn up a single coin- just one – which declares: ‘This is the devil himself.’ Some of us are horrified and we cry, ‘This is fool’s gold, and this is a fool’s paradise… … …

… … Here were the same old goals - power, fame, applause. Besides I had the best alibi known – the spiritual alibi. The fact that I really did have a spiritual objective always made this utter nonsense seem perfectly right. I couldn’t tell a good coin from a bad one; it was spiritual gold - bricking at its worst. I shall forever regret the damage I did to the people around me. Indeed, I still tremble when I realize what I might have done to AA and to its future.” (Bill W. AA Grapevine June 1961; Language of the Heart Page 256)

“But AA unity cannot automatically preserve itself. Like personal recovery, we shall always have to work to maintain it. Here, too, we surely need honesty, humility, open-mindedness, unselfishness and, above all--- vigilance. So we who are older in A.A. beg you who are newer to ponder carefully the experience we have already had of trying to live and work together. We would like each A.A. to become just as much aware of those disturbing tendencies which endanger us as a whole as he is conscious of those personal defects which threaten his own sobriety and peace of mind. For whole movements have, before now, gone on benders, too!”

(Bill W. A.A. Tradition, How it developed Page 4.)(our emphasis)”

Comment: Personalities before principles (anonymity isn't just about omitting your surname!), “emotional froth” before substance, greed before integrity – just what the cult is all about! As for the Little Rock Plan surely it would have been simpler for members to have joined the Marine Corps? And anyone can get a high success rate if you 'cherry pick' your “prospects” ! We wonder what happened to all the discards? Dead probably. Hey ho! As long as the 'stats' look good what matter a few more casualties! Who's counting those anyway? But the warning signs are all there – anyone watching? WE ARE!

Cheerio

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

"THE EIGHT KINDES OF DRUNKENNES": (circa 1592)

"The first is ape drunke; and he leapes, and singes, and hollowes, and danceth for the heavens;

The second is lion drunke; and he flings the pots about the house, calls his hostesse whore, breakes the glasse windowes with his dagger, and is apt to quarrell with anie man that speaks to him;

The third is swine drunke; heavie, lumpish, and sleepie, and cries for a little more drinke, and a fewe more cloathes;

The fourth is sheepe drunk; wise in his conceipt, when he cannot bring foorth a right word;

The fifth is mawdlen drunke; when a fellowe will weepe for kindnes in the midst of ale, and kisse you, saying, "By God, captaine, I love thee. Goe thy wayes; thou dost not thinke so often of me as I doo thee; I would (if it pleased God) I could not love thee as well as I doo;" and then he puts his finger in his eye, and cryes;

The sixth is Martin drunke; when a man is drunke, and drinkes himselfe sober ere he stirre;

The seventh is goate drunke; when, in his drunkennes, he hath no minde but on lecherie;

The eighth is fox drunke—when he is craftie drunke, as manie of the Dutchmen bee, that will never bargaine but when they are drunke."

Source: Lists of note

Comment: Our personal favourite is the fifth: "mawdlen drunke". Nothing beats a bit of self-pity - Ah! The good old days! How we miss them - NOT!

Cheerio

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

PS Our thanks to this contributor

Our Thug of the Month – introducing …... Billy “the Kid”!

Yes that time has come once more – yet another 'personality' (?) to join our Rogues Gallery of cult thugs! Billy (Hampton Wick/Lower Teddington Rd/Friday and Richmond/ Ormond Rd/Tuesday) will be joining such notables as Glynne M (aka The Incredible Hulk – ex-secretary West Kent Intergroup – bully extraordinaire with a neat sideline in back-stabbing!), Harry K (Big Book 'expert' and Primary Purpose franchise rep for East Kent), Harry A (aka Harry the Handbag – also hailing from East Kent – another Big Book adept and lecturer 'to infinity and beyond'), Ealing Tim (speciality: picking on old age pensioners), Happy Dennis (aka Mad Dog Dennis – simply barking!), Alexis K and Jon F, (formed their own gang – the Plymouth Road to Recovery – biggest scalp to date: the AA General secretary), Wayne P (another desperado from the Hole in the Wall gang – although we hesitate to include Wayne – after all who can take seriously someone whose trousers keep falling down!)..... and so the list goes on and on and......

Billy it would seem is something of a smooth operator and likes nothing better than to deliver a finely polished performance for his public's consumption. His product is the programme, and his sales pitch well practised, enhanced moreover by a carefully manufactured 'spiritual' image that lends a further gloss to his slick presentation. Unfortunately – or fortunately perhaps - from time to time the 'façade' slips and reality breaks through to show its wrinkly face, and then we are presented with quite another 'show' indeed! When charm fails and patience is all but exhausted Billy falls back on that other much favoured cult technique for “carrying the message” - the rant! Billy apparently can scream and rave with the best of them. His victims have been variously berated in public and private. But when Billy loses it he really does LOSE it! Screeching directly in someone's face or across a room either way Billy goes for it BIG TIME. If you want decibels Billy's your man! Volume control is set to 11 (remember Spinal Tap – the band that goes to eleven – they've got nothing on Billy!). Once you've been on the receiving end of a Billy 'Special' if you're not sobered up then nothing's going to work! You're a lost soul and no doubt about it! You might as well just “step over to the nearest bar” and get it over and done with! Indeed, and on occasion, so overcome by his own fervour is Billy that he likes to get PHYSICAL, and has been known to engage in fisticuffs with a recalcitrant newcomer (or indeed anyone else who happens to be around) as he tries to sober 'em up!. Yes sirree.. Billy can shoot not only from the lip but also from the hip! Don't mess with this bandito! He's a baaaaaad baaaaad man! His territory stretches from down Richmond way and even across the Pecos (aka the Thames) to Hampton Wick. Word is that his gang is holed up in Ormond Road where he rules the roost with an iron hand, his crew of sponsees, every man jack of them, carefully corralled, and properly schooled in Billy's oft-times DEAFENING message! But Billy likes to keep his ear to the ground for there's always the risk of an ambuscade! You just never know when it's going to come – do you Billy?

Cheerio

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

Conference Questions (2012) forum discussion (contd)

Committee No. 1

Question 1:

“Would the Fellowship share experience and make recommendations on how to make AA more visible to the general public, particularly by increasing awareness and understanding of how the AA programme works?"

Extract:

“If effort is to be made at a national level to increase awareness and understanding of how the programme works then this will also need to be accompanied by internal efforts within the fellowship, particularly to increase awareness and understanding of AA’s historical roots in the medical profession and the history of AA Traditions, otherwise it will be mainly a waste of time and money.

A so called A.A. group in the town where I live uses a group 12 step guide published by an outside organization, which is clearly published with the intent of it being used in within AA. The text is heavily laden with quotes from the Bible, the Oxford Group Four Absolutes and Jesus is clearly implicated as being the higher power. Within the text are cult-like requirements for newcomers to answer questions that “qualify” them to take the steps, to sign statements that they have completed the “admission phase” the “submission phase” etc. “Write down certain things when instructed.” incitement to “aggressive activities.” A pdf of the guide can be searched on the internet using the search terms: “Our A.A. legacy to the faith community”. These are not the A.A. Twelve Steps, nor are they “Our A.A. legacy”. They are the author’s personal opinion. They are clearly against the principles of A.A. Tradition:

“Our AA door stands wide open, and if he passes through it and commences to do anything at all about his problem, he is considered a member of Alcoholics Anonymous. He signs nothing, agrees to nothing, promises nothing. We demand nothing. He joins us on his own say-so. Nowadays in most groups he doesn’t even have to admit he is an alcoholic”. (Bill W. “AA Tradition - How it Developed”, page 12)

http://www.aa.org/pdf/products/p-17_AATraditions.pdf

I have personally drafted two replies to professionals who had written complaints expressing concerns about the religiosity and cult-like behaviour of the group. Professionals working in the alcoholism field, the press, courts, and the general public will not buy into official adverts, pamphlets and statements at a national level which say AA is not religious, when newcomers go away from AA meetings with handouts and twelve step guides in which the text is laden with quotes from the Bible and clearly implicates that Jesus is the higher power.

I sympathise both with ….....'s comments and the position of the forum moderator. Paradoxically, both are right. Outside issues and organizations should be kept separate from A.A., lest AA is drawn into public controversy. However, now that outside organizations have infiltrated AA this is not an outside issue. From the press reports, internet and USA courts, we need not any longer fear the prospect of Alcoholics Anonymous being drawn into public controversy; that time has already passed. Alcoholics Anonymous has been in public controversy for at least 10 or 15 years, most AA members seem to be blissfully unaware of this. Groups need to take inventory as to how and why this has happened. This controversial issue has to be discussed openly within the fellowship. I do not believe this can be done without naming the individuals and organizations that are exploiting the fellowship. People have to know what they are talking about.

Public information committees at all levels of the service structure need to inform Professionals working in the alcoholism field and religious professionals of these business organizations that are infiltrating A.A, that a minority of groups which call themselves AA groups, might not be AA groups, but are teaching the cult-like religious doctrines of outside organizations which are exploiting the fellowship.

Concept 12, warranty five: “And at times the Conference will need to take certain protective actions especially in the area of Tradition violations.…….. Individuals, sometimes outside organizations may try to use the A.A. name for their own private purposes……. Whenever and however we can, we shall need to inform the general public also; especially upon misuses of the name Alcoholics Anonymous. This combination of counter forces can be very discouraging to violators or would be violators. Under these conditions they soon find their deviations to be unprofitable or unwise."

This issue ties in with the topic discussed in committee 3, Question 2, regarding what constitutes an A.A. group. Groups which have a dual purpose of incorporating the teachings of sectarian religion within the Twelve Steps cannot call themselves A.A. groups.

“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. ‘Problems other than Alcohol,’ AA Grapevine February 1958; The Language of the Heart page 222).

“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. We can never become a religion in that sense, lest we kill our usefulness by being bogged down in theological contention” (Bill W. Letter 1954, As Bill sees It page 116)

“If individual A.A.s wish to gather together for retreats, Communion breakfasts, or indeed any undertaking at all, we still say ‘Fine. Only we hope you won’t designate your efforts as an A.A. group or enterprise.” (Concept 12, warranty five).”

Join the discussion: Conference 2012 Discussion

Cheers

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

Tadley Monday Newcomers (Hampshire – Northdown Intergroup)

“Hi fellas

I went to Tadley Monday Newcomers meeting for the first time in November and noticed some things that tripped my cult radar, so I decided to return a few times and delve a bit deeper.

This is a very weird little group. It meets in one of the small rooms in the village Community Centre, and its regulars struggle to make themselves heard over either the aerobics class in the main hall or the wannabe pop stars strumming out the same riff for an hour in the next room. When they do raise their voices above the background din, they love a cross share down Tadley way. Advice offered to anyone bold enough to share a difficulty ranges from the cult standard 'WORK THE STEPS HARDER!' to sagacity that doesn't appear to be based on any sort of sober experience of the problem on the part of the adviser.

The meeting appears to have been set up by a chap named R....... He flounced out of Basingstoke AA with about nine months sober just over a year ago and set up Tadley Monday on a resentment that some people were not content to watch him scare the living daylights out of every newcomer who came within a quarter mile of the town's meetings. He seems to have quickly risen to guru status in Tadley, despite several of his disciples getting spectacularly pissed. These slippers don't seem welcome back at his meeting. I witnessed him literally bawling one of them out not long after I first went. Mainstream AA is left to comfort these castoffs, however Tadley regulars are rarely seen at any other meetings or getting involved in wider service work.

Yet what is most worrying is the cult of newcomers sponsoring other newcomers. The Tadley meeting takes this practice to ridiculous extremes. At the moment, the group has one girl with 9 months (sponsored by R......., naturally), who is sponsoring another with 3 months who in turn has a sponsee of 2 months. All have one eye on the door to pounce on the next unfortunate who really just needs a welcome, a coffee and a bit of time to find their feet and get some identification.

To any questioning of their methods they hide behind the often quoted dogma that they are glad Bill and Bob didn't wait two years to sponsor anyone. When those with slightly less evangelical tendencies point out that we have a very different fellowship today, and that "obviously you cannot transmit something you haven’t got" (page 164) it sadly doesn't seem to cut much ice. They just get entrenched with intensive work with others to save their own hides, no matter what the consequences for the poor unfortunates they put at grave danger with their lack of experience.

I'd appreciate your help in exposing these zealots and making the Northdown area a bit safer for those yet to come to the rooms.

Keep up the good work.

Love in fellowship”

“Hi fellas

…......

I believe there may be some connections to the Design For Living Group that spread from South-West London and got a brief foothold up the road in Greenham before it shut last year. Greenham and Tadley sprung up at around the same time.

So far we have been reasonably lucky in keeping Visions and Primary Purpose off this patch. There is a Basic Text group in Theale, but having been a few times they seem to be a few harmless fundamentalists studying the book really intensely. There is no big recruitment drive, father figure or cult of sponsorship so it seems relatively (I use the term advisedly) healthy.

Keep up the good work.”

Cheerio

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

PS Our usual thanks to our local reporter

AA Minority report 2012 (continued)(7)

“Section Two

Business has no business in A.A.

Extract from Tradition six:

“An AA group ought never endorse, finance, or lend the A.A. name to related facility or outside enterprise lest problems of money, property, and prestige divert us from our primary purpose.”

Business has no business in A.A. If A.A. members allow it on separate tables in A.A. meetings and events, then as Bill W. put it “every ad man and salesman in Alcoholics Anonymous would soon be selling A.A.’s wares, willy-nilly. We would loose control of our public relations.” (Bill W. A.A. Comes of Age page 130-131). Our ubiquitous and ever perennial “promoter friend” has been, and always will be, with us and he will always need to be restrained. Today A.A. business thrives, anything from a Big Book study guide, CD, T shirt, to a bumper sticker. (Google search: Alcoholics Anonymous merchandise for a list of companies trading off the A.A. Name). By Tradition, A.A. members need to be aware that these outside enterprises ought never be mixed in A.A. groups or A.A. events.

A few select items:

SPEAKER WATER

Sober Speaker Water from Natural Springs - 16.9floz.

“Attention Meeting Secrataries!!! [sic] Let your speakers feel the gratitude with our signature SPEAKER WATER!! The most refreshing h2o available for speakers of all kinds Attention Speakers!!! We thank you for carrying The Message of experience strength and hope. Each sleek plastic bottle is 16.9floz. Guaranteed to keep you sober while you share. Our Price: $1.00

http://www.my12stepstore.com/product440.html

Recovery "Welcome" Newcomer Chocolate Bar

…this Premium Chocolate Bar is the perfect gift for any Newcomer! This is a very unique and fun way to say Welcome! This Recovery Bar comes in either Milk Chocolate or White Chocolate. It measures approx. 6.5" x 1.5".

Our Price: $4.95

http://www.my12stepstore.com/product418.html

Bill W. Bobblehead

This Resin figure of the AA Founder makes a super fun gift! 7 inches tall.

Our Price: $21.95

http://www.my12stepstore.com/product570.html

AA Big Book Study Edition

6"x9" Leather Bound Hard Cover Retail Price: $32.00 The First 164 pages of The Big Book with lined pages opposite text for note taking

http://www.my12stepstore.com/product577.html

Lost and found Book Bindery

If you have a Big Book, then you already know how important they are. Most of us (including me) owe our lives to the message this book carries. We have "marked them up" in every way imaginable and every note has a special meaning in our recovery.

http://www.bigbookfixer.com/index.html

Big Book Study Guide

The purpose of this Study Guide is to enable the student to better understand the information the authors of the book Alcoholics Anonymous … …

http://ppgaadallas.org/study_guide.htm

Gold plated medallion

4c Gold Leaf Plated AA Annual Sobriety Birthday Medallion/Coin £15.00

Plated with 24c gold leaf, this beautiful AA sobriety medal has a raised circle/triangle showing the year of sobriety with the Legacies of; Recovery, Unity & Service. The words, “To Thine Own Self Be True”, are stamped around the coin’s edge. The Short version of the Serenity Prayer is stamped on the reverse.

http://www.recoveringkindredspirits.co.uk/index1.html

A newcomer victim of Big Book Study struggles with her step workbook:

“I am concerned that we are not reaching people who cannot read well or cannot read at all. I am new to the program and making my way through the Steps. I struggle to understand the "Twelve and Twelve," even with a college degree and help from my sponsor and other AAs. Meanwhile, my roommate, also newly sober and with a grade school education, can't make any sense of her Step workbook and is about to give up. How many people do we lose this way? How many, when asked to read from the Big Book at a meeting, stumble through a few sentences, acutely embarrassed, and never come back? A literature-based program effectively shuts out people who desperately need help but do not have good reading skills”. (Dear Grapevine, Shut Out; A.A. Grapevine November 2010)

Kelly Foundation Big Book Study/ step guide books, Recovery Dynamics materials, Books by Joe McQ:

http://www.kellyfdn.com/order.htm

Other newcomers’ views:

“I've been doing telephone service since I got sober. I answer the phones at our intergroup office in the mornings. Some of my favourite calls are from newcomers who say, "I need to go to some of your classes." They think we're in school! …” (Class is in Session. A.A. Grapevine November 2010)

The view of Bill W. Co-Founder of A.A:

“Education will not only pay off in numbers treated; it can pay off even more handsomely in prevention… … Now who is going to do all this education? Obviously, it is both a community job and a job for specialists. Individually, we AAs can help, but AA as such cannot, and should not, get directly into this field.” (Bill W. AA Grapevine March 1958. Language of the Heart page 186-187)

The view of Norman Y in 1977, who Joined A.A. in 1939:

“‘I never read a word in A.A.’ he said. ‘You don’t have to read. You don’t have to have all these pamphlets they put out. You can learn to live this program by learning to think. A.A. is a wonderful thing to know and apply’ he said, ‘- but in your life. You’ve got to live it out in the street. You see somebody having a little problem, help them, no matter who they are. That’s A.A.” –Norman Y. (Dr. Bob and The Good Old Timers page 251-250)

“When Norman finally got a job, in 1940, helping other blind people, he started to put aside ten percent of his salary to pay for speaking trips, contributions at meetings, and other A.A. expenses.” (Dr. Bob and The Good Old Timers page 182-183)

Have some quarters of the fellowship lost sight of the A.A. spirit of gratitude and service, freely given without need to satisfy their cravings for personal prestige or material reward?

This trend in A.A. merchandise began perhaps, many years ago with our “promoter friend” in the plastics moulding industry selling bits of plastic to the A.A. group; a reward to man, for what is but God’s grace; The chip to wedge open the door to a free market. “To Thine Own ‘Self’ be True” instead of “But for the grace of God go ‘I’ ” An appeal to the senses and a round of applause to inflate an ego. Afterward this can be viewed as an A.A. group that “wallowed in emotionalism and had mistaken it for true religious feeling” (Step 2 Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions page 33). “This had been our blind spot. We had supposed we had humility when we really hadn’t.” (Step Two, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions page 33). If reward is to be given at all, better a gift of A.A. literature to encourage a newcomer’s deeper understanding of his illness and to broaden his understanding of honesty and humility.

A victim of A.A business shares her story:

Extract from “unrecorded”, A.A. Grapevine August 2007 Vol. 64 No. 3

“..Some speakers are recorded without their knowledge or permission. For instance, one friend of mine, a gay schoolteacher, was horrified to discover that his AA talk had been recorded and sold without his knowledge. Since part of his story included a description of how his recovery from alcoholism helped him accept his sexual orientation, he was concerned that his professional standing would be jeopardized if the recording wound up in the wrong hands. Of course, the whole situation could have been avoided if the taper simply had asked his permission to record the talk.

Another AA member I know, a clergyman, delivered a rather earthy talk at an AA convention. Someone sent the recording to his bishop, landing the clergyman in hot water. Certainly, the tattletale was a large part of the problem here. But if there's one place where we shouldn't have to worry about the repercussions of our sharing, it's an AA meeting. So, what does "anonymous" mean to members during these times of ever-present audio recorders?

….One time, I walked into an AA convention where I was speaking and was surprised to see the taper set up with dozens of pre-made labels with my full name emblazoned on them. I told him to blot out my last name. He begrudgingly complied. No one on the committee had mentioned that they intended to record and sell my talk… … Another time, I was seated on the dais as a banquet speaker during another AA convention. The tapers bustled about, setting up their recording system. Finally, I said, "Is anyone going to ask me if it's all right to record my talk?" They were perplexed by the question…………… Similarly, if we have to agree to be recorded before being invited to tell our AA stories, then Alcoholics Anonymous has lost its way………. Evidently, many audio recording businesses aren't familiar with the last page of the "A.A. Guidelines on Conferences…….Some tapers act as "booking agents" for AA meetings, conventions, round-ups, and conferences. They're business people, and they recommend, as speakers, those whose recordings sell lots of copies: the polished, the sensational, the humorous, and the well-known. Generally, tapers won't recommend speakers who won't allow their talks to be recorded, because it's a bad business decision for them…….. I'd like to see AA wean itself from its dependence on tapers……………….. I don't want to walk away from the AA meeting with a brand-new CD. I want to walk away from the AA meeting with an empty hand, a full heart, and a new twist on an old message that gives the recipient a big spiritual dividend--while no one realizes a dime in profit. Anonymous

It is a sad day for A.A., when speakers are chosen for their innate ability to captivate and entertain an audience. Have conventions become a business? Have they become a power game for “Our promoter friend” to exploit what Dr. Silkworth described as “unhealthy emotionalism”? (A.A. Comes of Age appendix E:a)

“Say no to nothing, A German recluse bursts out of her shell at ICYPAA 51

…I set down my bags, went out for a smoke, and was kidnapped by ICYPAA old-timers. I got back about 13 hours later with two other AAs who crashed in my bed. After two hours of sleep, I jumped out of bed and yearned for more. That was two days before the conference actually started… … I have truly been rocketed into a fourth dimension I never knew existed. I always believed I would experience the Promises in my life, but I never expected them to all be thrown at me over one short weekend. I stood in the meeting room with 3,500 drunks under the age of 30, and I had chills running down my spine and tears in my eyes. Little did I know this was the mere beginning--the pre-conference speaker. I stood on my chair and danced to Bob Marley. After all, this was why I came; however, I was feeling very uncomfortable and uncool… … … The spirituality in the room could have knocked me over. I took a second to recompose myself, then I leaned over to my new friend, with his green, red and yellow mohawk, and said, "This is it." He smiled and looked down at me and just said, "Yeah, ha-ha, awesome, right?" I knew at that moment I had found that feeling I had chased since my first drink: total acceptance, absolute love and a freedom to act stupid… … … The first bit of advice I received was very useful. I was riding through Atlanta in the back of a pickup truck, and the "old-timers," who had been to at least three ICYPAAs before, said, "Say no to nothing, do it all, and sleep as little as possible… … … But before I knew it, I was on the stage at a nightclub full of sober people, raving with the D.J. I stopped and thought, Can this be right? Can this be spiritual? Can sobriety be so much fun? I asked God for an intuitive thought or decision, only to be thrown back into reality by a song that said, "Shut up and dance… … … At the beginning of each meeting, the speaker would introduce him or herself, "Hi, I am_____ and I am an alcoholic," and then the thousands of young people would return with, "Hi, _____, we love you, _____, lots and lots and lots and WHOOOOOLE BUNCHES! Whooo!" (This was accompanied by a group pelvic thrust toward the speaker which seemed to get bigger later in the weekend)… … … That is the attitude I left with. If you think you can't enjoy life in sobriety, "B__________t!"

There was so much power, gratitude and inspiration in Atlanta that I can never imagine having the desire to drink return to me… … … We are the next generation of old-timers, the future of this Fellowship. We, young people in AA around the world, are on fire with recovery.” (Say no to nothing, A German recluse bursts out of her shell at ICYPAA 51 AA Grapevine February 2010)

“THAT voice, I thought. That's the woman on the tape! ... … … The woman whose voice I recognized was sitting in front, sharing on gratitude … … I had goose bumps as I listened to her; I began to shake, and my heart pounded in my chest… … It was Sandy… … After the meeting I turned to my sponsor and my friend and said, ‘I have to talk to that woman.’… … … I touched her arm… … … she had no idea who I was. ‘I recognized your voice,’ I managed to choke out. "I have one of your tapes. You saved my life.’… … … I dragged out one of my boxes of AA speaker tapes. I probably have over 100 tapes. I was going to find Sandy's tape. I hadn't listened to it in years, but I knew it was in one of two boxes. I opened the first box and sighed. The tapes were piled on top of each other with no order to them, no neat little rows. I knew I was in for a long afternoon. I reached in and pulled out the first tape my fingers touched. I turned it over: The tape had a black and red label on it and the name Sandy was written across it with a date. (THE VOICE ON THE TAPE After almost two decades, she stumbles upon the woman who saved her life. AA Grapevine November 2010)

Extract from “A New Approach to Psychotherapy in Chronic Alcoholism,” by Psychiatrist Dr. W.D Silkworth M.D Journal Lancet, July 1939:

“These ex-alcoholic men and women number about one hundred at present … … … Many creeds are represented among the group and the greatest harmony prevails. … … … Considering the presence of the religious factor, one might expect to find an unhealthy emotionalism and prejudice. This is not the case, however;” (A.A. Comes of Age, appendix E:a, pages 304-305)

A victim of unhealthy emotionalism shares her story:

“At the 2005 International Convention, an old-timer began to tell his story onstage at the closing meeting… … Audience members called out, "Who are you? ... … The old-timer couldn't hear what they were shouting, and he began again. Again the audience shouted at him, "Who are you?" He became flustered and lost his train of thought. He couldn't regain it, and he was ushered off the stage. I was so sad that we missed this treasured member's story due to formality of introduction. Please, let's remember to honour our old-timers and all our members …” (Dear Grapevine, formulaic greetings; AA Grapevine July 2010)

The history of Synanon tells its own story. Synanon cult leader Chuck D. was “said to be an admired speaker at A.A. meetings”: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synanon

The Synanon cult provided everything its members needed, from merchandise to alcohol free dances:

“Every year companies donate products to the Synanon Foundation by the carload: beef, shoes, furniture, clothing and building materials. ("Our tax-exempt privilege gives us the right, really, to hustle goods and services," says Dederich. "And they can write it off.") Synanon is also the nation's second largest supplier of promotional specialities—those ballpoint pens, wallets and T-shirts given away as merchandising gimmicks.”

(Chuck Dederich Still Rules Synanon, but Now He Has 1,300 Subjects and a $22 Million Empire -- By Barbara Wilkins --PEOPLE magazine's archive: October 11, 1976, Vol. 6, No. 15:

http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20066985,00.html

“Many men flocked to Synanon's alcohol-free dances to do the Hoopla with attractive Synanite women--after first playing The Game.” [Photo Los Angeles Times]

http://thestraights.com/theprogram/synanon-story2.htm”

Comment: There's always a fast buck to be made and Alcoholics Anonymous is no exception! Now we've decided to get into the true spirit of private enterprise and so we'll be bringing out our own “Get rich quick” scheme in the near future complete with workbooks, CDs (even DVDs) etc and featuring our very own panel of Big Book experts who will available both online (via Skype) and LIVE at a meeting near you! Can't get a sponsor? No worries! Just sign up for our special deal, all inclusive sponsorship package! For a very modest fee we will provide someone to harangue you over the phone, ask you if you've done your “six suggested things” for the day, and whether you have adopted the appropriate position for your morning prayer. We can guarantee regular scolding, berating, reproofs, rebukes, reprimands and any other forms of abuse that spring to mind! In no time at all you will feel like a totally inadequate adult – we even provide an extended warranty to that effect – and at only a small additional cost! Find out how good it feels to be humiliated! No stone left unturned! Every area of your life invaded! That'll put you in your place!

Just kidding! …. Wellllll...  maybe not!

Cheerio

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

More Ealing madness!

““Do not get a job until you have completed step 5” Huh??! What??!! Not heard that rule before? Well perhaps because it is not the message of Alcoholics Anonymous. It is, however, the message of one “happy” Dennis, the hyper-manic control freak of Ealing. (We put the word happy in inverted comas because we feel it is inaccurate to call him “happy” - mania and happiness are not the same thing.) The advice he is dishing out to any newcomer who asks him for sponsorship seems to be getting more and more wacko. According to our witness he tells new sponsees that they cannot go to work until they have completed step 5. In practice this is proving to be rather dangerous and damaging advice. For example, any sponsee of his who is in receipt of Job Seekers Allowance – a government benefit given to those who are out of work on the condition that they look for work and will accept a job if they are offered it – could find themselves in serious trouble. In the strict world of welfare benefits any failure to look for work, or to refuse work offered while receiving Job Seekers Allowance, could result in suspension of the benefit. But an unfortunate newcomer caught up in “happy” Dennis’ mad world of sponsorship is not allowed to work until they have completed Step 5. This means of course that they will be going to the Job Centre with the intention of deceiving the government that they are looking for work, whereas in fact they cannot have that intention because they have been “ordered” by their lunatic sponsor “happy” Dennis that they must not work until they have completed Step 5. “I felt uncomfortable and dishonest” says one (now working) ex-sponsee of “happy” Dennis. “I was going to the Job Centre, but I was not really looking at the jobs. I had to pretend. I was really scared I might get found out and lose my benefit, and then end up homeless and without any money to live. I rushed through Steps 4 and 5 as fast as I could just so I could feel honest and start working again.”

We would like to know where exactly in the Big Book - or any other approved literature of Alcoholics Anonymous - does it say that we cannot work or accept a job until we have completed Step 5. The literature does, however, tell us that rushing through Steps 4 and 5 is not good practice for long term recovery. Is it not a disgrace that newcomers in the Ealing area are being forced to deceive the government by behaving dishonestly, and with some threat to their financial security, and moreover endangering their own future sobriety, in order to abide by the insane, irresponsible and selfishly-invented “rules” of one “happy” Dennis? AA has to operate within the Law. The activities of “happy” Dennis of Ealing bring AA into disrepute, and put vulnerable individuals at risk. “

Comment: We only put a fraction of what we hear from the area on the site. You simply would not believe what is going on in Ealing at the moment! See our Cult: Where to Find (GB) for more details on the cult meetings here (and elsewhere).

Cheers

The Fellas (Friends of Alcoholics Anonymous)

PS. Our usual thanks to our Ealing reporters.